Chapter 16 - Eyes of the Forest (1)

The forest Claire passed doesn't seem like the usual noon. The sunlight that should have penetrated the trees blocked by the leaves, as if reluctant to touch the ground filled with dense bushes and old barks with thick, mossy trunks.

Shadows of the large trees created dark patterns on the ground, making the atmosphere feel even gloomier than it should. There was no bird chirping or other sounds to be heard, only the gentle breeze that occasionally made the leaves rustle. A gripping silence.

In the middle of the wilderness, Claire walked alone. The humid air and the smell of wet soil further strengthened her fear.

Around Claire, the trees towered like silent old giants, watching her silently, as if holding secrets that could not be revealed.

Every step she took on the dry branches rustled like the sound of broken glass, too loud for the silence that surrounded her.

Her steps were heavy, even though she tried not to stop. This silent forest did not make any sound, not even the sound of wild animals, only the sound of her footsteps reverberated in the forest. Making it feel as if every step she took was being highlighted.

'I feel like I have walked around here before …' Claire thought, her eyes scanned her surroundings with great caution. The forest, although bright with daylight, still felt gloomy, as if darkness was enveloping the place from within.

"The trees are so tall around here." She slowly mumbles, her eyes staring into the top of the trees far above.

Her breathing was heavy, and her legs were struggling to move. Every now and then she tripped over the roots sticking out of the ground.

'Why can't these drizzles stop!? I can't see any sign of living creatures around here.' Claire hugged herself, feeling a strange chill even though the raindrops only slightly wet her body.

She couldn't shake the feeling of anxiety that she was being watched. Maybe it was because of her failed execution, or maybe it was just the state of this forest that felt so tense.

The shadows of the trees felt longer, as if gripping the ground around her. Fear began to creep into her mind, even though she tried to convince herself that this was just an ordinary forest.

'What if I got lost in this forest?' Her anxiety becomes even worse, failed to think of any solution.

Her steps began to quicken, but every time she turned her head, there was only mist that seemed to hang between the trees. Every now and then, she heard a rustle, but when she stopped and tried to listen closer, only silence answered her.

"I need to turn back," Claire mumbled "Which way did I go from that cottage again?"

Claire came to her senses. Her eyes widened as she realized that she was in the middle of the dense and thick forest.

"Ah... where am I?" Claire whispered, her eyes wide in confusion.

She turned around, trying to remember which direction she had taken earlier, but everything looked the same. The trees looked identical to each other, making her even more confused and more anxious.

'Which direction was I walking in?'

Claire looked up at the sky, hoping for some clue from the sunlight, but there was only a faint layer of light seeping through the dense tree canopy, covered by the mist.

'Have I gone further into the forest?' she thought desperately. The darkness that spread from within the forest felt like it was ensnaring her even more.

The thought of Vincent's words suddenly crossed her mind. She remembered how her brother used to warn her not to act recklessly.

'You are very reckless Claire, what if you went missing and could never be found? A pampered wealthy noble to live inside a cottage in the middle of nowhere?'

Vincent often spoke in a stern tone whenever she spoke of her dreams, but now his words felt like a curse. 

As she thought about it, Claire tripped over a root sticking out of the ground and fell hard onto the wet ground. She felt pain in her knees and her palms were bleeding.

"Why can't I remember his previous words?" Claire cried, enduring the increasingly stabbing pain in her body. Her hands shook as she tried to brush the wet soil off her clothes.

"Vincent... Father..." she muttered softly, hoping that someone would come to her aid, even though she knew that hope was in vain in the middle of this mist.

No one knew she was lost, in this forest, far from any town and civilization.

Behind the bushes, a rustle disturbed the quiet tranquility. Claire turned her head quickly, hoping that it was someone, maybe Sharon or even her father. 

However, her common sense immediately dismissed that hope. There was no way anyone else was here. Claire swallowed, fear starting to creep into her heart.

'This place is far away from the town, you should be safe here. No one knows about this place except for us, Claire.'