Forest of No Return

The Forest of No Return

         There is an old legend about a forest shrouded in a strange, alluring colored mist. Many have travelled to that forest, yet once they enter they never return. Rumors started to circulate, and the forest earned a name, it was soon called Bosque sin Retorno. The reputation of this forest has caused many to leave the surrounding area, leaving all buildings abandoned.
         Yet there was one person who did not believe the legend. One young girl who believed in logic, and was hell bent on finding the truth. She knew that there must be something, or someone, causing all the travelers to vanish in the forest; and the mist had to be caused by a scientific phenomenon, right? The thought that something paranormal might be at work frightened the girl.
         "There is a logical explanation for all this!" She exclaimed one day in anger at her friends.
         "Rina... there is not a logical explanation this time. Believe me; I've tried to look at it logically my whole life. I even took notes on the subject, went to various sites, and even asked my oldest brother to take me there with him. He refused, saying that he didn't want to risk my life. He went, and he had a video camera on him and everything; yet his body disappeared. All the devices were still on but not destroyed." Rina's friend, Alicia whispered.
         "So? Are you trying to protect me?" Rina asks, harshly.
         "Rina! I don't want to lose you! You're like a sister to me; I don't want to lose you to the same fate as my brother! H-he was everything to me and he still ended up disappearing. Everyone I care about ends up lost to that forest." Alicia whispers, tears flowing down her cheeks.
         "Alicia, I have to do something. I have to go. Nothing you say or do will stop me; so don't bother trying!" Rina says, shouting the last part.
         Rina didn't want to risk her friend's life over her own. If she had to choose, she would choose to sacrifice herself a hundred times over.
         "Rina, this place is so lonely." A high, ghostly voice whispers.
         Rina blinks in confusion, having no idea whether she was truly crazy or if the voice was real. She thought she must be losing her mind, or that all the talking of paranormal events left her mind prone to thinking up phantom whispers.
         "Rina-chan...Please come and play with me. I'm so lonely; this forest is far too big for my liking Rina-chan!" The same voice whispers again, growing more and more desperate to get her attention.
         Rina, after making sure no one was around, gathered a bag of supplies and ran to the forest. She was running on pure instinct, hoping to find out where the voice was coming from and if it was even real.
         Her feet pounded against the pavement, and soon she reached the point where the mist started, where the road began to turn into cobblestone and then into dirt. Rina started to notice the odd colored mist lightly swirling at her feet before she hit the mid-way point between the old dirt road and the forest.
         The mist started to thicken as she grew closer to the forest. Her heart beat started to increase, the fear that was hidden in her heart suddenly leapt to the front causing bile to rise to her throat.
         "Rina-chan! You came!" A high, child-like voice exclaims from the eerie, blood red mist.
         "Who are you?" Rina asks, her voice meaning to come out strong and defiant, sounding weak and scared to her own self.
         "Silly Rina, I warned you not to come here. I warned you, but you, like everyone else, chose to ignore my warnings! So now, you get to stay with me here. Forever." The voice from the mist states, slowly going from a childish whisper to the voice of her friend, Alicia.
         "A-A-Alicia? Why are you here?" Rina asks, a sinking feeling starting to grow in her heart and stomach.
         "Silly Rina, of course it is me. I am everything about this horrid town. The air you breathe, the house you sleep in, the roads you walk on, the rivers, the clouds, everything." Alicia states, smirking in glee at the look on Rina's face.
         "W-w-what do you mean?" Rina asks, barely able to get out the first word due to stuttering.
         "You poor child, you honestly thought I was human? You honestly thought I was your friend?" Alicia asks, mocking Rina with every word said in a tone like she was talking to a five year old who asked why they were not getting a toy.
         "I did think you were my friend, yet I never thought you were human. You were far to perfect, far to other worldly to be human." Rina says, slowly regaining her courage.
         "You're right, I'm not human. I am a ghost, forced into this horrid forest by a bloody priest over on hundred years ago. I do get my pleasure though, one thing the priest failed to do was take away my powers." Alicia says smirking ferly.
         "What do you mean your pleasure?" Rina asks, fear slowly filling her whole being.
         "Why my pleasure is one you will notice soon. In fact you will regret ever disobeying me." Alicia replies.
         Rina suddenly screams. A wave of pain washes over her, her eyes roll into the back of her head, her fingernails clawing at her throat. The pain became too great for her, and she began to cough up blood. Her head lulled to the right, her body dropped to the cold forest floor. If anyone was in the forest with her and could check her pulse, they would find Rina dead.
         Alicia floated over to Rina's body, her eyes glowing with mirth, "I warned you, and now you have felt my pain. The pain the priest put me through. I am sorry for deceiving you Rina, but now you can stay here with me forever."
         Rina's body does not stir, her life gone. All that could be seen was a pale lifeless shell with a small trail of blood from the corner of her mouth.
         "Welcome to the Forest of No Return Rina, I promise you that you'll love it here." Alicia whispers, her eyes glazed over.