Suddenly there emerged a huge forest. We stopped at the entrance to the forest. I couldn’t see anything inside the forest. It was total dark.
“This place is a very good place to practice horse riding. It may look a little scary but there is a very beautiful place inside the forest. We go inside this forest and spend some time in that beautiful place I told you and then we come back to this place and race back to the training ground. Are you ready?”
“Are there wild animals in this forest?”
“A few. Some elephants, deer, some birds and some tigers.”
“Tigers! Shall we turn and go back? I don’t want to see any tigers.”
“Don’t be afraid. We won’t see any tigers.” She assured me. The moment she said it I found that it was a lie. Before I could protest she went in. I didn’t want to go. But I had no choice. So I followed her into the forest. The moment I went in everything went blank. I could barely see Eva. Somehow Max followed her. I looked in all the four directions waiting for a tiger to jump on us and kill us both. I saw the trees. They were the tallest and the broadest trees I had ever seen. Every tree was a little smaller than the world’s tallest building, Burj Khalifa. The trunk of each tree was so wide that it required at least a ten men to hug it. on the ground roots of the trees emerged from everywhere. I didn’t know how Max could even walk. I saw the sky. The sky had become green in color. How could the sky become green in color? I wondered. Then I realized that the trees were so dense that they hid the sky. The sun was nowhere to be seen. I heard the sounds of birds and insects. I even saw some elephants on the way. So I became more alert. We went further into the forest. Max kept on slipping on the roots. Then suddenly the trees gave way and opened into a huge area. There was a pond and a huge falls. In this place the sky was clear. I could see the sun on the west. Then I got down from Max and went near the falls. Max went to the pond and started drinking water.
“Beautiful, isn’t it?” Eva asked. I couldn’t answer. I stared at the place in astonishment. Then I saw to my left. Beautiful yellow colored flowers bloomed. Then to my right beautiful red color flowers bloomed. The falls which was in front of me was like it was falling from the sky. I tried to say Beautiful but came out as “uh…duh” then I gulped and shook my head from amazement and said
“It is the most beautiful place I had ever seen.” I said still astonished by the view of the place. I couldn’t take my eyes of the falls. It was majestic.
“Yes. I and Carlo used to come here in our free time. I like this place very much. We come here, take a bath in this huge falls, then sit here for a while and then go back happily with a fresh mind.”
“Is this the origin of the river soar? I have visited this place already but not in this century, in my time. In my century this whole place is a park and at the centre of the park this falls stands but not like this. It falls thinner than a rat tail.” Eva looked at me like she didn’t understand a word I told her now. Yes, how could she understand? I bet she doesn’t know what a park is. To prove my bet she asked
“Actually, what is a park? Is that a place or something else?”
“Never mind. If we were alive after this war I’ll show you so that you can see for yourself.”
“Okay. We will be alive and we will win the war. Now let’s go. You have to practice before your test.”
“This place is peaceful. Can’t we stay here?” I asked. She laughed and said
“I know this place is peaceful but now we should go. It is already becoming dark. The king will be waiting for us.” I didn’t want to leave that place but Eva was already sitting on her horse. At that time I asked
“Hey, does your horse have a name?”
“Yes. Her name is Bella. Don’t ask me the reason because I don’t have one. I like that name. So I kept it and she also likes it I hope” she said. Bella whined in agreement (Actually I can’t understand horses. Simply I guess and I always guess the answer I had expected. So I don’t know what they are saying) then I also climbed Maximus we went into the forest. When we were travelling I asked
“Eva, where are your parents?” at once I finished the question I realized that I should not have asked because her face went dark. She was trying hard to control her tears.
“Hey, sorry if I asked something wrong.” I said quickly.
“Okay. It’s nothing. The king said they were also soldiers and they died in a war when I was a baby. But I have never seen them. I don’t even know how they look like. The king also said that my mother and father were also commanders like me” I felt sorry for her but I didn’t mention it. I couldn’t imagine someone growing on their own right from they were a baby. It would be the most difficult life on earth. So I felt happy that I had parents and someone to care for. This brought me a new determination. At least for my parents I should win the war and go back. While I was thinking all about this I decided to tell about the voice in my mind to Eva. When I was about to say I saw a glimpse of movement in the corner of my eyes. I heard the bushes shaking. The first thought came to my mind was it was a tiger. I saw Eva. She didn’t seem to notice the shaking in the bushes. So I convinced my mind that it was a small animal like a rabbit or a raccoon. But I stayed alert. But after sometime I heard it again. This time also Eva didn’t seem to notice. How can a commander be so careless? I thought. But I knew that I was the reason for her not being alert. I have asked about someone who she had never seen in her life. So I said
“Eva, something or someone is behind that bush.”
