The Forest Keeper

   A long time ago the people of Li were afraid of the forest keeper for they feared that anyone who enters the forest will not come out alive; this made them a barren land for they never entered the forest which was so fruitful, prosperous and of great beauty. This made the people of Li beg from other surrounding villages which often mock them. 

Forest

   On a Monday Nick’s mom told Nick to fetch food from a close village, Nick didn’t hesitate and set off, when he got to the village the villagers mocked him, ignored him and didn’t sell any food for him. Nick ran to the gateway of the forest and cried, suddenly he heard a voice calling him into the forest, Nick tried to run but it was too late the forest Keeper spell was on him and a glossy green creature came out of the forest and pulled him inside.

   Nick woke up from the shock and found himself in the forest, he tried to scream but a gaseous hand held his mouth, and by the time he turned, he saw himself surrounded with many skulls, bones and caskets, he saw a rock with words written on it upside down, he used a mirror which translated the words to:   

"You have come to destroy what has longed been built, for humans never understand what they have until it is gone, however, we have decided that no human will enter and go out alive, until they pass the riddle hidden.  RUN,RUN, RUN, if you read this note."

   Nick ran as fast as his leg could carry him but it was no use he was trapped, suddenly he saw someone who came out of the forest in rags and the person asked him a riddle “who are you?” and Nick replied “I am Nick” “wrong” the forest keeper said sharply so Nick kept trying and trying but he couldn’t get it right, after a long time of guesses the forest keeper got angry and went away, he later came back but Nick couldn’t just get the answer, the forest keeper went and came back up to five times but Nick didn’t get the answer, now, the forest keeper has had just enough of Nick’s reputational  failure and he went away, only that this time he came with a watch and attached the watch to Nick’s wrist and set the watch on a countdown and said, “if you don’t get the riddle in the next 1 minute you can consider yourself dead,” Nick screamed while the forest keeper gave his evil laugh, suddenly, the wind whispered to Nick to stop screaming, so Nick stopped screaming and started yelling.

   30 more seconds to go and Nick had not given the forest keeper his answer, 20 more seconds to go, still nothing, 10 more seconds, 5 more seconds, 2 more seconds, then Nick burst out saying “I am a human” suddenly, there was silence, the countdown stopped and the watch fell off Nick’s hand then the forest keeper came and said, “I did not ask you what your name was, you see that this how you humans misunderstand the beauty of plants you think cutting it down is what it is meant for, now you are free, but, you must not tell anyone about this, so here, take these foods and give your mom, bye” then Nick saw himself in his village and gave his mom the food then his mom said “what adventure did you have?” And Nick replied “well it was one heck of adventure”.  
This post is written by Favour Atser, a student from Deeper Life High School, Ibadan, Nigeria