Into the pages // Gems170

2 // The untold tale

I feel a cold breeze rush past me, shivering I abruptly open my eyes.

My breath hitches when I see an area that I've never seen before. I've somehow ended up in a forest. I wince at the intense pain I feel in my head when I try to lift myself off the ground. A lush green forest, tall, healthy trees with fruits and flowers. To the left of me there is a small river, I watch the water as it rushes down the streams going all the way to the bottom of a mountain. There must be a lake at the bottom of this river. I manage to push though the intense pain in my head and steady myself to stand.

"Andy...?" I call out, I'm slightly scared when I notice I'm alone. As I begin walking I stumble and fall against a tree. Smacking my head on one of the branches I stumble backwards.

What the hell is wrong with me? It's like I'm drunk, I can't walk! I press a hand to my forehead, then I move it higher to my scalp. When I pull my hand back I gasp at the sight of red blood.

How the hell am I bleeding?

I keep my hand placed lightly on my scalp, continuing to call out I stop to think of how I ended up in such this strange yet beautiful place. Was I kidnapped? And why am I bleeding? My legs feel slightly numb, as if I've been falling for a long time...

No, it can't be.

I laugh at my stupidity and continue walking around the forest. Walking around for what seemed like ages I breathe a sigh of relief when the scenery eventually changes, I see a dirt road leading down to somewhere, and somewhere isn't here so I decide to follow it. I begin jogging towards to the road when I somehow manage to fall into in a ditch, my head smacking into the ground. I don't fall into just any sort of ditch too, when I stand up I'm covered in wet, soggy, brown mud. It covers from my feet all the way up to around my neck. When I look down at the state I'm in I let out a loud cry, moving my hand upwards to move a strand of hair out of my face I scream when I realise I've just gotten the mud on my face too.

"Yeah! Happy birthday me!" I throw my fist into the air angrily.

I'm shaking with anger, but I attempt to stay calm, at least. So I continue to follow the path. When I leave the forest and enter the dirt road I walk the path until I come across what looks like a market place. It's strangely old however, the stalls are made out of wood with flimsy pieces of fabric on top for shade. And what's even weirder is the clothing the people are wearing.

One woman standing at a jewellery stall wears an outfit that looks like it came out of a superhero movie. A black cape with a pink and black corset and a long skirt going down to the floor. Her hair is curled into tight ringlets and is extremely high. Another man wears what looks like a traditional japanese samurai costume, why is everyone dressed up? Is it Halloween or something? Everyone is wearing some sort of stand out, strange outfits. When I approach the lady with the high hair the people finally notices me. When the lady turns around I open my mouth to speak.

"Hi, sorry could you tell me where I am?" Everyone goes quiet, the people with odd outfits turn to face me, all staring. The lady's eyes go wide once I'm done speaking. She cowers away from me in fear, pushing herself against the stall.

"Demon!" As soon as she says this every person there goes into a frenzy, all running around like headless chooks. It's like a scene out of a movie, except this would be terrible choreography. "Wait! I'm not a demon! I'm a human!" I try to explain myself, when I speak it only makes the people scream and run faster.

"Someone call for help!" A man cries.

I raise my hands in defence, "There's really no need for that.." I inquire. These people are idiots, what do they mean by demon? When I look down at myself I slightly realise what their saying. I may look kind of weird covered in mud, but still, can't they see I'm a person?