"April!"

Lina ran. The book fell to the ground.

"What if it's the dragon—" Tomas began.

"What if it's not?" Lina cut in.

They ran. The forest awaited them. April was already inside. She didn't turn around. Silence struck them immediately. The insects disappeared. The wind stopped.

"April, stop!" Lina shouted.

April turned. Her eyes were different.

"Why are you here?" she said.

"To stop you!" Lina said.

"I can't," she replied.

It wasn't anger. It was certainty.

"Something is calling me," April said.

Silence. Tomas stopped. He felt nothing. Not the call. Not the forest. Only emptiness. It's not for me. The thought hurt. He started walking again. Not to follow them. So as not to be left behind. A noise. April raised her hands instinctively. The ground moved. A root snapped. CRACK. Everyone froze. The forest was watching. Not angrily. Carefully.

"Let's go," Lina whispered.

But April took a step forward. The path behind them disappeared. Tomas turned. There was nothing left.

"Lina..."

Panic set in. They were inside. And the forest had no intention of letting them out.