Some time later

Gabe was walking while moving Sean's wheelchair along.Though they seemed to be getting nowhere at the speed they were traveling especially since Gabe was removing unwanted rocks while also making sure that Sean didn't fall into a ditch somewhere.The forest at one time seemed close yet far away, like a mirage out of reach.As if it was never there to begin with.

Gabe finally couldn't take it anymore.He was getting tired of the unending cycle of him bending down, getting up, zigzagging and carrying someone else's weight along with his.

Something was wrong.This kind of thing had never happened before.The forest was never like this.Though it was true that the forest itself was mystical but the  path had never acted quite so strangely before.

It was eery.He was loosing his equilibrium with every passing moment but Sean looked fine somehow.Gabe did not know what was wrong but he thought it best not to worry him.

"This forest is too much.It doesn't even let us enter."

"Yeah.I have been meaning to ask you as well.Why do I feel like we're going around in circles or rather why are we not reaching it yet? If it was before we would've reached by now."

"I think it would be best if we were to stop and regain our senses before going any further.What do you think?"

This text was taken from Royal Road. Help the author by reading the original version there.

"I agree with you.Maybe we need some rest or you do.Gabe is something wrong?You have been looking weird for a while now." Sean asked worriedly.

Gabe tried to downplay his state.

"It's nothing.Just the heat most probably."

"You must be getting tired of stringing me along."

"That's not it.I'm fine.It's the heat I swear."

"Well whatever it is, we'll talk about it while resting.Look over there I think it's a resting rock."

It was indeed a resting rock.It looked ancient, nothing like the new models but somewhat more calming than them.Gabe hesitated for a while trying to remember if the rock was there before.But his fatigue won in the end.

Gabe placed Sean in a comfortable position on the rock and was going to sit when suddenly Sean disappeared along with the rock,his wheelchair bereft without its owner.

Finally Gabe started to panic.He ran around everywhere calling Sean's name loudly.With his eyes spinning and his throat burning from all the screaming,he was terribly regretting his decision to come here.At first they lost their way and now who knows where Sean is?

He wanted to continue searching for him but with time he had only grown more nauseous and faint.He could hear a strange noise too.Or was it a voice?

Ahh it's a voice.

The voice was lulling him to sleep.His eyes were growing heavier by the second.He could no longer control his legs.He fell slowly to the ground.

Mildred household

Inside the drawer in Gabe's room was the book deemed insignificant.

The book of yer

But a glow seemed to permiate from its seams forcing it open.The book opened itself in rapid movements ceasing on the page where the glow was most pronounced.

The glow receded and a painting revealed itself.It was of a ghostly figure with its back turned.All the while,a sinister energy was rotting the corpses of screaming trees.

All too suddenly, the glow disappeared taking with it the uncanny painting which no one had the luck to see,the book shutting on itself just as fast as it opened.

An eerie silence spread.