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There were humans before her, and this one had written things down. Had it been for others to read in order to help them? Whatever the reason she was glad they had done it. She wanted to continue reading but she could feel herself dozing off.

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She set the book on the nightstand and pulled the blanket over her head. Youngmi could barely keep her eyes open, so she let sleep overtake her. The journal would be there waiting for her in the morning. But for now she needed rest.

 

After breakfast Youngmi ran straight to her room to start reading the journal. She had been antsy during their meal and couldn’t wait to get her hands on the book.

 

Youngmi had gotten through another few pages when she came across an interesting passage, specifically about the boys she was now residing with.

 

Day 52

 

I came across a treehouse this morning, filled with 5 boys that can shapeshift from animals to humans. A rather curious bunch they were. They seem to fight a lot. Much more than them annoying pixies.

 

I did have a good chat with them though. Like many dwellers of these woods they were very interested in the human world. So I told them many stories of my life there. I don’t think I’ve ever seen a group of boys so calm and attentive before, not once losing focus from my tales.

 

I also happened to mention my ventures here in the forest. At that they all seemed to become rather depressed. Maybe I shouldn’t have mentioned it but I did get a nice bit of information from it. The rabbit boy, I can’t exactly remember his name, told me about the other humans that were buried nearby. I knew there had been others before me but I wasn’t sure what had become of them after their passings.

 

All 5 of them led me to the area where there was 7 graves. The deer boy told me that their group had only met one of the humans that now lay there. It had been the very first human that ever entered. A young boy of about ten years old. Oh how that was such a sad story to hear.

 

But after that boy had grown old and died they buried him in this small plot of land. It had then for some reason become the designated area for humans to be buried, perhaps to keep them all together so they wouldn’t be alone.

 

That encounter taught me a good bit about life here. And now as I sit writing this I realize that someday I will also be buried there. Among the other humans that entered and were never able to leave. I have truly become one of them.

 

Youngmi felt tears coming on, feeling empathy  for that man and the rest of the humans that entered. She was just like them, trapped forever.

 

The girl was wiping the tears from her face when a thought flashed across her mind. She then read through that passage again. And then a third time.

 

The man mentioned seven graves, which was the amount she had seen when she found them. If there was seven when that man had entered, that would make him the eighth. But there was only seven graves and not eight. It didn’t make sense.

 

Youngmi jumped up out of the bed and rushed down the stairs to the boys’ room. She hadn’t noticed how loud she was when she shouted, immediately catching their attention.

 

“Where’s the eighth person?”

 

They looked at her in confusion not understanding what she had meant.

 

“What are you talking about,” Moonbin asked.

 

“The human before me. He was the eighth person right? But there’s only seven graves.”

 

The boys all looked at each other, wondering if they should tell the girl. They didn’t know if it might upset her more.

 

“He went missing,” Myungjun said.

 

“Missing?”

 

“Yeah. Uhmm…”

 

This time JinJin spoke. “Well, you see. He was staying with Seunghee for a bit and one day he left his journal at her house and just left.”

 

“But where did he go?”

 

“We don’t know. We looked for him for a long time, but we never could find him.”

 

“So…? He just died somewhere in the forest? Alone?”

 

“It’s possible. We don’t even know if he stayed with someone else till he died, or if anyone found him and buried him somewhere.”

 

Youngmi pondered over what she was told. That man had gone missing, never to be found. But what could have possibly happened? Was the forest really that massive that they could never him?

 

Eunwoo walked up to the girl and placed a hand on her shoulder. “Is something wrong? You alright?”

 

Youngmi hadn’t seemed to have heard him since she didn’t reply. Eunwoo looked back at the others. They all gave a questioning face but the boy only shrugged.

 

“I need to finish reading,” Youngmi shouted.

 

And she was once again running up the stairs to go through the journal.

 

Day 77

 

I have learned something great and terrible today, something that explains why humans can not leave this place. I think this will come in handy for any person that shall enter this forest after me.

 

This morning I set out to search for new things, anything useful to write down that may be helpful later on. I spent a good 3 hours wandering about the woods. I met many new creatures along the way but they are of no importance.

 

I ended up at a trail. I was curious as to where it would lead seeing as how there are so few trails here. So I followed it.

 

I would say I went about 2 miles when I then saw someone in front of me. They were a ways off so I couldn’t really make out much of what they looked like. But I knew it was a girl. She wore a simple white dress with a red cloak.

 

She started walking away from me but then stopped to look back. I wasn’t sure if she was expecting me to follow so I did anyways.

 

And at the end of that trail we came upon a great willow tree, the likes of which I had never seen before. It was huge, simply massive. It was bigger than all the other trees of the forest. I followed the girl through the leaves that hung down. She sat on the ground where blankets, pillows, and a tea set had been set out. And then she patted the spot next to her. I took this as an invitation for me to sit down, and so I did.

 

The girl poured two cups of tea and handed me one of them. Though I wasn’t much interested in the drink. I really just wanted to speak to her. I had a feeling she knew many things of this forest. More than anyone else that lived here. But I drank the tea anyways so as not to seem rude.

 

After she took a sip she turned to me and spoke my name. I was surprised to say the least. How did this girl, who I had never met before, know my name? I think the look on my face must have been quite a sight to see because she then giggled.

 

That girl introduced herself. And I don’t think I could ever forget her name since this was the most grand experience of my time here. Binnie. That was her name.

 

I had so many things I wanted to ask her. But she never gave me the chance. It was like she knew what was going through my mind because she gave me an answer for I everything I wished to say.

 

She explained all of how this place worked. Some things I already knew and many of which I didn’t. I wanted to write everything down so I wouldn’t forget but chose not to. Instead listening closely to what she was saying.

 

Binnie also happened to mention that I am the only being to ever meet her. Not even the forest folk have been in her presence. And nobody knew of the willow tree at the center of the forest. This part confused me. How  was it that no one else had seen her?

 

But it was wonderful to learn of all the things about the forest. The greatest question of all though had not been answered.

 

Binnie stopped speaking, like she knew I wanted to say something. So I asked my question. Why humans could not leave the forest.

 

The smile she gave me was quite mischievous. Like a kid that was about to play a prank. But it also seemed as if the smile existed because the prank had already been done. What she said next left me in shock, I wondered if I had heard correctly.

 

This is what she said to me:

 

“I am the spirit of the forest. I am the reason that this place exists. All the creatures that live here came to be because I created them. I will not tell you how I came into existence but I will tell you the answer to your question. I’m sure you will find it much more interesting anyways.

 

“As I’m sure you know, this forest is much different than where you have come from. These woods thrive with magic, which is nowhere to be found in your world. But seeing the same things over and over again can get boring, do you agree? Well, after a while I got bored with the things here. And since I can’t leave, the forest would die if I did so, I sent out the creatures of this place to explore the human world. That’s how the door between the two worlds came to be.

 

“They brought back things made by humans, all so very fascinating. This also gave the witches information of how to make such things. As I’m sure you have seen, there is many familiar things from your world that only exist here because the items or description of them were brought back.

 

“But what I never expected was for a human to follow one of my people into my forest. I was so excited to have such a thing here that I decided to keep it. That is the answer to your question. Why can things from the human world never return? Because I refuse to let them go. They have entered my home, and everything here belongs to me. You could say that I collect them. I guess that is what I do. So now that you have your answer you are content, yes?”

 

With that Binnie disappeared before my very eyes. I was in shock from what I heard. I still am. Was that all I was? All I am? Part of her collection? I became furious. How could someone be so selfish. To keep a person from returning to their home. It’s maddening to think about, truly it is.

 

Youngmi was stunned by what she had read. Everything from the human world, including her, were all just a part of a collection. That’s all she was. Like some trinket sitting on a shelf in someone’s house.

 

She began crying, the tears pouring down her face. She wanted to throw things and scream. She was angry, upset. How could someone just keep her?

 

Youngmi no longer wanted to read through the rest of the contents of the journal. She was afraid of what else she might find that would upset her. But as there was only one page left she finished reading.

 

None of it was very interesting, not until she got to the last entry.

 

Day 90

 

I think I have discovered something. Something that may change everything I have learned about these woods. But I only have one line left of this journal. So all I will say is this: you are the key.

 

Youngmi just sat there. What was it that the man had discovered? What did his words mean?

 

The girl remembered what JinJin had said earlier. That the man went missing and no one was ever able to find him.

 

So many things went through her mind. She was beginning to get a headache from thinking so much. Youngmi still couldn’t understand how he had gone missing but was never found.

 

Unless…

 

Youngmi went to get out of the bed but her foot got caught on the blanket and landed on the floor with a loud thud. She heard as someone came rushing up the stairs and into the room. When she looked up JinJin was standing in the doorway.

 

“Are you alright?”

 

Youngmi fought the blanket to untangle her foot. “Just peachy.”

 

The girl had an idea. But she wouldn’t be able to implement her plan til after everyone had gone to sleep. She gathered up some clothes for later on.

 

“What are you doing?”

 

Youngmi jumped in surprise, having forgotten that JinJin was still by the door. She had to quickly think of an excuse so he wouldn’t become suspicious.

 

“I’m just laying my clothes out so I can decide what to wear tomorrow.”

 

JinJin’s expression looked as if he wasn’t totally convinced but he just shrugged his shoulders and turned to leave.

 

“Pssh, girls.”

 

Youngmi sighed in relief and stuffed her clothes into a bag. She was hoping that she wouldn’t need to use all of them. She didn’t want to be away for too long in case she didn’t find any clues to what happened to the man or what he found.

 

 

 

 

Lunch and dinner passed by, and rather slowly for the girl. She tried her best to have all the fun she could before she took off. She didn’t know if she would be able to ever find her way back after she left. Although she hoped she could find what she was searching for. Youngmi wasn’t exactly sure what it was she needed to find. But she was hoping it would be what the man discovered. She was hoping it would be a way out of the forest.

 

And so she went off after making sure all six boys had gone to sleep. She didn’t want any of them to stop her. They were already worried about her, she didn’t need them preventing her from what she wanted to do. What she needed to do.

 

Youngmi looked back at the treehouse as she was leaving. It may be the last time she would see it and the boys. Partly because she figured she might get lost forever.

 

She wanted to find Seunghee in case she had any more information about the man. Youngmi had no idea which way she should go so she just went in any direction. The forest did change often so maybe she would get lucky and end up at the witch’s house.

 

It was late into the night and the spring air was quite cold. The girl still had not found anything that she was looking for. Neither Seunghee’s house or a clue about the man. She was beginning to think she might never get anywhere and really end up lost in the forest.

 

Up ahead Youngmi noticed blinking lights, the kind of blinking from fireflies. She ventured over to where they were and admired the lights that floated around.

 

Then she watched as the fireflies all gathered in one area next to a rather large tree. They swirled around it, with their lights making that area brightly glow.

 

Youngmi watched in fascination. What had made them swarm to that particular tree? She walked up to it, curious as to what was going on. But as soon as she reached them they all took off into the night sky, blending in with the stars.

 

A single firefly had remained and flew around Youngmi’s head, seeming to get her attention. It then hovered just above a patch of grass next to the tree. The girl crouched down and reached into the grass. She was glad for the light of the firefly because otherwise she wouldn't have been able to see what the item was. A pocket watch.

 

The watch no longer worked, with the time stuck at 10:43. She turned it over hoping she might find something written, and luckily she did. A name.

 

Kim Junmyeon.

 

And right below the name was a poorly made etching into the metal that said “you’re the key”. The same thing that had been written in the journal. It must have belonged to the man before her. She still didn’t understand what the words meant but it must be an important part of his discovery.

 

Youngmi sat down and leaned against the tree. She studied the words etched onto the watch, trying to figure out what it meant. Her eyes began drooping, she was exhausted. She thought of taking a small nap and then continue her search. She closed her eyes and slipped off into dreamland.

 

 

 

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A/N:  Before I even began writing this story I mapped everything out so I would know what to put where and so there wouldn't be any plot holes. But as I started writing things ended up changing. I've gone through the story like 3 times to make sure everything lines up but I feel like I messed up somewhere. I kinda feel like this story is a failure. But I'm still going to try my best. Hwaiting (???)