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A warning.
The land between two warring worlds. Where the mortal lands are blurred with the immortals’ realm. Each is different in every way. One of the mundane and one full of magic.
Dad coughs. “Where did you get that deer from a couple of weeks ago?” Skeptically, he turns to eye the misty woods beyond us. “Suddenly, I'm starting to think that you didn’t find it at the forest’s edge.”
We were starving.
Since then, each morning I stowed away in the woods before the break of dawn. Wandering through the woods by torchlight.
Is entering the woods idiotic? Yes. Definitely. But what wouldn’t a person do to spare their family?
Hungry stomachs make people do irrational things. To make choices that push you out of your comfortable and safe zones to risk a chance of good fortune. I had planned on going out this morning, but Celeste was awake before me.
Typically, my sister sleeps like a ton of bricks. The whole building coming down wouldn’t even phase her. But last night, she can hardly close her eyes for longer than a couple of minutes.
“Pandora,” grimaces Dad as he rubs his temples. “How did you come across the deer?”
Gulping, I bit my lip. Dad could feel my lies before I could even come up with them. He always knew how to read people. Keep the lie simple. No crazy details. Only twist the truth. “Oh, you know, I happened upon it while gardening. It practically came up to the house.”
Since coming to Karpathos, I have never seen a deer that close to the house. They avoid our city as though we were the plague.
“I have never seen you bring your bow outside to garden with you,” he adds skeptically.
Shit.
He isn’t buying it.
Nodding, I sigh. I suppose he has a point there. As far as I recollect, I can’t think of a single instance of me bringing my bow to my garden. Honestly though, I should start. You never know when you’ll need to pierce an arrow through the heart of a god.
What Dad doesn’t know is how often I cross the boundary…. Or at least, I hope he doesn’t know. The murky woods don't stay misty for long as one travels deeper. My mind’s eye can clearly see it even as he and I walk into the mists, I know the dew fades away into a beautiful forest. Full of the biggest trees, flowers, and small animals roaming around. Dad’s eyes narrow in my direction. He isn’t pleased with this realization but we both know that the deer was desperately needed.
If he’d known how close to the divide I was, he’d probably be pissed. But on my first voyage, I returned with a stag over my shoulders that was so large, I had to stop and take several breaks.
Since then, there are many days that I come out here with my field journal, sitting underneath the trees. The trees welcome me like an old friend, letting me sleep in the soft grass at their feet.
Hidden from the general commotion that comes from living in town. Diagramming my surroundings. Collecting various samples to identify with Agatha.
The forest is my happy place.
A bit of peace in my chaotic and lonely world. The woods don’t care who you’re. I can be.
Each morning, I would check my traps to supplement our stores slowly but surely. Occasionally, there would be the curious question about where the extra rabbit came from, but I continued. Praying that no one would ever question me.
Stepping toward the boundary, I could feel the tingle in the air as it prickles softly against my skin. All was quiet in the woods. like every morning when I passed through the Veil. Not yet crossing the boundary, I can almost feel the warning laid by divine.
A warning to all mortals to stay away… Or else.
The swirling interlinked pattern of mushrooms and moss make an odd design on the forest floor. Pattern or not, none of these mushrooms are worth eating, as likely to kill or curse you as nourish a hungry family and I do not need to worry about yet another curse.
“How often do you venture past the mushrooms?” His voice was stern and gruff as he trudged alongside me.
I bit my lip at his question. Bracing for a response that I know he'll not like.
Smiling shyly, I reply, “Well… Every day or very nearly.” Dad gave me a pained look. Clutching his chest, he sways. Looking uneasy at my confirmation.
Meekly, I reply, “I know, but when the traps dried up this spring and with us not able to get much from the garden, which left me with no choices.” In these many weeks, these two rabbits are the first that I have seen in anything outside of the boundaries. We all knew it, but I knew that’s not my dad’s biggest fear.
His number one fear is the divine. Thankfully, since my morning excursions, I have never come across an immortal. “I laid some more traps and snares last evening. None of them are far into the woods. If we trek through here, they’re all right in the grove of trees beyond the mist.” Picking up my pace, I make for the clearing.
