The Haunting Tale

Chapter 4: When I Find Love

While walking on the pebble path, surrounded by dazzling fireflies, Noah wondered how long the path was and when he would meet the girl with black dress. He also asked himself how the girl looked like. He remembered before he was sent to Unholy Forest, when he was chasing her, he barely saw her face, but he knew she was the loveliest woman he'd met. And her voice... Noah was truly in love.

The path was blocked by a big bush. The fireflies hovered into it. Noah followed them, he crawled into and out of the bush. He looked around, it felt like a different world from the place he started. There were many kinds of tall trees, mostly willows. The fireflies flew around a well. Sitting on the edge was the girl with black dress. It was her!

Noah was happy but also nervous. The lady heard him walking, she looked at him and her eyes sparkled.

"Hi..." she said. Even without singing, her voice was angelic.

"Hi..." Noah shyly said.

"I'm Diana."

"Noah..." he introduced, rubbing his arm.

"You're new! So you died in the forest?" asked Diana

"The Forest Protector said I wasn't exactly dead yet... So I was in between..."

Diana nodded, and patted the edge of the well. "Come sit down, enjoy the sunset. You'll see something magical."

Noah sat next to her, his heart beat faster. He didn't know what to do but to enjoy the sunset. As the sun went down, the sky turned velvet, the stars appeared. Noah heard a croak sound. It came from the well.

"It's time," Diana smiled.

A bunch of frogs jumped out of the well. They were croaking with excitement, Noah described. He saw a frog struggling to get out, he grabbed it and gently put it on the ground. Sparks suddenly appeared around the frogs, turning into humans holding musical instruments. The frog Noah helped was an old man with cello. He smiled at Noah. At the pond in front of the well, the swans swam to the shore and turned into ballet dancers with long white dresses.

The musicians started to play music, the dancers twirled around the well. Diana and Noah were in the middle of the circle.

Noah was astonished with this place, Unholy Forest, and how magical it was. So why did it called 'Unholy'?

Diana stood up and gave him her hand, "Would you like to dance with me?"

Noah didn't say anything, he grabbed her hands. They danced like they were alone together. It felt so romantic for Noah. He couldn't imagine how happy he was when he found her. He looked closely at her face, her eyes were hazel, her hair was curly jet black. Her lips were red... he just wanted to kiss her. But he forbid himself so, Diana would panic and think he was crazy.

But Noah was happy. Dancing with her at a romantic place, surrounded by fireflies and nature was the best thing he had on his birthday.

The dance ended, the dancers turned into swans and waddled back to the pond. The musicians turned back to frogs and skipped into the well.

"It only happened when I was happy," Diana whispered. "And I am happy..."

"Me too..." Noah whispered back.