RESONANT WOODS

Jonah: "Check if he is still in the room, and I will check if it is still here."

Amelie: "Alright."

She handed something to him and hurried upstairs, but she couldn't find me because I was downstairs.

While she went up, Jonah opened the trapdoor leading below the house, but I couldn't uncover how.

Amelie: "He isn't upstairs in his space."

Jonah: "She is still there."

Amelie: "She!?"

Now that was too pessimistic to let slide.

Amelie: "Did you hear that?"

Jonah: "Anon, Anon!"

Hmmm, I had to act as if nothing was amiss and I came out of hiding.

Me: "Oh, you guys are back."

Amelie: "We were looking for you. Where were you?"

Me: "Me?! I was straightening up the house when I felt pressed and went to the washroom. Is anything wrong?"

Jonah: "Oh, no, nothing is wrong. We just assumed you ran away after everything we did for you."

Me: "No, why would I do that? That's why I even cleaned, to show my gratitude."

Jonah: "You didn't have to, but we are thankful."

"Did you by any chance move this rug while cleaning?" Jonah inquired, seeming still curious. If I said no and they figured out I had, I didn't know what they would do. But I decided to tell them the truth.

Me: "Oh, yes. When I was tidying up, I noticed it was out of place. I pulled it back to scrub it and caught sight of the trapdoor. I wanted to clean inside too, but it wouldn't open."

Amelie: "Sweetheart, you don't have to do that. Jonah prefers handling that himself, and we like the way the carpet looks."

Me: "Ooo! Sorry for intruding."

Jonah: "No, it's fine. You didn't know."

Me: "I heard you saying 'she is there' when you came out. I don't mean to intrude again, but..."

Jonah: "Anon, you see, you don't have to bother yourself with that."

Amelie: "Jonah, he will bother because he thinks we are keeping his friend Angel there, right Anon?"

Jonah: "Oh, there is nothing. What I meant by 'she is...'"

Amelie: "My head is spinning. I can't grasp this..." At that moment, Amelie staggered for a moment and then passed out. I felt that something was definitely off.

Me: "What happened to her?"

Jonah: "Don't worry. It happens regularly. She's fine. It only happens when she's stressed out, you know? We had a long day. Let me just take her to our room."

Me: "Okay, if you say so."

He took her and left for their room. I followed him without him knowing. When he got to the room, he shut the door. I couldn't see, but I could hear.

Amelie: "That was a close call!"

Just as I thought—this was all an act. They were surely hiding something, and I was determined to find out.

Jonah: "He knows we are up to something. We have to be more vigilant."

Hmmm... To make sure they didn't know I was onto them, I had to remove that idea and make them trust me.

Birds singing

It was a new day.

Amelie: "Wakey, wakey!"

Amelie: "Wakey, sleepyhead! Come, breakfast is ready!"

Me: "Is it morning already?"

Amelie: "No, it's evening... Jonah and I are off to the woods to get some condiments. Your breakfast is on the table in the living room."

Me: "Good morning, Amelie."

Amelie: "Good morning, dear."

Me: "Thank you for the breakfast."

Amelie: "You haven't even tried it yet."

Me: "I will try it now."

Amelie: "Okay, while you're at it, Jonah and I will be off."

Me: "Okay, bye."

Amelie left swiftly, and quietly, I followed her like a spy to see where she was headed. I watched them leave, and as soon as they turned a corner and I was out of sight, I observed them.

This was the first time I came out since I arrived here, and it seemed like a friendly neighborhood where everyone was interacting casually.

I quickly ran to the corner where they passed, but even though I didn't waste any time getting there, I wasn't fast enough, and I didn't see them again.

Me: "How? How come?"

I started running back. I would check this later; I should go and investigate that trapdoor I saw the other day.

Before I could enter, I was called.

Lady: "Hey, why are you going into Jonah's house?"

I turned to find a lady about Amelie's age, with brown eyes and dark brown, shaped hair, dressed in attire that was neither modern nor old.

I was not expecting that.

Me: "Oh, me? I stay here now."

Lady: "Are you sure?"

Me: "Yeah, for now, I stay here."

Lady: "Oh, okay. Can you help me carry some firewood in the groves? They're too heavy for me, and I can't do it alone. You can't say no; it's the tradition around here."

Hmmm, what kind of problem is this?

Me: "Which tradition is that?"

Lady: "It's this tradition around here where a new neighbor in the village helps out fellow neighbors to draw them closer and foster a sense of community."

Me: "What a funny and odd-sounding tradition. You can just ask for help, and you'll be helped. You don't need a convention. But anyways, a tradition is a tradition. I will help you, ma'am, not because of the tradition, but because you asked politely."

The lady nodded as she led me into the forest. We went deeper into the thick woods, and though I wasn't wearing a watch, I felt like we had been walking forever. How far does someone have to go to find firewood?

Me: "Miss?"

Lady: "Mrs. Teresa."

Me: "Mrs. Teresa, aren't we near the firewood zone yet? I don't mean to be rude, but I have something urgent to do."

Mrs. Teresa: "We are almost there."

Me: "Okay, but what happened to all these other trees? Why this far?"

I asked because we had passed many.

Mrs. Teresa: "Not this type; there's a specific type we use, and it only grows deeper in the forest."

Me: "Oh, okay. No offense, but why isn't your husband helping you out?"

I couldn't wrap my mind around this situation.

Mrs. Teresa didn't reply. I didn't say anything afterward; maybe she didn't have one.

Something still felt off. My conscience was advising me, and my intuition said I should get out of there. But maybe she wasn't lying. There was only one way to find out.

Almost four minutes passed.

Mrs. Teresa: "Oh, we are here!"

I knew she couldn't be lying.

Me: "So, where is this firewood?"

Mrs. Teresa: "It's behind that tree over there."

She pointed to a tree in front of me. I walked over as she supervised me to look for the firewood, but there was none.

Me: "Mrs. Teresa, there isn't any firewood here. Or is it my eyes?"

Mrs. Teresa: "Look harder; it's there!"

It was a large tree, as big as a building, and the whole area of the woodland was filled with them. I started moving around the massive tree in search of firewood.

Mrs. Teresa: "All of this will end now."

Me: "Are you with someone there?!"

I was behind the tree; I couldn't see Mrs. Teresa.

Mrs. Teresa: "There's no escape for you."

I didn't understand what she meant.

Me: "No escaping what?!"

As I tried to turn to see who was talking,

SLAM!!!

Me: "WHO...my...I can't feel..."

BAM!!

My body fell to the ground.

I was hit by a log of wood directly to the head. If it isn't my head, then I am not Anon.

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