The river flowed smoothly as I bend down on the burned soil and cupped some water into my hands, gulping it down in my throat. I sighed in relief, ignoring my numb hands. I put my gloves back on and stood up, as I walked around what's left of the forest. The leaves on the trees were stripped off from their branches, leaving them bare. With the snowy carpet melted by the intense heat, the soil was bare and dry like the desert sand. The crickets aren't singing in the background and the foxes and rabbits aren't running around the woods, chasing each other.557Please respect copyright.ＰＥＮＡＮＡPpvUrJaAvi
The birds weren't chirping in the morning sky as I walked around the forest, hoping I could find myself food. With smoke filling the snowy air, I covered my nose and mouth with a scarf as I shielded my eyes away from the ashes blowing towards me. As I was exploring, I stumbled upon a deer, lying on the ground.557Please respect copyright.ＰＥＮＡＮＡAotob0IOHP
Poor thing, I kneel beside the deer and mourned. It didn't deserve to be killed. It has done nothing wrong to anyone. Why would the Bowans do such a thing to an innocent creature? Why is it always the innocent that gets killed first? I closed and clasped my hands together.557Please respect copyright.ＰＥＮＡＮＡuups2Htm9I
"Oh Lord," I prayed. "Please bless this deer in Heaven and please protect any innocent being from harm's away."557Please respect copyright.ＰＥＮＡＮＡluHZ41YQV0
"Amen," I kissed the cross around me as I got up and ambled around when I heard footsteps heading to my direction. As quick as lightning, I rushed towards the rocky hills and hid behind a large rock. I took a peek to see who it was, only to find a platoon of soldiers marching through the forest, with bicycles by their side.557Please respect copyright.ＰＥＮＡＮＡYHc1LsEefQ
Crap! It's the Bowan soldiers, I cursed. I couldn't believe my eyes. They've finally come to Slaborough. The Bowans are invading us right now. Oh, God! Oh, dear God! I've heard so much about the Bowan army. They're merciless and will kill anyone on sight, regardless if you're a civilian or not.557Please respect copyright.ＰＥＮＡＮＡNaBJ8bhoT5
My heart raced as I glanced at my surroundings, finding a way out of here. Come on, Bugsy. Think! What did Mr Smith teach you during Scouts? As I felt sweat dripping from my forehead, I noticed another pathway that leads to the cave. I sighed in relief and thanked God as I crawled around the hill, hoping to avoid the soldiers.557Please respect copyright.ＰＥＮＡＮＡk536yll2uP
I huffed and puffed as I felt the dirt underneath my gloves, with my funeral dress all soiled, along with my boots. My hair was hanging down my face as I continued to sweat, despite the cold air. I continued to crawl around the hill, with my arms and knees starting to ache. How long till I reach the other end of the hill? This is taking too long!557Please respect copyright.ＰＥＮＡＮＡfVzTqD2rzo
But I continued to crawl towards the hills anyway, seeing that there was no other option except to be killed by the soldiers. About half an hour later, I managed to stand up slowly as I reached my destination, only to be tackled from behind. I tried to breathe from my dear life as the Bowan soldier had a hold on my neck with his forearms.557Please respect copyright.ＰＥＮＡＮＡVg20PpVIBc
After biting him, I kicked the rifle out of his hand as I punched him in the jaw. He groaned in pain as he tried to reach for his rifle, only for me to grabbed it and toss it at the rocky hills. Before he could grope me, I kicked him by his scrotum, making me yelp in pain. I wasted no time and dashed my way up the hills, only to hear gunshots coming towards my direction.557Please respect copyright.ＰＥＮＡＮＡX8zHJBeDm3
I covered my ears as I ran through the rock formations, avoiding their bullets. As I saw the caves a few miles apart from me, I bolted myself inside the dark cave, only to get hit in my left shoulder with a bullet. I cried in pain as I dropped on the cold, hard ground, holding onto my wound. Blood seeped through my dress and it left a huge stain on my gloves.557Please respect copyright.ＰＥＮＡＮＡiDby0EH1Ji
Unzipping my dress with just my right hand, I saw the bullet penetrated through my skin. I took a deep breath as I used my fingers to slowly remove the bullet from my shoulder. I burst into tears as my arms were trembling, feeling a huge burn on my skin. I stared at the long, sharp bullet, before letting it slipped from my fingertips with all my blood on it.557Please respect copyright.ＰＥＮＡＮＡv6VzTufU6C
I closed my mouth and let out a soft scream, as I couldn't feel my left shoulder at all. My hands gripped on my left shoulder as I stood up and strutted deeper into the cave, hiding out from them. There were no crypt spiders to devour me since yesterday's bombing. I wonder where they're hiding.557Please respect copyright.ＰＥＮＡＮＡwHwnfoG5mq
I held onto the stalagmites as I explored the dark cave, with barely any light shining around me. Should've brought a flashlight with me, I scolded myself. Why didn't I think far ahead?557Please respect copyright.ＰＥＮＡＮＡtA0H9VQ4Bi
With the sound of water dripping from the stalactites, the wind howled inside the cave. My heart started to race again as I tried to navigate through the darkness, with the bright light from outside slowly fading away. Goosebumps began to sprout on my skin as I felt a shiver in my spine. I looked over my shoulder to see who it was, only to find nothing.557Please respect copyright.ＰＥＮＡＮＡMMmSmUbdtx
I hope I don't trip and stumble down the cave, I sighed, as I staggered. Unfortunately, I spoke too soon. Bumping into a rock, I rolled along the steps of the cave and hit my head continuously, before my face landed on a rough surface.557Please respect copyright.ＰＥＮＡＮＡz3hxU1bIMD
As I got up, I felt a metallic taste of blood on my lips, dripping from my forehead and my nostrils. I yelled in pain as I struggled to get up on my two feet. The wound on my shoulder was burning as I moved my limbs, with my feet trembling continuously.557Please respect copyright.ＰＥＮＡＮＡE8NT5FIAhU
In a distance, I saw an iridescent light a few miles away from me. That must be the way out of the way. I dragged myself towards the light with my feet, only to find a shimmering, blue lagoon in front of my eyes. With a humid air around me, I removed my coat, gloves, and scarf as I took off my socks and boots, leaving me with an unzipped dress and unkempt long hair.557Please respect copyright.ＰＥＮＡＮＡCDQUMNuxt2
I dipped my fingers into the lagoon water and let out a sigh of relief. As I removed my fingers from the warm water, the cuts on my palms disappeared. I gasped as my eyes widened. This is no ordinary cave lagoon. This is like the Fountain of Youth, the one where it could heal all your pain and wounds. Chuckling in amazement, I soaked myself into the warm pool and closed my eyes, letting the pain go away.557Please respect copyright.ＰＥＮＡＮＡDJiFmdbncD
With my bullet wound on my shoulder all patched up, I zipped back my dress and sunk myself underwater, letting my head wound to heal. As I bobbed my head out of the water, I heard a sweet, singing voice coming from the tunnel. That must be the portal to the faerie realm. Last time I heard it, I stumbled upon Nick, the half-demon and half-faerie prince. I shudder whenever I think about him.557Please respect copyright.ＰＥＮＡＮＡSga94EMpDg
My mind was conflicted. Should I follow the voice or should I ignore it? My traumatic experience with him made me want to stay in the cave, but for how long? There's not much of food left in the forest and I might bump into another Bowan soldier again. But if I entered the faerie realm, I might not be able to come back. I'll never be able to see my family and friends ever again. Oh Lord, why do I always have to make the hardest decision?557Please respect copyright.ＰＥＮＡＮＡ9FRTla5wtg
My stomach began to grumble as my mouth craving for something to eat. It's been a day since I haven't eaten anything. If I hide out in the cave forever, I might not last for a week. Without looking back, I removed my cross and wore the blue necklace that Ferdinand gave to me around my neck.557Please respect copyright.ＰＥＮＡＮＡQy7YFFxnsw
Swimming into the narrow tunnels, I glanced at the cave paintings on the wall in awe. In that painting, there were a few men swimming in the cave tunnels, holding spears. With the canal glowing beneath me, the crystal hanging on the cave ceiling sparkled and the paintings of the man swimming continued to stretch, making me puzzled. How did they paint the walls of the tunnel? Isn't it tiring for them?557Please respect copyright.ＰＥＮＡＮＡEQQ1XmWKbL
My heart beats slowly and my breathing eased a little as I looked at the glowing cave. With my fingers, I began to count the surrounding crystals like a child. There are thousands of crystals gleaming in the cave, making my face lit up. The crystals brightened up like the Milky Way in the night skies, guiding us in the dark. The deeper I explored the tunnels, the warmer the water became.557Please respect copyright.ＰＥＮＡＮＡi5mflTihFn
The singing voice has gotten louder, indicating to me that I'm getting closer to the portal. As I reached a dead end, the singing abruptly stopped. The light from the crystals became dimmer and the water turned ice cold, making my teeth rattle and my body shake. I approached the cave painting and noticed a few men being sucked into the whirlpool, their spears slipping from their grip.557Please respect copyright.ＰＥＮＡＮＡAr1fdiiVlI
Oh no, I gasped as I covered my mouth. The paintings that I saw earlier in the tunnel were a depiction of the men's journey to the faerie realm. In order to enter, I have to be sucked into a whirlpool.557Please respect copyright.ＰＥＮＡＮＡlKtYQcYi0V
"This is going to be a bumpy ride," I spoke, as I held my breath and closed my eyes. The water level went up all the way above my head, leaving me floating underwater. As I tried to swim away, the current twisted around me like a tornado, trapping me inside. It kept on spinning and spinning and spinning and spinning, making me feel dizzy.557Please respect copyright.ＰＥＮＡＮＡ06uBfTqGfx
I feel water slowly penetrating through the lungs as I let go of the air I held in my mouth, turning my vision black.557Please respect copyright.ＰＥＮＡＮＡgzK7h3s7V4
Waking up beside a river, I coughed out all the water inside me as the sun shone above me, with the purple clouds floating in the yellowish sky. Laying on the navy blue grass, I stood up as I looked at the silver forest behind me, glistening during the day.557Please respect copyright.ＰＥＮＡＮＡDfi3hsq33z
It's just like I remembered when I first came here. Nothing much has changed since then. I held onto my necklace that Ferdinand gave to me on my birthday. How his gentle lips softly pressed against mine. That was my first kiss from the boy I loved since we were kids. Rolling up my sleeves, I untied my blue ribbon around my wrist and tied my hair into a ponytail. That was gifted by my father. He told me it would give me good luck. His funeral will be the last time I ever saw him.557Please respect copyright.ＰＥＮＡＮＡA5qtPEhXVv
Taking a deep breath, I ventured into the silver forest, beginning my new life here in a strange and unknown world.
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