Free: Into The Woods

Chapter Five

A/N: Thank you all so much for 200 views!!! I appreciate all of my supporters, and all who have read my book! I would love it if you could give me some feedback, and a star if you like my book! Thank you all so much!!! :) You can also PM me if you have questions or intense feedback, thanks!

    An illusion. The key has to be some type of illusion, there isn't another explanation. Curious, I grabbed a handful of dirt and thrust it at the key. Sure enough, it passed straight through. It was a trick. I thought curiously. I stood to pace, something Vanessa would hate me for.

    "All this time I've been hurting myself and wasting time for nothing!" I said, squeezing my eyes shut. It wasn't worth getting upset about.

    So now what... I thought slowly, turning my attention to the dirt ground.

    "I am so stupid," I mumbled, groaning to myself. "What kind of room has a dirt floor, it's so obvious now." I knelt down and began to scoop up the dirt, searching for a key. It must have taken at least 5 minutes before I had finally searched the whole perimeter, then I moved on to the middle of the floor.

After some time searching my fingers brushed a cool smooth surface and my heart leaped. I quickly moved the dirt aside, revealing a small bronze key. Dusting it off I noticed intricate carvings of swiveling lines at the top, the bottom a simple key.

    Hope burning behind my eyes, I stepped closer to the door and slid in the key. I twisted it and heard a click sound, turning the doorknob the door swung open to reveal Ms. Jen.

    She looked like she was holding back emotions, the first hint that Ms. Jen wasn't a total jerk. "Congratulations." Ms. Jen said, her voice sounding... soft? What is going on?! I thought. She smiled at me, SMILED, her eyes hinting something I have never seen before, "You are finally ready."

    "W-what?" I stuttered. "Ready for what?!" My brain spiraled, my eyesight turning darker, nausea threatening to double me over.

    Ms. Jen's expression went back to the cold-hearted person I know, "Never mind, forget I said anything. You need rest, and some food. Also a glass of water." She guided me away from the room, and then she blind folded me.

    "What are you doing?!" I asked, confused and annoyed.

    "You can't know where this place is," She said.

    After what seemed like a lot of walking Ms. Jen took off the blind fold. They were standing just outside the cafeteria doors. "It's lunch time right now. You must not tell anyone what happened last night, you were just finishing an assignment from me. Got it?" I nodded, she turned and walked away in one united swift movement.

    I walked into the cafeteria and sank into the seat at my assigned table, next to Finley. "Nyla, where have you been!? Everyone was so worried! And- are you okay?" he asked, glancing nervously at me.

    Vanessa glared from across the table, "Correction- he was worried about you." She rolled her eyes.

    My eyebrows were scrunched together, still confused from the earlier events, I shook my head, clearing away the memories, "Just finishing something for Ms. Jen. I'm okay, Finley." I met his eyes and could tell he wasn't convinced.

    He narrowed his eyes at me, "Are you going to get some food?" He asked, hinting at the empty space in front of me.

    "Oh," I said, standing up too quickly. My head spun and I stumbled forward, clutching the table. Finley jumped up and grabbed my arm, steering me back to my seat.