A Christmas Miracle

In the forest of broken hopes, ruined dreams and faded wishes

Beside the village that overlooked a huge hill was a forest that no mortal dared enter. The villagers were too scared to go near the area, terrified by the air of death that lingered around, and the kids who were usually enticed by secrets would turn their heads from the forest if any of their belongings entered the place- their minds doctrinated by the elders that forbade any from entering.

No one knew why the forest was a taboo, but everyone in the village were dumb enough or rather preferring of going along the bandwagon than finding it out for themselves.

Everyone except a certain child, of course.

"Ha! You guys are just scaredy cats!" Karma climbed the wall, his hands grabbing onto the ledges and feet adjusting themselves as he stood on top while the kids from his village watched from a distance, peeking from behind the trees.

"You..you can't call us that without jumping inside!"  One of them shouted.

He rolled his eyes, he really didn't have to prove anything to them. Kids in his village were all stupid- hanging onto each and every lie he told like some starry-eyed pups as if being that obedient would do any good in their lives. The village, Karma decided, was too little for him who had intentions of a larger reality, a larger dream and a broader view of how he perceived everything.

The elders in his village spoke of ridiculous things sometimes but their wisdom was far great than the knowledge they had, which was enough to lead a village actually.

"I'm jumping in~" he called, teetering over the wall and everyone looked on in wide eyed anticipation.

Huffing at their expressions, and smirking satisfied, he jumped inside the forest, hearing the muffled cries of disbelief from the barrier. The grass was taller than anywhere, uncut for several ages, almost coming to his thighs and the air like the people spoke, had a different... thing to it.

"Hey, I'm inside!" he shouted before heading in.

The trees were bent in weird shapes, the flowers bright and colorful with strange natural patterns and the scent it carried wafted through the whole forest almost pleasantly. There were so many berries on one of the patches that Karma couldn't resist taking all of them in by the front of his shirt, uncaring that the red shirt would get stained.

He passed a small stream, before pausing and returning to that spit to pick the shiny stone that was swept to the bank, smiling in glee.

As he dwelled deeper the sky was starting to disappear and he couldn't even see the sun anymore. Although, his exploration was barely completed, as he even fitted the new things he found in his shorts and slippers and whatnots

It was when it had started to turn dark that he realized how far he had come, traveling here and there. He couldn't even see his own palm anymore! Clenching his fist, he had to be brave enough, he turned back, immediately losing himself between choosing the multiple paths that were strewn ahead.

"Am I really lost?" he asked himself, the only answer an owl hooting from a nearby tree.

After many attempts, he stomped around in frustration and anger, beating his own palm at own of the tree, his vision a blur of red and dim gray. It was really it, huh. He was lost in a jungle and no one would find him, no one would even come if they knew he was inside because they'd be too scared.

He'd already finished the berries he had picked and he was starting to feel sleepy after all that walk. Leaning against the bark of a huge tree, he rested his back, throbbing palm and sore feet, his eyes watering pathetically and a sniffle escaping his mouth.

By the time he saw a dark hand reach out for him, his drowsiness won and he fell asleep.

*

Where did this child come from? Nagisa thought, carrying the child on his back and the snakes held most of his things for him.