Mystery Behind The Forest 1

Alice saw things around them started changing including the weather. Alice became scared.

"Rebecca, what is going on? why is everything changing?." She said holding Rebecca arm tightly looking around the forest.

Rebecca turned to look at the scared Alice, and gave her a simple smile. "Alice, dear , welcome to edin the forest of exchange."

"What?! Edin? Why do you call the forest edin and why is it so strange here?."

"I guess you don't know the mystery behind the forest, well I will tell you a little story while we make our journey to Hut."

"Hut? what hut are you talking about?."

"Alice dear you ask too many questions and I must warn you no matter anything keep your mind straight and try to focus on why we are here."

"Okay." Alice cluelessly answered.

"Do you know why the forest is called edin the forest of exchange and everything in here is different from the outside view?"

"No I don't."

"Then I will tell you. You see, long ago the forest used to be peaceful and a lot of people could be seen coming here to make their exchange and to get what they wanted."

"Just like what we are about to do."Alice completed Rebecca's statement.

"Yes dear Alice just like what we are about to do but in a different way."

Alice heard this and became confused.

"And why are we doing it in a different

why? Why can't we do it the way it used to be done?"

"Because this forest isn't Edin anymore, the forest has changed to something else, something far from human imagination."

"Rebecca what happened to the forest? And why's the forest dark here?"

"A lot happened to the forest to change its entire existence. The forest has been like this for a very long time. The forest has never had a day. Well I know you want to know a lot about the forest and why it takes things for exchange. The forest never requires human exchange, only appreciation for giving you what you've been logging for."

"I see." Alice said.

"But greedy people never come back to appreciate after getting what they want and in exchange the forest takes what it has given and leaves the person with pain for eternity."

"And what happens if the person comes back later to appreciate the forest?"

"You'll have what you have desired forever."

"Hmm I see. But does the forest still grant people's desires?"

"No, not anymore. It stopped a long time ago."

"What?! So why are we here then?" Alice stops in her tracks looking at Rebecca in anger for wasting her time and giving her a high hope.

Rebecca smiled. "I know what you are thinking, don't worry you will get what you desire but in a very different way. Exchange for exchange."

'exchange for exchange?' Alice asked inwardly. "What do you mean by that?"

"Don't worry you will find out soon enough. So back to our little story, are you still interested in knowing more about the forest?"

"I think so."

"Okay then let's keep walking while I tell the story."

They continued walking, Rebecca also continued telling the story of the forest. Alice felt something strange about Rebecca because of how she was so relaxed and how she knew a lot about the forest but couldn't figure out what Rebecca was up to.

"I Heard the king came here before to make an exchange but it didn't work out." Alice said.

"And who said that?" Rebecca turned to Alice.

"I don't know, I just heard from some people around the market."

"Oh I see."

"Why are you so free with the forest Rebecca?"

"I am not free in the forest, I am just being myself."

"How does being yourself make you easy going? like you don't even look scared at all, you act like you have lived all your life in this dark forest."

"Alice don't let what you think get you in trouble." Rebecca replied in a serious tone as the smile on her face disappeared making her serious gaze scary.

Rebecca realized that Alice was now scared of her so she brought the smile back on her face "Sorry for acting that way."

"It's fine." Alice said, trying to hide her fear.

"So what made the forest this way? What happened here? Why is the forest so scary? People don't even come in here anymore because it became forbidden to be here.

Alice said this time with caution as she looked at Rebecca's face to see if Rebecca would react the way she did earlier, but she just answered her plainly.