Cursed Forest: Sightless

A year of change

I found that I am the person who reacts well to change. Thus as I grew closer to the forest, the house inside the forest and the people inside the house, I learned about myself.They were very helpful, with everything.

I learned that Patra had a green thumb and did most of the garden work. I learned that Rhea left the cursed forest every week to hunt food for the house. When I asked about it, She said it was too dangerous for her to go the way I had come. For herself. She said it would likely turn out bad for the both of us if she took me back.

Cross was the cook of the house.He's fucking good too. I had things I didn't even know existed. There was this type of weird pastries from northern Keseria called an empanada. It was delicious.Cross said he fried them. I learned a new way to cook food that day.

Bellene helped Medusa out with house work. It amused me because she couldn't do any hunting because she couldn't leave, she had a black thumb, and burnt almost every food that required cooking. Thus she couldn't do those.

Medusa really wanted to help around the house though. So Bellene and Medusa 'cut' up the house into sections they'd clean. There was even a rotation system. They'd clean certain parts while the other cleaned another while other parts didn't get cleaned because it wasn't exactly necessary.

The Forest, as it turns out, was more alive than any other forest out there. Each tree was alive in ways that other trees weren't. Inside the 'lines' if the forest the animals had a clearer understanding, That or animals that always did had sought the forest for refuge.

I met a bullfrog whose name is Fartha. He was really nice and was one of the few bullfrogs i met that liked being petted. There was a whole herd of deer living in the forest, maybe even more than one. I met a tree snake, a wild gerbil and a flock of little sparrows.

There was a platypus that lived On the bank of the river that cut in from the east. Apparently the river was the same one that cut through my tribelands. It flowed through a part of the forest she didn't quite know.

Sometimes I sat by the edge probably not facing those woods wondering what exactly was on the other side. None of the others had ever bothered crossing. Who was in there trapped in similar circumstances? The forest was pretty big. How many sat in here wrongly accused of being bad? Were there any that were truly bad?

Patra was my guide for a while before I got the hang of the place. She would walk with me through the halls. She would try to teach me the layout of the house with sound, smell and touch. After I had some troubles she made me a longer cane like thing.

With a slight movement in front of me I can tell if there's obstacles in my path or not. Which is useful. Though I don't use it as often as I should. I also made friends with this younger deer. She really wanted to help. So she tends to walk beside me, making little noises to help me.

Her name was Zanli. Who would have thought that animals have names alike our own? That they aren't nameless? Though as it turns out they think being named by humans is actually nice. Zanli is very nice, she's also very soft.

Medusa started to teach me braille, which was a game changer. I've always thought myself the creative type. I've only ever really gotten snippets of music. I'm not really allowed to go to far into the tribe by myself, and being with Clarice didn't extend that range much farther.

I think dad is afraid I'll die before I can give him at least a child that he thinks is worthy. Mom can't really do much to help me. Both Mom and Clarice have tried. I've only managed to get so far into the village before I was caught.

With this, reading braille, I can delve into stories and lives and learn more things. Though i'm not exactly the best at it, Its still new to me. Patra also went to teach me how to play the lute. She knows how to play guitar too. Bellene knows the flute.

Medusa didn't know any musical anything. Claiming she just didn't have the talent for it. Cross said she was full of shit. He said this was a weekly debate, and he was right. He had thirteen different recorders and claimed not one of them was hard to play.

I leaned down feeling the leaves on the plants below. I felt some bend away, moving from my path. Some brushed against me but didn't stay still. One plant almost laid on my hand. Echinacea. The plant let me take some of its leaves, one of it's extra stalks and even a root before It swayed away. I put fertilizer down as thanks.

"Hey Tracy!" A voice called. I acknowledged Bellene by standing and turning my ear to her. I smiled. I could hear her approach. As she did I was reminded of how sunny today was. The warmth hit my face. A light breeze keeping a mostly hot day chill.

"Medusa was wondering if you'd join us in the library." Bell purred, placing a hand on my shoulder. Huffing from the effort of her fast pace. She wasn't the fittest of them all. In fact Bell liked eating. She may like cleaning, but that doesn't mean she likes exercise. Meaning she was quite plump.

"I'd love to." I straightened myself, I rubbed my eye with my empty hand. It was warm today and sunny. The light bothers my eyes just a bit. That and something had gotten in it. "I was just done. I'll give these herbs I picked to Patra."

"She'll be glad the stocks have been refilled. She and Cross have got this problem of always hurting themselves or getting sick really easy." Bell replied. I took her elbow and I let her lead me to the house. I knew the way, but it was nice not having to think about it.

"It's a bad habit." I laughed.

"Don't they know it. Or well-" Bell said with a slight giggle. "Patra does, not so much Cross." 

"That is too true." I laughed at her response. We cut through the woods,I could tell where the clearing for the house started and the woods ended. I could tell we didn't bother with that dirt path either. 

There was a pain in my chest that was left there from missing my mother, our servants and oh indeed...I missed Clarice the most. Yet despite that I was happy. If only they could be here to. If only, I could bring them, these lovely people, back there with me.

I suppose I care more for Friends back home and Mom than I did these folk. Having known them my whole life does that. In the year I've none them though, I had gotten close enough to them. I value their opinions. If I could go back I probably would.

Yet I was happy and I had no other choice. Maybe one day this would feel a little different. I didn't let that pain in my chest affect me though. Into the house I went, a sad smile on my face. Let's see where life takes me,I thought.