The dark forest

Fourteen-year-old Maya, with her short dark yellow hair, set off to visit her grandmother who lived at the far end of the forest. Despite the late hour, Maya believed she would arrive quickly. Dressed in a modern red sweater and sport pants, she still wore cheap armor under her sweater, a precaution for the pitch-black forest after 10 o'clock. February's winter hibernation period made the forest safer, but Maya remained cautious.

As she walked, Maya heard the soft sounds of wolves licking the edge of a huge rock. When she approached, the wolves vanished, a reminder that they were weak during the day. Curiosity piqued, she noticed a glowing object buried in the ground. Approaching it, she was enveloped in a powerful light emanating from an amulet.

"What is this?" she wondered aloud. She took the amulet and slipped it into her pocket, but its glow persisted, visible through the fabric. The amulet bore a strange symbol resembling a disjointed number 2, its parts scattered randomly within the design.

"Strange ass amulet," she muttered, not realizing how much time had passed.

Without noticing, darkness began to settle over the forest. Maya started to run, hoping to reach her grandmother's house before nightfall. She was farther away than she realized. Though winter creatures were few, many nocturnal predators and human dangers like bounty hunters and thieves roamed the forest at night.

Distracted, Maya collided with a green fox, its unusual color marking the end of winter. Foxes were typically less threatening than wolves, but more dangerous when in groups. This fox was alone, but it locked eyes with her, recognizing her as prey.

"Shit, it saw me," she cursed under her breath as the fox charged. She ran, but the fox quickly closed the distance. It bit her left hand, its teeth sinking deep. Desperate, Maya grabbed a sharp branch and struck the fox in the eye, stabbing it repeatedly until it released her.

"An old cabin!" she exclaimed, spotting a small wooden house. The amulet's glow intensified, guiding her. She rushed inside without knocking, hoping for refuge.

Inside, Maya found three boys, not the familiar sight of her grandmother. The oldest, Ethan, was sixteen. The middle one, Liam, was her age at fourteen, and the youngest, Noah, was eleven.

"What the hell is this?" Maya demanded, panting and clutching her bleeding hand.

"What are you doing in our house?" Ethan asked, stepping forward defensively.

"This is my grandmother's house. Who are you people?" Maya retorted, confusion and pain in her voice.

"No, this is our cabin. Look at those pictures," Ethan said, pointing to family photos on the wall. Maya saw a man, a woman, and the three boys. It was a family photo, not her grandmother's home.

"So, is this still your grandmother's house?" Ethan questioned, eyebrow raised.

"Sorry then, I'm getting out of here," Maya said, turning to leave despite her injury.

"Shit, you're bleeding. You can't go out there anymore," Liam said, concern in his voice.

"But why?" Maya asked, hesitating.

"Because it's too dangerous at night. There are things out there worse than foxes," Noah said softly, his eyes wide with fear.

Reluctantly, Maya realized they were right. The night was no place for an injured girl. She sat down, trying to steady her breathing as the boys fetched a first aid kit.

Ethan knelt beside her, carefully cleaning the wound. "You were lucky. That fox could have done a lot worse."

Maya nodded, wincing as he applied antiseptic. "I was on my way to my grandmother's. Do you know where her house is?"

Liam glanced out the window into the dark forest. "If she lives at the end of the forest, you're quite a ways off. You must have gotten turned around."

"Why were you out so late?" Noah asked, curiosity overcoming his shyness.

Maya sighed, recounting her journey. "I thought I'd get there before dark. Then I found this," she said, pulling the glowing amulet from her pocket.

The boys stared at it, intrigued. "That's an unusual piece," Ethan said. "Do you know what it does?"

Maya shook her head. "No idea. It was just lying there."

Liam frowned. "We should be careful. Strange things happen in this forest."

As the night wore on, the boys and Maya shared stories, their initial tension easing into camaraderie

As dawn approached, the forest began to lighten. Maya, now bandaged and rested, felt a new resolve. "Thank you for helping me. I need to find my grandmother."

With the amulet's light dimmed but still present, the group set out, forging new bonds and bracing for whatever lay ahead in the mysterious forest.