The Nutcracker

Chapter 7

YAYYYY so here'a chapter 7 :) hope you'll like it! :D

Chapter 7:

They resumed their journey through the unpredictable forest. The Nutcracker took cautious steps on each slab of uneven stone, and at the same time, made sure that Clarie's head did not touch the ghostly tendrils.

Just as Clarie thought they were safe from the threats lying all around, one of the ghost like tendrils came to life.

It sneakily made its way towards Clarie's arched back, as if it were eyeing its prey, looking for the best moment to wrap itself around her petite body and make that the last of her.

The skinny branch caught up with the Nutcraker's pace and followed closely behind with its nimble movements, avoiding the touch of leaves which could create unnecessary sound.

In a split second, it charged towards its target, twirling its long rough arms around her tiny waist, round and round, like a venomous snake. Thick branches followed, exerting more force on Clarie.

Clarie felt suffocated. She wanted to scream but she couldn't gather the breath to do so. As she struggled, the Nutcracker turned his head briefly, and was horrified to find the poor girl captured by the ghost-like fingers of the forest.

They lifted her effortlessly above the ground, squeezing her with more and more strength as the seconds went by.

Clarie kicked her legs vigorously in the air, resisting the movement of those evil tough branches, longing to break free.

Instinctively, the Nutcracker pulled out his sword, making a loud metallic 'chink' and casted its sharp shiny side against the crawling branch. With, a strong wooden arm, he gathered all the strength he had and hit the blade onto the outstretched arm of the branch.

Immediately, the tightly wrapped branches and tendrils around Clarie, fell sickly onto the ground. A puff of smoke surrounded it as it began to lose its power, and the puff of smoke slowly revealed a black and skinny little snake that slithered quickly into the bushes, as if it were escaping from the Nutcracker out of fear.

The rest of the tendrils recoiled back into the darkness of the forest, disappearing from their sight.

Just as they thought they were safe and free, more ghostly fingers came to life.

It was as if they were sent to take revenge.

They circled the Nutcracker within a second, lifting him from the ground just like they did with Clarie.

The sudden lifting of his body made him lose his grip on the handle of his sword, and the sword fell onto the uneven stone, bouncing twice, and flipping in the process, making a few 'clinks'.

Clarie stared at the Nutcracker with despair.

"What do i do?!" She thought. Her mind was in a state of panic, and she couldnt figure out how she was going to save him.

But she had to do something! She couldnt just watch him die of suffocation like that!

Looking around her, Clarie picked up the Nutcracker's sword without the slightest hesitation.

She slammed the blade into the outstretched branch.

She didnt have the strength to break the branch completely, however, the branch broke midway, weakening the rest of the branches connected to it, allowing the Nutcracker to break free, landing on the ground with a thud.

The Nutcracker seized the chance to escape, he stood up quickly and grabbed Clarie's hand with his hard wooden hands.

Though they were moving at their fastest pace and didnt have any time to lose, the Nutcracker couldnt help realizing how Clarie's small hand with delicate fingers fit perfectly into his wooden palm, like how a key fit into a lock.

He shook the idea away as he ran along the uneven stone, his wooden feet pounding on the ground with loud sounds that were simular to a horse's galloping feet.

Clarie beared with the pain in her foot as she ran forward along with the Nutcracker. Every step felt excruciatingly painful, as the uneven parts of each stone poked into her wound. It was like she was being stabbed repeatedly in the same area, giving her no time for recovery at all.

The bleeding which had stopped at first, began its journey again as Clarie's injury worsened with every step of the run. Her skin tore even further apart, and the blood flowed out, staining the entire piece of cloth from the Nutcracker's doublet, a deep red.

Still, Clarie was determined to leave the forbidden forest as quickly as possible.

Finally, after a long run of twists and turns, they arrived at a place where the clear blue sky was finally in sight.

They slowed down, panting as they breathed, and landed on the soft white snow.

It was then and there that the Nutcraker realized how badly Clarie was bleeding.

He held up her ankle, and saw that the entire sole of her ballet flats was soaked in fresh blood. Taking out her flats carefully, the Nutcracker untied the cloth that wrapped her injured foot, he examined her injury further, and sighed as he felt a pang of guilt rush inside him.

He couldnt believe how she managed to bear with such pain even until now. She must have suffered more than he could ever imagine!

Just then, he remembered just what he needed to take away all her pain and make her well again.

But that was provided the magic still existed.....