Chapter 5: Into the Hollow
The forest was different in the morning.
It wasn't just the way the light filtered through the dense canopy in thin ribbons or how the birds called louder, more urgently than they had the night before — it was something deeper. Something off.
Avrielle sat on the front step of the cabin, pulling her sweater tighter around her. Dew clung to the wooden railing. She hadn't slept well. There had been dreams — strange ones. Whispers, faces she didn't recognize, flashes of dancing firelight and… chanting?
She rubbed her eyes. Just a dream.
Inside, Ian was stretching, shirt wrinkled, hair sticking up. "You're up early," he said through a yawn.
"Couldn't sleep," she replied, still staring into the trees.
He joined her a moment later, handing her a protein bar. "Want to explore a bit today? There's a stream about a mile down. Might be nice to wash up, maybe clear our heads."
She gave him a half-smile. "Sure. Just… do you ever get the feeling we're being watched?"
Ian raised an eyebrow. "What do you mean?"
"I don't know." She paused. "The forest feels different this morning. Like it's… listening."
He glanced out at the trees, then back at her. "Probably just nerves. We're city kids. Silence freaks us out."
"Yeah. Maybe." But her voice lacked conviction.
They packed a small bag and began hiking down a narrow path Ian had marked the night before. Birds chirped louder than usual, and at one point they heard what sounded like a stick breaking — but every time they stopped to look, nothing was there.
"Ian," Avrielle whispered, gripping his arm. "Did you hear that?"
He nodded. "Footsteps. Definitely not ours."
They both froze, hearts pounding.
"Let's keep moving," Ian said lowly, pulling her along. "We're probably just being paranoid."
But they weren't.
As they reached the stream — a shallow body of water winding between moss-covered rocks — they saw it.
A symbol.
Etched into a stone, right above the water's edge. It looked ancient. Circular, with strange markings in the middle and lines that spiraled outward like rays.
Avrielle stepped closer. "What is this?"
Ian crouched beside it. "No idea. Maybe a tribal symbol? Or just... graffiti?"
"This deep in the forest?"
Ian didn't answer.
Then, a sound — like a flute, distant and haunting. They both whipped around. Nothing. Only the trees.
"I don't like this," Avrielle said, stepping back. "Let's go."
But before they could move, something snapped nearby. A rustle. Then another. They weren't alone.
"Run," Ian whispered.
They turned and sprinted, feet slamming against the forest floor, lungs burning. Branches scratched their faces, thorns snagged at their clothes. The woods, once peaceful, now closed in like a trap.
Behind them, footsteps. Multiple. Heavy.
Suddenly, Avrielle screamed.
A figure emerged from the brush, masked, tall, dressed in furs and fabric that blended into the trees. His arm caught her waist and yanked her back. Before Ian could react, two more figures tackled him, pressing something damp over his mouth. He thrashed, fists flying — but the world began to blur. His legs gave out. The last thing he saw was Avrielle's terrified face, struggling, reaching for him…
Then darkness.
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When Avrielle woke, her head throbbed. The air smelled of smoke and something earthy — herbs? She blinked hard, adjusting to the dim light. She was inside a hut made of woven branches and straw. Her hands weren't tied, but her wrists bore red marks like they had been recently.
"Ian?" she called out, voice hoarse.
No answer.
She stood, wobbling, and pushed the flap open.
Outside, it looked like a small village — thatched huts, smoke curling from fires, people moving about dressed in simple, natural fabrics. Everything about it screamed out of time — like they'd stepped into another century.
"Where am I?" she murmured.
"Safe," said a voice behind her.
She spun around. A woman stood there — older, eyes lined with kohl, face painted with white and red stripes. Her hair was braided with beads, and around her neck hung a necklace made of teeth. Human or animal, Avrielle couldn't tell.
"Who are you?" Avrielle asked.
"We are the Earth's Echo," the woman replied. "Guardians of balance. You were lost. We found you."
"I was with someone. A boy. Where is he?"
"He is safe. You will see him soon."
"I want to see him now."
The woman's smile didn't falter. "First, you must understand. You are special. You and the boy. Chosen by the old ways. We saw you in the fire, long before you arrived."
"What?" Avrielle backed away. "We were just on a trip. We didn't— we're not part of this."
"But you are now. The forest does not take what it does not need."
The words made her stomach turn. "We're leaving. We didn't agree to stay."
The woman tilted her head. "In time, you will forget why you wanted to leave."
And just like that, Avrielle felt a wave of dizziness hit her. Her knees buckled.
Strong arms caught her from behind — another villager. Before she could scream, the woman pressed a warm hand to her forehead and began chanting softly.
The world began to fade again, slower this time, like melting wax.
And in the distance, she thought she heard Ian calling her name.
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