The Way Back

Silence. There were no traces of any beasts, no cawing of crows. Other than the sound of the footsteps sinking into the putrefied mud, there were no other sounds. Gu Jun looked around as they moved. The 'banyan trees' there were different from the ones on Earth. Their trunks were larger and their branches more twisted. Their bark was black in color with white spots that looked curiously like livor mortis. The twisting branches bridged the neighboring trees together, forming a complicated and grotesque net.

The trio made their way through the gaps, being as careful as they could not to come into contact with any part of the banyan trees. Sometimes, however, the gaps were too small, so some brushing was inevitable. Whenever that happened, Gu Jun felt like there was a chill wind rushing into his heart. Wailings of pain, horror, and pleading weaved intermittently around his ears.

"It's you, the thing inside the banyan tree…"

"Let me go!"

"Ah, I beg you!"