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
