CHAPTER 8: THE UNKNOWN PLACE

Wolves are type of wild animals that are predatory. They are extremely dangerous, although they don't really intend to be aggressive towards humans. However, they will show hostility when they are defending their territory, also when they were trying to protect their young ones. Wolves are smart, they can sense if you are scared, frightened or nervous. Running away from them definitely can't help me in this situation, it would just make things worse.

As I am eyeing the wolf in front of me, I attempt to back away slowly as I hear the others were growling. At the moment, the other wolf approaches me, I breathed heavily as I started yelling. "Don't you dare come closer to me! I know you are all strong, you hear me??! I'm trying to get out from here!!" I yelled as I am backing away, without hurrying. I maintained an eye contact as I continue to shout. "Get back! Get back!" I shouted, but they did not listen. Instead they came closer and closer as they were snarling. "Sheessh--I shouldn't be scared." I uttered under my breath while still staring at the wolves pack.

"Get out from our territory." I heard someone speaks. I looked around, but I see no one but the wolves. I stared intensely at the wolf in front of me as my forehead just creased out of curiosity. I swear, I heard someone talk. I eyed the wolf when suddenly I just perceived it speak.

"Get out from our territory, human." The wolf said in its threatening voice. My eyes widened then my jaw dropped when I understand what it says.

"Did you just talk?!" I surprisingly said. The wolf's head tilted when I asked that crazy question.

"Do you understand me?" The wolf questioned me back that made me more shocked. I don't get it, why do I hear the wolf speaking? I mean, why can I understand what it saying? It looks like I can communicate with them. But how does this happen? I cannot believe this. "If you don't mind, I--I gotta go, I'm not a threat to any of you." I just uttered as I turned my back. I thought that the wolves would begin to chase me when I started to walk out. But I did not expect that they just let me go. As I took another step I heard the last word that the wolf verbalized.

"Be careful. There are lots of menace to humans in this forest, not just us wolves." It said. I did not bother to look back. I just keep on walking as I am having a thought about what just happened.

I just confusedly rambled down the forest as I am creasing my forehead. "What just happened? I don't understand. Why can I talk to wolves? I mean, there is definitely something wrong with myself." I mouthed in disbelief. "And this test? What is the meaning of all of this?" I murmured as I am tramping. The twigs were breaking as I stepped each of it. I groaned as I am sauntering the deep forest. "Now I don't have any idea what to do." I insanely talked to myself as I rolled my eyes. I halted for a while as I tugged my hair as I feel upset for some reason. I don't care anymore, I wanted to get out of this place. I started ambling, although I don't know what to do and I have no idea where I am heading. I just amble and ambled. Well, who knows? Maybe I am lost right now, since I don't have a specified direction, nor a trail to follow. All of the sudden, I became desperate to pass this test. I just want this to end.

While I am walking, I instantly discern a huge tree from the distance. It stopped me from walking as I squinted my eyes to see it clearly. My forehead creased, "That's strange." I mumbled as I am staring at it. It is more taller compared to the other trees. I strode towards the tree to observe it more closely. When I am finally in front of it, I am amazed by its size, it is really an enormous tree with a hole on its trunk down its roots that is big enough for a human can fit. I also looked above as I noticed that there are no any single leaves that can be seen. I realized that it is a hollow tree, a dead tree.

What I'm curious about is its hollow. At the moment I attempted to check it out, the branches of the tree started to move aggressively. It began to attack me as it swung its branches that nearly hit my face. Gladly, that I'm able to dodge it. I turned my backs as I tried to runaway, then without notice, its roots slowly came out from the ground as it crawl towards my feet. My eyes widened as the tree commenced to wrap its roots to my ankle that made me tripped and let go of my torch as it dragged me towards the hole.

"Heeelp!" I have no choice but to ask for help, but there is no one out here, but me. The roots keeps on dragging me until the huge tree had swallowed me down to its hollow.

Right now, I'm inside the tree. "It is surely dark in here." I uttered. "Hello?!" I shouted, as my voice echoed. No one answered, right! I am all alone in here. I sat down because of disappointment. Now, I'm stuck in this tree, and no one can help me get out. I almost forgot that this is a part of the test that I needed to pass. But this is so difficult, I have no idea what to do in this situation. Mr. Elliot did not even give me some weapons to combat this thing. What did he expect? That I will use some random superpowers? Well, that is bad, really bad! I am just a typical workaday teenage girl who lives with an ordinary life. I'm not some kind of superhero or a wizard who have powers or magic. I don't know if that certain people really existed. I was born to be normal, not special. I just lay down on the hard ground as I tried to rest. Tomorrow morning, I would try to get out here. As I am thinking of a way of how to get out, I suddenly doze off..

"No one able to get out in this hallow." I suddenly hear a voice once again that made me woke up from my deep sleep.

"I-is anyone here?" I asked as I stood up. I roamed my eyes around, although its still quite dark.

"Come and find me." The voice speaks. He sounds like a man.

"Who are you?" I query as I took my phone inside my bag. Gladly my bag is still with me despite of what had occurred.

"Try to find me, and I'll tell you how you can survive." He said.

I turned on my phone's flashlight as I clutched my bag. I tried to search for him. "Or her? Eer--I don't know." I murmured.

"What are you doing in here?" I asked one more time.

"I can't tell you, you shall find me first." He responded as I followed his voice. I ambled inside this huge tree as I suddenly perceived a shadow. I tailed the shadow and surprisingly I saw a little squirrel while eating a hazelnut.

"Oohh--cute squirrel." I said. I'm about to hold it when it suddenly speaks.

"Hold on there, missy." The squirrel said. Oh my gosh! Another animal speaking! What is wrong?!

"You can t-talk?" I shockingly said as I walk back.

"And you can understand me." It just responded like as if its natural for me.

"I can talk to animals?!" I suddenly said it out loud.

"Obviously. So, you want to get out in here? Then listen to me." The squirrel calmly said as it walks towards me. "You need to walk straight there, and when you see something that lights, you will be free." It said while pointing its little finger on the way to left.

"That's just it?" Oneself asked as I creased my forehead. I still can't believe that I'm talking to an animal.

"Oh no." It said. "There are roots everywhere that it will be impossible for a human like you to get out, it might dragged you back in here." The squirrel added as it turn its back. "Goodluck!"

I rolled my eyes as I stare at the way out. "This is it." I uttered as I ambled while holding my phone.

An hour later, I reached the dead end. As I roamed around, I perceived a hole with light just as what the squirrel had said. I tried to cut off the roots that covers the hole. When I touched it, it started moving and it began to wrapped around my arms. I thought of something that can cut off these thing, and a realization hit me. "I need fire." I mumbled. My eyebrows furrowed when I immediately felt a hot sensation on my right hand. But then, I gasped when I took a glimpse, there's a fire. I don't know how it happened, yet I didn't complain any longer. I just took it as an opportunity to be free. I burned the tree roots that crawls into my arms, gladly I don't feel pain as I am burning it. I have no clue why. I kept on setting aflame to the roots until I finally get rid of it. Then eventually I make my way to the hole then I came out, as the tree began shrieking as its roots and branches started to move violently.

I turned my back as I tried to leap and dodge every branches and roots as I ran quickly. I halted pantedly when I'm already faraway to that hollow tree. I heave a sigh of relief when I perceived a way out the forest. A smile emerged on my face when I started to saunter. However, there are some things that's been bugging my mind. I can communicate with animals, the fire in my hand. It's weird. How did that happen? I shook my head as I stopped thinking it.

Finally, I'm out the forest. I cheerily jumped because I finally passed the second test. As I am jumping, I perceived a rustled sound from the bushes, I stopped from leaping as I went towards it. Oneself tries to clear out the bushes, then I spotted a blue forge metal gate. When I touched it, it just suddenly opened like it is automatic or it has some kind of magic.

At the moment I stepped in, I became astounded when I caught a sight of a huge buildings surrounded by tall trees and beautiful flowers. I turned my head to someone when I heard him speak while clapping his hand.

"Congratulation Elina, you passed the second test." Mr. Elliot said as he approached me. "Welcome to the unknown place." He added that made me wonder. I wonder what kind of place is this that made it to be unknown.