Inside the Devil's nest

Taro continued with his sure walk and wide strides through the tall grass, thus trying to pass that field in the shortest possible time.

Rick and Kristian followed him a few meters behind remaining silent.

"Mmh..." Rick wanted to break that awkward silence, however, he just didn't know what to talk about with his friend, with whom he hadn't hang out for a long time.

"Maybe, if you like… you could hang out with us more often in the future… even to do things that are more relaxed than this…" Rick said suddenly turning to Kristian.

At those words, Kristian's heart leapt. Although he was aware of the consequences of his adventure in the company of his two "old" friends when he returned home to his grandmother, the freedom he was feeling at that moment was something he hadn't felt for years, a happiness he would certainly have wanted try again and that's why at Rick's suggestion he wanted to answer yes instantly.

However, he was aware that it was going to be very complicated.

Just imagining disobeying his grandmother again gave him an anguish and fear that a boy that age should never feel.

"It's…complicated…" Kristian answered sadly.

"It's for your grandmother, isn't it?" Rick asked. Kristian nodded shyly. "it is really oppressive… too oppressive!" He raised his voice a little, then cleared his throat returning to speak normally, "yes well... sorry if I say these things about your grandmother... however, I still consider you my friend... and therefore... I would like to go back to the old days, where the three of us went around town doing whatever we wanted…"

Rick let out what he thought without too many frills.

Kristian didn't know how to answer him, in that moment there was a clash between the part of his heart that wanted to be free again and the part that was instead scared and indoctrinated by his oppressive grandmother.

"I… don't s-"

"AAAAHHH!"

Kristian was interrupted by an unmanly yell from Taro, who jerked backwards in terror, running towards his two friends. His face was terrified.

"GO away, GO AWAY!" He screamed.

Rick and Kristian looked in the direction where Taro had fled.

A tiny snake was slithering through the tall grass.

"pf, hahahHA" Rick burst out laughing, this time Kristian followed suit too, making fun of their friend's phobia, who was now hiding behind the two.

"N-don't laugh like that…. i-it just took me by surprise…" Taro tried to defend himself.

The snake, perceived the sounds emitted by the three as danger, and for this quickly crawled away.

Taro, seeing this, calmed down a little, however, he didn't go back to being the leader.

"I understand, I'll lead the way..." Rick led the way, grinning at his friend.

Thus, the three passed the grass field without any adventures, finding themselves, after about ten minutes, in the presence of the imposing and dark Forbidden Forest.

A gust of icy wind, coming from the darkness of the forest, raged against the three young men.

"brr" Taro crossed his arms over his chest.

"Even though it's only October it's really cold…" he said then.

Rick nodded, "it's true, it's colder than usual…" Rick then turned to Kristian, who had wide eyes and a terrified look.

Seeing it up close, the forest seemed even more gloomy and inhospitable, the pine branches looked like sharp fangs and the brambles of the undergrowth looked like piles of barbed wire

Kristian's gaze caused a chain reaction, putting a little fear in the other two.

'There is something wrong in this forest…' Kristian thought. His hunger for adventure faded a little.

"We-we're finally here..." Rick said then.

"Yes…" Taro added shyly, to which, looking into the depths of the forest, a little fear arose.

Rick and Taro steeled themselves, taking the first step into the forest.

Kristian, however, did not follow them. He stood still, as if frozen.

"Kristian, is everything ok?" Rick asked realizing it.

Kristian didn't answer.

"Kri… don't tell me you're scared…?" Taro tried to get his friend's attention by calling him by the nickname they used to call him.

After another moment of absolute silence from their friend, Kristian turned to the other two.

"I-I don't think it's a good idea…I have a bad feeling…" He said with a gloomy voice.

At these words, a shiver ran up Rick and Taro's spine.

"D-d-don't be afraid... it's just a... forest like any other..." Taro said in a trembling voice, trying to convince himself of it too.

"My grandmother…always urged me to stay away from this forest…she calls it the 'Devil's Nest'…we…we shouldn't go in there…" Kristian explained.

*gulp

Rick and Taro swallowed nervously

Rick and Taro turned back towards the forest, steeled themselves, then Taro said: "We've come this far now... and then, this is a test of courage precisely because it's scary... if we pass this test of courage, we'll become men".

Kristian, whose heart was pounding, tried to calm down and, after a few minutes, finally had the courage* to cross the edge of the forest.

"W-well, let's go!" Rick said unconvinced.

After a few meters inside the wood, the three found a path, which, although it seemed little trampled, they decided to follow anyway.

After a few more meters, they found a white sign with red writing on the side of the path.

The sign was rusty and mostly covered by vines, so it was difficult to read what was written on it, however, the three understood it was a danger sign.

[DE DL DA EROU A EA]

[D OT CONT UE]

Under those incomplete writings, there was also a symbol.

"I-is that a skull?!" Taro shivered.

There were all the prerequisites for understanding not having to continue this stupid test of theirs, however, at that moment, none of the three wanted to show fear, not even Kristian, who didn't want to continue making a scene of someone who is always afraid of everything.

After all, they were only three kids and at that age you have stupid pride in showing yourself grown up and fearless.

The three decided to continue. Half an hour passed and nothing strange happened, the three, for this reason, returned somewhat calm.

The forest now looked like a normal forest. With tall conifers covering a wild, damp undergrowth of brambles, weeds and mushrooms, and with the ground covered in a mattress of damp pine needles.

"In the end, there doesn't seem to be anything so scary…" Taro said with a hint of arrogance.

Rick nodded, "Yeah… maybe the stories about this forest are a bit over the top… anyway, I'm feeling peckish, how about taking a break?" He then suggested.

The three agreed.

They found a small clearing to rest with a fallen pine trunk that they could use as a bench.

They sat down on the fallen pine log and pulled the snacks they had brought out of their backpacks.

Rick had a simple but juicy salami and cottage cheese sandwich with him.

Taro was carrying a small wooden box with part of the dinner from yesterday's dinner, meatballs and carrots.

Kristian, on the other hand, brought along plain stale bread.

(*courage or foolishness?)