When you're walking in a forest with trees as tall as giants, maybe even higher, with no footwear alongside a possible friend and someone you find intimidating, going to find something or somebody that could be dangerous, it's more than nerves. You get a queasy feeling in your stomach about what could happen, and simply hope that you don't get hurt. It would be a bonus if it's at Brenowa Camp, the lovely, gleeful world full of snacks and activities where a fairy died, the others without a care in the world. 

More dirt attaches to our feet as we walk. I ended up getting a baby twig impale the ball of my foot, making a splinter. Sky had one too, but she didn't seem to mind. It seemed small anyway. 

Once we reach nearby the sound, where it sounds as loud as a child screaming for their mother, it shuts off like a light switch. I raise my brows in confusion, opening my eyes wider. The long silence only makes it more eerie. 

I hear a twig snap, and notice something fly through the skinny tree branches. It looks like a fly or a bumblebee a couple of sizes too big. 

As Sky opens her mouth to speak, come sounds of more twigs snapping, and sounds of buzzing fly nearby my ears. I wave it off, as if I was slapping the air. Sky and I dart our heads cautiously, trying to study the area. Carefully, Phoenix shuffles to the giant bush in front of us.

"Are you an idiot? Come back!"

Sky whispers, wanting to yell. He ignores her warning, like his eyes were set on the prize, at least that's what I think. He pushes back two sections of the bush, examining the area as I stand anxiously, trying to prepare myself. I notice Sky's legs bent slightly and her arms protecting herself in a fighting stance. It wasn't the cringy type that girls did in movies. Her face was stern, and her stance with her slightly muscled limbs gave off a strong aura. 

Phoenix turns his head back at us. 

"I don't see anything."

Something huge, looking like a hand with long, curved fingernails reached out, trying to grab Phoenix. He rolled backward. I let out a scream, as Sky shakes for a bit, then returning to her stance. Behind the hand, something cracks through the ground. It's almost as tall as the trees. The more I look at it, it looks like a ghost from a horror movie. It drills its hand towards us, making the dirt rise like a hurricane.

We're flung to the trees by the pressure of the hand's punch. There was little to no time for me to scream, or cry for help, to do anything. I scurry away from it like a mouse running from a hungry cat. With all the dust surrounding the area, it's almost impossible to find Sky and Phoenix. I shield my eyes with one arm, squeezing them, hoping that the burning feeling will fade, while the other arm tucks in on my side.

"Jus-Justice!!" 

A female voice screams, as I flutter my eyes open, looking up, then ducking my head again, looking away from the whirling dust, branches, and leaves. 

"Sky?!"

"Justice!" 

I sweep my long hair away from my face, battling the wind to find Sky. I notice her sithouette through the wind and dirt. She reaches out her arms, as I do the same, trying to find her. She grabs my forearm tightly, as I squeeze her scratched fingers. 

"Are you ok?!"

I scream a very worried "yeah" before I ask her the same thing. She nods quickly. 

"Where's Phoenix?"

I ask. 

Her eyes go wide. She doesn't let go of my arm, her nails digging into my skin. 

"Phoenix! Where are you?!" 

"Phoenix!"

We call out his name, far too many times at the top of our lungs. The ghost-looking creature screeches loudly. I stare at it in horror, blinking my eyes, still fighting the burning feeling, looking away from it. The wind clears up. 

Above us, a tree branch falls towards Sky and I. We drag each other away from it, running as fast as our legs could carry us. Thanks to her, We escaped faster than I thought. She did more of the dragging and running while I barely held on, hanging onto her hand for dear life. 

The tree thuds loudly. I still hear the creature screeching, like an angry dragon. We study the forest around us. The trees are down like corpses, our bodies surrounded with dirt, and a bit of blood from the scratches of the sticks and bark pieces. The plants were scattered as well. The forest looked like a child's messy room, as if it hadn't been cleaned in years. 

I remember our goal. 

"Phoenix!" 

I run around the forest, for who knows how long, possibly in circles with Sky by my side. Under a tree trunk, a limp body lays on it's back. Then I recognize the half opened red eyes and black hair hanging. 

"Phoenix!"

His body twitches, as his eyes snap wide open once I yell his name again. I run over to him, and notice the blood splattered on his forehead and lip. 

"Sky! Help me lift this!"

She reaches under the trunk, trying to lift it up. 

"Phoenix! Are you ok?"

"Does he look ok?!"

"Sorry! Just keep lifting!"

I yell back. Ahead of us, The ghost still stands, looking scarier. Its figure has lost its glow, and its eyeballs look gouged out, with a mouth too small for its face, and a body too long. 

Phoenix mutters something under his breath, probably panicking. 

"Justice, that creep is still there! You and Sky, get out of here!"

"I'm not leaving you! We'll make it out."

Sky taps my shoulder. 

"I think his legs are crushed. They look broken!"

"We'll carry him! Just-Keep on going!"

I keep on trying to lift the wooden chunk while my fingers bleed from the bark piercing my skin. I must have more splinters than ever in my life before. Through grunts and sweat, Phoenix urges us to go.

"What part of we're not leaving you don't you get?! You're going to be fine...!"

Phoenix turns his sight to Sky.

"Sky, help her!"

She dips her head in despair, scrunching her face. Tears begin to prickle the edges of her eyes. 

"I can't now...!"

She responds to him. The roaring grows louder. It's getting closer to us. For a short minute, Sky and Phoenix are almost silent. I can only hear quiet grunts from Phoenix, from the pain that I could not even imagine he's in. 

They still don't say anything. The right side of the trunk slams downward. Sky lets out a painful "Tch" sound, then wraps her arm around me, in a hugging manner as she drags me away from the tree and Phoenix. I yelp in anger and fear, begging her to take us back. She ignores me, still running through the chaotic forest, as more trees fall. 

"Thanks..."

Phoenix breathes.

No matter how many times I yell her name, no matter how many times I beg her to go back like a child missing their mother or father, she still runs. I'm tempted to punch her arm or back, but her intimidation holds me back like a horse's mouth being pulled back from their rider yanking the bridle. 

"Phoenix..!"

"Sky! Justice! Don't worry! Forget about me!"

When I look down at him, he knots his fingers on his forehead, gathering his black hair. Then I notice something. He's crying, saying something I couldn't catch. 

Behind him, the ghostly creature returns, slamming its hand through the tree where Phoenix lay. I watch in horror. 

The hand rises up again, holding Phoenix, struggling to escape for dear life. One of his arms are too tired to move, while the other bangs against the giant hand. Another giant hand comes, closing between Phoenix's arms, dragging them behind his back. I gasp, stutter, and stare as his arms get dislocated. I take back what I said about the creature having a mouth too small for its face. It grew almost as big as Phoenix's entire figure, maybe even bigger. The boy's body slouches forward, as if he fell asleep. His broken arms hang and his upper body dips. Light aura, looking like dust escapes from Phoenix, entering the creature's mouth. 

Sky pulls up her hood, running faster. I feel she's holding back tears based on the noises she made while running. The giant hand opens slowly, releasing Phoenix. He falls to the dirty ground hard. I scream in despair, reaching my hand out to him. I don't even want to think how he looks now. Sky cups my mouth, and before we knew it, we made it to the tetherball area. She releases me, and we fall to the ground, softer than Phoenix.