Inside The Unknown

Chapter 1: Bad Decisions

"Perhaps we can make a deal, then." He instilled fear into my heart, my body froze over as I muttered two fateful syllables "Okay... " . Beatrice screamed something, although I couldn't hear her as I blacked out.

A strange dream, no a nightmare, consumed me almost immediately afterward, The Beast beckoned, "Come child, the lantern is yours to take." this was it, Greg, the reason I enslaved myself.

Strange sensations covered my body, piercing, then numbness. Through ringing ears I could make out Beatrice again, "Wirt, no! What have you done, Greg's gone! And you're..." tears stained her cheeks. I stuttered at my friends shock, "I... I'm sorry. But I did what I needed to to save Greg."I said, trying to get up, my legs were encased in branches, Elderwood. "Wha-!" My body was heavy, but this time it wasn't the Elderwood, well at least not the Elderwood trapping me on the ground.

I slowly lifted my hand, and slid it on the long wooden branches coming out of my head. "Wirt... I'm so sorry..." Beatrice shouting now, "I was so caught up trying to save myself, I got you both cursed!" silence fell. Not even the snowstorm continued. Then, tears. I would have cried too, but I couldn't, I felt empty, as hollow as an empty trunk.

I started running, I didn't want to face my fears, but The Beast followed. "Child, you must accept the path you chose. Fate is now yours. " "Shut up! I don't care! Go get the Woodsman to help you. " I bellowed at him, although anger was driving my actions, I considered that the Woodsman is probably helping Beatrice get home safely. I abandoned her

Suddenly I came to a stop. An icy river blocked my path, something caught my eye. My reflection was twisted, a monster looked at me in the depths of the water. My eyes were an awful combination of red and yellow where brown had once been. All areas where white had previously been were replaced with a sky blue. I wasn't human.

Along with antlers, my silhouette was exactly like the Beast's, but smaller. "Wirt. You cannot go back, this is the burden of keeping Gregory alive. Take this axe, it will help you fell Elderwood. " I reluctantly took the axe from The Beast, this was my life now.