The Journey Begins

The next morning, everyone in the village gathered at a central location, anticipating a collective departure. Despite being a small village, boasting around 200 inhabitants, Julia felt a sense of excitement, as it marked her first time witnessing the entire village come together. Amidst the crowd, she encountered numerous unfamiliar faces and eagerly scanned the surroundings.

Amidst the familiar faces of childhood friends, Julia's attention was diverted to a young man sitting beneath the shade of a tree, gently patting a cat. His striking good looks and charismatic aura caught her eye, prompting a momentary distraction. However, her contemplation was abruptly interrupted by an elderly figure, presumably the village head, who announced the day's plans. Stressing the importance of unity during the journey, he warned against separation, emphasizing the difficulty of reuniting in the mountainous terrain.

As the group began their journey towards the mountain, Julia found the experience exhilarating. After a considerable trek, they neared the summit, where the village elder instructed them to rest while priests performed rituals to appease the mountain spirits. The guidelines included refraining from using names and communicating through whistles to avoid angering the spirits.

During this respite, Julia overheard a conversation among some teenagers discussing the existence of spirits. One girl expressed disbelief, "In the era of the 21st century, marked by scientific and technological advancements, do you still believe in such superstitions?" Julia, intrigued by the debate, sought to join in. She spotted the boy from earlier, who was sitting near the cliff, gazing into the valley.

A sense of familiarity lingered, prompting her to approach him. She walked towards the boy slowly, her heart began to race wildly, a cascade of fluttering beats. Just as she attempted to strike up a conversation, her mother intervened, "Julia, why are you wandering there? We are about to go." Though puzzled by her mother's reaction, Julia complied and rejoined the group.

Julia couldn't shake the feeling of familiarity with the boy. She turned back to look for him, but he had vanished into the crowd. Now, all villagers gathered, and the procession continued toward the summit, crossing a small fire ignited by the priests.

Upon entering, Julia noticed an abrupt drop in temperature, and the once bright day took on an eerie darkness. Resting briefly, the group began planning their search for the bamboo fruit.

Amidst the planning, Julia's curiosity about the unique flora and fauna intensified. Spotting an alluring flower near a cliff, she cautiously approached to pluck it. However, a sudden slip on a rock sent her tumbling down the cliff.