Edwin stepped into the forest. His sister, Kimya followed him with a red sword at her side, and a silver knife dipped into her hair that she fashioned into a bun. Shrill voices hissed among the trees. All of a sudden, the hissing went louder as if something was approaching them from among the branches. Edwin raised his hand and both of them stopped.
“Have you heard that?” he said, “it’s like they are watching us.”
“I’m not afraid,” Kimya said, “I’m ready; let them attack.” She pulled out the knife and her hair fell loose to her shoulders. “Besides, they can’t hurt us.”
Edwin looked at her, questioningly. “What makes you so confident?”
“The spell that grandfather placed upon us. ” she said, sniggering. “No one can hurt us as long we stay together.”
At his sister’s words, Edwin walked forward and grasped Kimya’s hand. “You’re right.”
He had almost forgotten about the protection spell. For twenty years, grandfather Jade placed a protection spell upon the family’s babies. It was a strange ritual. But Edwin came to his grandfather on his deathbed, four years ago and asked him why he placed those spells upon them. His grandfather smiled. It seemed he did not want to reply. Their was a deeper secret to this ritual; a secret that Edwin would never understand.
The two siblings went on walking. The sun light seeped through the branches, adding some warmth to the cold air. From time to time, wingless birds swooped overhead. They had leathery black wings and golden, round eyes that shone like bronze buttons in their small heads.
The whole forest was a dreary place to walk in. Shading trees sheathed the sunlight the more you went deeper into the forest and as the siblings passed by a smelly lake; a skinny brown arm cropped up out of the water, grasped a helpless frog and vanished back.
Their fear amplified every moment. Their enemies were watching them. They were just waiting for the right time to bag them, hide away and, eventually, kill them.
“Have you heard that?” he said, “it’s like they are watching us.”
“I’m not afraid,” Kimya said, “I’m ready; let them attack.” She pulled out the knife and her hair fell loose to her shoulders. “Besides, they can’t hurt us.”
Edwin looked at her, questioningly. “What makes you so confident?”
“The spell that grandfather placed upon us. ” she said, sniggering. “No one can hurt us as long we stay together.”
At his sister’s words, Edwin walked forward and grasped Kimya’s hand. “You’re right.”
He had almost forgotten about the protection spell. For twenty years, grandfather Jade placed a protection spell upon the family’s babies. It was a strange ritual. But Edwin came to his grandfather on his deathbed, four years ago and asked him why he placed those spells upon them. His grandfather smiled. It seemed he did not want to reply. Their was a deeper secret to this ritual; a secret that Edwin would never understand.
The two siblings went on walking. The sun light seeped through the branches, adding some warmth to the cold air. From time to time, wingless birds swooped overhead. They had leathery black wings and golden, round eyes that shone like bronze buttons in their small heads.
The whole forest was a dreary place to walk in. Shading trees sheathed the sunlight the more you went deeper into the forest and as the siblings passed by a smelly lake; a skinny brown arm cropped up out of the water, grasped a helpless frog and vanished back.
Their fear amplified every moment. Their enemies were watching them. They were just waiting for the right time to bag them, hide away and, eventually, kill them.