"Where is Jone?" Sephia Wang asks.
"Villager saw he went into the dark forest. Poor boy, he will never come back any more." Mrs Wang answered. She doesn't annoy Jone. He always comes to Wang's House to help Mrs Wang do some chores and cut sticks with Mr Wang.
"The dark forest? What the hell does he go there?" Sephia astonishes. She used to hear the tale about the dark forest---- a person who goes into the dark forest must lost. Monster is waiting there, waiting to cut off the lost's throat.
"Every year, we devote a younger to the dark forest. There is no way for us to gain peace except in this way. It's the only way to protect the village." Mrs Wang's voice sounds sad and depressed. She knows that it's the wrong way, but what can they do? If they don't contribute a young man to the dark forest, the monster will get mad and kill more.
"But it's not correct, mama!" Sephia feels angry. "Why don't we fight to the monster? We can't discard other's life just because we need to live longer."
"Don't be naive, Sephia!" Mr Wang interrupts her. "We all get ready to devote our lives to protecting our village, not just Jone! Maybe next year, Mom or I also have a chance as a sacrificial lamb."
"Sephia, life is hard. We are all leaves." Mrs Wang says peacefully.
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"But we are not leaves! We are lively people! Jone is a lively person, too!"Sephia argues.
At night, all the people have a deep sleep except Sephia. She worries about her friend Jone. She can't just sit on her hands. She takes the sword from the kitchen. Her father told her this sword was the honour of Wang's family. When their ancestors had saved the country from evil, they just used this sword. After that glory days, her mother always used this sword to cut meat. Sephia always yearns for her ancestors' achievements. Now, here is the chance---- Saving Poor Jone for Justice.
Silence. It is very silent, with no voices of birds or animals—darkness around Sephia. The only sound is her heart beating. 'Maybe I should start my search in the morning.' Sephia thinks. So she climbs onto a high tree with the sword and tries to sleep for a while. Sephia knows that she can't return home before she finds Jone. Otherwise, everyone will deter her saving plan. Unknown how long has passed, Sephia awakes. The forest is darkness as before. Now she understands why villagers call this forest the Darkness Forest. 'Maybe there is something like the curse of this dark forest.' Sephia is supposed to be in the heart.
Since she adopts this forest, the danger comes entirely.