Mom: "Eliza! Lunch is ready!"
Eliza: "Just a minute, Mom!"
Eliza carefully put away her pencils and sketchbook. Her younger brother barged into her room, wearing his usual mischievous grin.
Brother: "You're drawing that weird stuff again? Even I don’t believe in that nonsense!"
Eliza: "You just don’t understand! Now go, Mom’s waiting for you."
With a slight pout, she brushed him off and made her way to the kitchen.
After lunch, Eliza and her brother played outside, tossing a ball back and forth. Suddenly, the ball slipped from their game and rolled deep into the bushes.
Eliza: "Don't worry, I’ll get it!"
She darted toward the bushes and found the ball easily. But as she stood up, something else caught her eye. Just beyond the bushes stood a mysterious forest. It was vast and thick, its dark trees stretching high into the sky. Her parents had never mentioned it before, not once. Eliza stared for a moment, her heart racing with curiosity.
She clutched the ball tightly, forcing herself to return to her brother. But her mind was already working—she had to find a way to explore that forest, to uncover what secrets it might hold.