A Parallel Universe

Chapter 3

"You are sure that we won't get caught," Skyla asked.

"No we won't. We have entered the Ancient Forest so no one would be here," Mayla said.

"We finally reached it! My poor legs are aching," I said sarcastically.

"We can stop here or we can go a little deeper. Just for precaution," Aaren said.

"But that would make us an easy target for The Dark. We better stop here," Mayla said.

I was curious about the people who lived here -The Dark-. Were they as bad as Aaren and Mayla said they were? Would they kill me and the others just because they dared enter their territory. I glanced at Mayla and Aaren, their olive skin gleaming under the sunlight. Could I really trust them?

"We will stay here," Mayla said.

"In case you don't notice, we are in the middle of the forest without a tent, sleeping bags, food, and water," Skyla pointed out.

"We have to get those things," Aaren asked.

"Yes we sure do. How else would we survive," I said.

"Like this," Mayla said as she flicked her fingers. The vines began to unite together and tie each other together. They rose higher and higher without toppling over. The result was astonishing: a large tent made completely of vines. It was woven intricately without the tiniest gap between them. Thick leaves from nearby plants left their stems and trunks and created a smooth floor for us to sleep on. They also seemed to be woven together into a thick carpet, to ensure that the hard floor won't disturb us.

"This is......I don't know how to describe it," Skyla said amazed.

"Let's get inside," Mayla motioned for us to sit inside.

I sat on the leaf carpets expecting to at least feel some rocks and sand grains that were on the ground but instead felt....soft and leathery.

"So we solved the tent problem. What about the water and food," I asked.

"The water can be gathered from the plants as for food, there are Ladori and Soranda trees nearby," Mayla said.

"Those are what exactly," I asked suspiciously.

"They are fruits and don't worry, they are safe and delicious," Aaren explained.

"Why can't we open a portal like the one we came in and return," Skyla asked.

This was really logical. How hadn't I thought of this before?

"I wish that was possible. A portal opens once every five years, allowing us to bring needed materials to our world," Mayla explained.

"Each five years!! We can't remain here for five years!! What would happen to our parents," Skyla asked in concern.

"Time passes differently here and there. On Earth it would probably be a week or so," Aaren said.

"That is still too much time," I said.

"There is no other way," Mayla said.

Mayla brought us some fruits to eat and they were very tasty and delicious. The Ladori tasted like Hakka Noodles while the Sordana tasted like quesadilla. I got to say, I never expected something to be so good. After we ate, we conversed for some time. After we were done, each of us laid down in a comfortable position and slept.

I woke up at the dead of the night. Everyone else was asleep. I tried to sleep again but I couldn't. I walked out of the tent as quiet as possible, careful not to make noises that could wake Mayla or Aaren. I walked a little around the tent, still thinking about The Dark. "Trust what you see, not what you hear" that was the moral for every bedtime story my mom read to me. Could this quote apply to real life. Each character in a story would follow their instincts and would do the right thing. I made up my mind, I was going to venture into the Ancient Forest and search for The Dark myself.