The Lost Kingdom

Chapter 1: The Beginning

My feet make no noise as I walk over the soft grass into a grove of towering oak trees, their leaves a bright green, and their branches leaning inward as if to embrace me. Everything is giving off a soft white glow like the trees back home after a beautiful spring rain shower. A warm breeze blows past, making the trees flutter like the wings of a bird taking flight. I raise my head with closed eyes taking in the sunshine. I feel at peace for a moment, then suddenly, a dark feeling begins to tug at me. I open my eyes and snap my head forward.

The clearing was empty except for me. It was then that I noticed a small pool hidden between two trees. As I made my way closer, I saw that these two trees were different; they were made of a soft white bark that began to peel to show a dark interior. I looked down at the crystal clear pool and saw the reflection of my honey brown eyes reflecting back toward me. Another gust of wind blows through the trees, harsher than the last as if a storm is about to pick up the wind tussles my hair moving it into my eyes. I sweep a hand over my face, and when I open my eyes again to look at my reflection, a dark shadow lay in its place. I lean forward for a better look, curious about what the pool is now mirroring. As I move closer to the edge, two hands shoot up from the water, grabbing me and pulling me to the water's depths.

I feel the hands release me, and the odd presence I hadn't felt before leaving. I open my eyes and look forward to the immense darkness surrounding me; the water now felt like an empty prison. I sat there in the dark, perfectly still waiting for the figure to come back. It felt like years, and an ache in my chest that I hadn't noticed began to grow. I realized I was losing more and more of my breath. I begin to flail my arms about in search of anything I can get ahold of. A bright light shines through the water, and I realize it is coming from me. I looked down at myself and see that the raggedy brown traveling clothes I was wearing were replaced by a beautiful emerald dress. The diamonds adorning the dress began to shimmer as I moved through the water, searching for an escape.

A dark blanket begins to inch its way around the dress, and a feeling of terror begins to settle in my stomach. I cry out for help, but my cries are muffled by the blue waters. I grow quiet as I hear a strange noise coming from a distance. The noise grows closer, then it is suddenly behind me. I listen to the voice and notice that it is clear as if I was on the land; the sound is like a thousand grizzly souls yelling simultaneously. I slowly turn to see a ghastly black lifeform coming toward me at lightning speed. As the creature comes to me, it lets out a horrible screech, I instantly move to cover my ears, and my eyes snap closed. I feel a shift in the water as the creature completely envelops me in its dark cloak.

"Ivory," I hear someone's soft voice calling from a distance.

I open my eyes and snap my head in the direction I believe it is coming from; nothing but darkness greets me all around. I feel the air quickly beginning to leave my frantic lungs.

The soft voice begins to call at me again, desperately, "Ivory! Ivory!"

My eyes snap open, and I shoot up in the small cot. I look around frantically, taking in the small lantern-lit room, the crumbling stone walls, and the light shining through the room's only window. I lay back down, my racing heart beginning to steady. Looking at the ceiling, I begin to calm my thoughts.

"Ivory!" My sister yells at me.

I turn my head and meet a pair of swollen deep brown eyes, a tinge of red around the irises showing me that she had obviously not slept well. I see her swollen pink lips begin to form my name again. I put a finger to my lips to quiet her as I look back to the ceiling and close my eyes.

"Shh, Cecy, or you'll wake the whole village. We both know how mother gets when you wake her up too early." I whisper at her.

"Another nightmare?" she asks, ignoring my previous statement.