The Hunger beneath the Realm

Liam shoves another beer into my hand. “Tell me that doesn’t look fake. “He says, almost spilling his own drink while pointing at his phone.

I lean and look at the video he’s showing me of two enormous trees in the middle of a forest. Their branches twisting together into a perfect circle.

Jess snorts looking over my shoulder.

“It’s AI. There’s no way something like that is real.”

“It’s said that people disappear there,” Jonathan adds.

“People vanish everywhere after ten pints,” Jess retorts.

I laugh under my breath and take another swallow of beer while reading the comments.

Don’t cross the threshold after midnight.

If the forest goes silent, leave.

“Haunted forest…” Liam says dramatically. “C’mon guys, we have to go.”

We should have said no. We should have said that we were too drunk, but bad ideas always seem like good ones when alcohol is involved. Two hours later, I’m stumbling through wet forest paths with mud sticking to my trainers while Liam films everything for social media. Jess keeps laughing nervously while holding onto Jonathan. “If we get murdered, I’m haunting all of you.”

When we see the trees, we go quiet.

“Bloody hell, I thought it was bullshit!” Liam laughs.

“I told you it was real. We should leave. People disappear in here.” Jonathan says.

The trees are bigger than I thought, trunks twisted together, pink and white flowers scattered across their branches. “Okay… that’s both beautiful and creepy.”

The forest feels colder and quieter, Liam feeling the tension, grins and lifts his beer. “Bet none of you actually cross.”

I roll my eyes immediately. “Oh fuck off.”

“Scared?”

“No.”

“Prove it.”

“Fifty pounds…”

“Deal.”

Jess groans, reaching for my sleeve, a mix of concern and protest in her grip, but I’m already walking toward the trees.

The air changes the moment I cross through the circle. The silence hits so hard my ears ring.

The others cross. Behind me, I hear Jess swearing quietly. I turn around, and the trees are still there, but they feel far away.

We feel something urging us forward, so we keep moving. It’s the strangest feeling, like something is drawing us somewhere.

The deeper we walk, the stranger the forest feels. Moonlight spills silver on glowing pale flowers. The air grows warm and sweet.

I feel lightheaded. Like, my thoughts are slowing down.

Jess rubs her arms.

“Guys… I think we should go back.”

I open my mouth to agree, but then I hear music somewhere ahead, and suddenly I no longer want to go.

I still remember home, but it feels distant, like I’m remembering someone else’s life.

The forest suddenly opens into a clearing around a lake.

Black water forms a perfect circle around an island with a palace glowing with warm golden light. Mist drifts above the surface while lanterns flicker softly between enormous trees.

A dozen naked people are gathering in a circle at the clearing, none of them looks embarrassed; instead, they seem to be waiting for someone.

Then I see her coming out of the lake, barefoot, droplets of water drifting down her naked skin, candlelight flickering across her face. Everything inside me goes completely still.