a whisper in the wind | ✓

four

I WOULD LIKE TO ADD THE EVENTYDE BRIDGE TO MY COLLECTIVE LIST OF BAD DECISIONS.

My first reaction is visceral — a tight squeeze in my chest bounded by syncopated leaps of the heart. Then, it's panic. Pure, expressive panic.

My hand clenches the rope railing as I stare at the dense forest in front of me. The blue butterflies continue to flutter around the trees before migrating towards a clear stone path. One step off the bridge and I'll definitely be standing in uncharted territory.

This isn't Eventyde. Nothing about this forest resembles Eventyde.

And yet, the thought of turning back doesn't cross my mind. There's a pull that urges me to keep walking — a sweet lull that coaxes the most curious temptation out from the depths of my soul.

Leaves crunch underneath my shoes as I release a deep breath and take the first step off of the bridge and onto the stone path. Without giving in to the hesitation of looking back, my feet continue to trail through the forest, carefully treading over large roots and hovering branches. With each daunting step, the greenery graduates from familiar green to hues of red: pink leaves, maroon tree trunks, and cherry-colored bushes. Golden light filters through the unusual vegetation, pale orange streaks scattering throughout the clearing.

The quietness here is different from Eventyde. It's more solemn and deliberate. Back there, the silence resulted from the lack of visitors, but here, in whatever sort of Other World I've stumbled into, there's a sense of comfort laced in the oxygen, bringing a steadiness over my mind with each slow inhale.

What is this place?

"Hey, stop it! That tickles!"

A voice to my far left makes me halt in my steps. It's deep and masculine, but pants and high whimpers can be heard past bubbly giggles — two different voices.

"I didn't think you'd be this forward when thanking a stranger."

Oh my God. Please don't tell me I've stumbled into something obscene.

With my ears turning the blushing shade of the trees, I quickly avert my gaze to the ground and rush down the stone path until I approach a steep, expansive hill with strange-colored grass, mingling between shades of summer yellow and minty green. And the view of the valley beneath my feet is something I've only ever seen in movies: mountains that graze the clouds and a waterfall dipping into a thin stream of aqua blue to chase the horizon. Dispersed among either side of the river are clusters of red and orange trees, gently swaying with the cool wind.

The moment is interrupted when something rustles behind me, and my body whips around towards the noise on instinct. The bushes move again and round emerald eyes pierce through the leaves.

Then, a low growl and a sneeze, followed by a round peach-colored furry ball rolling out from the bushes.

My eyes widen at the creature before me: a tiny fennec fox with long triangular ears and a brown button nose. A bandage is wrapped around its hind leg as it teeters towards me with a limp. The bright blue tips at the ends of its ears twitch while curious eyes blink at me.