CHAPTER SEVEN

Olive's POV

"Where are we?" Sydney's voice echoed through the enchanting surroundings, and I couldn't help but feel a mix of awe and confusion. It was as if we had stepped into a realm straight out of a dream, a place that defied logic and reality. Was this truly happening, or were we trapped in the depths of my own subconscious?

Flashes of my recent nightmares raced through my mind, reminding me of the restless nights I had endured. The relentless cycle of being pursued by unseen forces haunted my sleep, leaving me desperate for a respite. And now, here I stood, in a realm so reminiscent of those haunting dreams.

My senses tingled with anticipation as I recalled the events that led us here. Sleepless and seeking solace, I had ventured from my bed, meandering towards the kitchen in search of a late-night snack. The taste of ice cream lingered on my tongue, its sweet distraction momentarily easing my troubled thoughts. But the eerie noises emanating from the library drew me in, curiosity getting the better of me.

And then, as if by fate's design, I stumbled upon Sydney amidst the shelves of books. Little did I know that this unexpected encounter would transport us to a world beyond our wildest imaginations.

As I glanced around, taking in the ethereal landscapes and fantastical creatures that roamed freely, I couldn't help but wonder if this was an escape or a perilous trap. The lines between reality and fantasy blurred, leaving us questioning the very nature of our existence.

Sydney's presence beside me provided a sense of comfort amidst the bewildering spectacle. We heard foot steps coming towards us. "We must hide," he took me by the arm and lead me further into the forest.

"I know this place," I wispered trying not to catch the attention who ever we were hiding from, "I dream of it now and then". Sydney took me by the hand leading me to another path."Me too,I have dreams of my mom here." His face dropped. "Sorry ," I said noticing his discomfort. I understood why he didn't want to recognize the place. " No its okay,it doesn't bother me much,"

"Who are you?" We turned back to see a tall muscular man staring at us." Where are you heading to?"  he asked again his voice sending shivers down my spine. "We are heading home," Sydney answered him ignoring the first question. "Would you mind if I lead you? You two look quite lost,"  he asked his voice filled with consern .

"Thank you for your offer but we do know our way," Sydney said continuing on our way through the path." Wait " he looked quite irritated," I know you don't trust me but I know this parts well. You clearly don't look like you are from here,"

"We should consider his offer," I stopped Sydney, " Since none of us actually know the way  I would prefer that he lead the way." He looked quite uneasy. " Besides I could also protect you from the dangers of this parts," the man tried to convince him.  "Okay, lead the way." Sydney sighed in defeat.

"By the way my name is Ivan," he streached his has for a hand shake." Am Olive and this is Sydney,"he took my hand and kissed it gently."Nice to meet you miss Olive," he said and took the lead.

We followed him through the thick forest to a stream. "We should take a break," I said seating on one of the big stones beside the stream. " It's not that safe here,we should head south and spend the night at my place," Ivan said in his deep voice his eyes forcused across the stream.

If only there was a way out of this place. I missed home,I shouldn't have got up. The door that led us here was no where to be seen . Sydney did not trust Ivan enough to let him know that we came from another word.

"Am also wasted ," Sydney sat down beside me on one of the rocks "I think we should rest for a while." Ivan looked uneasy and in distress. " You're worried for no reason we'll only rest for a while then continue on our way," he looked at me sighed and sat on one of the rocks.

I took my shoes off and put my feet in the cold stream . By now the sun was setting. I let my worries flow with the stream as I closed my eyes and let the cool breeze caress my skin.A sudden splash disrupted my reverie, and I opened my eyes to a laughing Sydney. The playful gleam in his eyes ignited a spark within me. Engulfed in spontaneous laughter, we engaged in a playful water duel, oblivious to the impending shift in our environment.

Abruptly, the haunting howl of a wolf shattered the laughter, the eerie sound reverberating through the forest. Frozen in our tracks, we found ourselves encircled by a pack of wolves. The playful atmosphere had metamorphosed into an unforeseen encounter with wolves .