What lies beyond? As a young boy, that daunting question lingered in my mind. Okina, the village of my upbringing, stood secluded from any nearby forests, shielding us from any sight of life. In this haven, my mother, Elizabeth, ran a shop for sauces, spices, and herbs. While My father, Alex, ran a blacksmith shop. He, a stern, strong, and natural-born leader, often recounted to me the story of how he became the village chief, rambling on and on about the duels he had to undergo. Already at the ripe age of 15, I could easily recite the whole story. My mother, caring yet overprotective, hindered my desire to explore beyond the village. She would always say I could never go too far off the village, always babbling stories of the outside world and how dangerous it is. Shaping my perception of the world, I believed I resonated with until I had to face those stories head-on. Only as I grew older did my mother trust me with exploration beyond the village, particularly to gather ingredients for spice trades. School and work usually occupied my days — crafting spices with my mom when I got out of school, and fashioning fake swords for children to play with at night. Yet my favorite moments were working with my mom, mainly because of a girl named Abbie. She had nice brown hair with streaks of white, like a moonlight waterfall running down her hair, with soft clear brown skin, and calming brown eyes. She captivated me at every sight. Early mornings in my mother’s shop brought her and her mom seeking spices for their famous soup. As her mother looked for spices, Emily would often approach me to say hi, sparking up a conversation about silly things, such as what happened in class yesterday and innocent joys.

One day, my mother sent me to the forest for ingredients, a task I relished as much as my time with Emily. It was the sole opportunity of my days to witness what laid beyond and immerse myself in the world I never got to experience. The Emerald green grass swaying in the wind like an ocean, the sun casting its glow upon the sturdy trees that stood steadfast and tall, and the flowers adding color that illuminated the forest. In that setting, I could only feel a sense of home.

Suddenly, a loud thud came, shattering the tranquility around me . As I cautiously walked towards the sound, an agonizing squirm of pain grew more pronounced with every step. Peering beside a tree, my eyes met a creature with bulging golden eyes, it's white fur disheveled and dirty and those sharp, intimidating eyes sending a shiver down my spine. Examining it more closely , I noticed the creature was hurt. In that critical moment , two decisions confronted me — run away and let the creature fend for itself or take it with me and nurse it back to health.

Amidst this tense situation, the forest atmosphere came alive with approaching footsteps. I grabbed the injured creature and

Sought refuge behind a tree, trying to conceal myself from the two men emerging from the nearby bushes, their voices loudly murmured , "I hit the damn thing; it must be somewhere over here. Spread out and look for it." As I heard the voices A flurry of Thoughts came racing in my mind my mind I began to ask myself Were these men coming for the small creature I cradled in my hand. In my state of worry My heart dropped as one of the men said , "Who’s there?" In a state of fight or flight, I rushed away. As I ran, the men's urgent called echoed throughout the forest , "Stop right there!" Glancing back, I saw three pursers with brandished swords, and in that moment of fear the question lingered to me, was this the moment death find me in the heart of a looming forest.

As my pounding footsteps echoed through the dense forest, my breaths came in hurried gasps, matching the rhythm of my sprint. The urgency of the men's pursuit fueled my adrenaline. Amidst the chase a chance for escape emerged. A concealing bush in my moment of desperation I quickly hurried hide behind it. In my moment of panic The weight of the injured creature in my arms intensified.

As the men's voices declared the child has the creature, spread out, and don't leave until you find it, a shiver ran down my spine. The lingering question haunted me Will I ever get out of here?