───── •✧ " I w i l l f i n d y o u " ✧• ───── She had told me she was lost in the jungle. She sounded so... unfazed. Unfazed by the idea of being all alone in a forest, being washed over by the inky darkness of night. My constant attempts to call Maisarah's phone had drained the battery of my phone. Only two of my calls got through. The reception was so bad I barely heard her. I immediately rushed there into the forest, looking for her. I'm sure the forest had evil sentience. Maybe it warmly welcomed fellow travelers, only to trap them in a maze once the sun was no longer watching. I looked for hours, calling her name into the darkness. The forest hid her from me. At one point, I heard sounds coming from behind me. I had turned and shone the my phone's flashlight into the darkness. The light shone over a pair of eyes, then suddenly the already-drained phone turned off. Plunging me into darkness. I could vaguely make out a large shape in the shadows, with Predatory eyes. Hungry Eyes. The next moment, the creature was chasing me, and I ran in the darkness. I had fumbled for a backup flashlight I had brought, but this slowed me down, the creature caught up and sank its teeth into my jacket, yanking me backwards. I ripped my jacket off. The creature believed it had caught me, and stopped the chase. While I quickly got away. I had lost my jacket, and the flashlight. I was stuck in a vast cage, with trees as metal bars, which blocked out the sky and trapped the darkness in with me. My feet ached, I was bruised badly. And I knew, in this brutal, dark place, I was going to die. "God please help me. Please protect Maisarah." I mumbled with tears in my eyes. I wandered, hazy and delirious. I knew I was going to collapse any second. But I liked the idea of falling and never getting up again. I felt horrible. I had failed to find Maisarah. I could feel a gentle breeze hum through the woods. The trees swayed gently, casting malicious shadows. I was too faint to feel afraid, so I simply stumbled after the breeze. One, two ... five... six... seven. Seven steps was all I could take, before I fell face-first onto the ground. The breeze was all around me, howling gentle songs, gentle lullabies, soothing me in my last moments. I gently rolled onto my back, the motion alone draining the life out of me. With my face turned upwards, I prepared to fade off into a comfortable sleep. "Child, open your eyes. Look up." My eyes fluttered open, searching for the source of the voice. It was strangely calming, and my hazy vision cleared, to reveal not darkness, but stars. Stars of many glowing colours, shining above me in the sky. Majestic constellations. "They're beautiful." I whispered weakly. "They're here to light your way." the voice replied. I felt a small ounce of energy surge through my body, and I slowly raised my head. The wind howled around me, ruffling the blades of grass surrounding me. I was no longer in the dark cage they called the woods. I had stumbled into a grassland, a vast area lit by the starlight. "My child." spoke the wind. "Don't give up so easily. Find your friend. Protect her." "How? I don't know where she is! I'm lost too!" I whimpered. "Don't let that stop you, my child." cooed the wind. "The forest may have trapped your friend. But the forest can never trap me. I can guide you to her." "But I'm hurt. I'm afraid I don't have the energy." The wind almost seemed to laugh. Not mockingly, but rather a hearty, sympathetic chuckle. "Oh dear child, you're stronger than you think. You need willpower, and faith." The words sent a small chill down my spine, and I found myself thinking. Maisarah was out there, all alone, still trapped in the forest. I had to find her, before she got hurt. I was her only hope. It was my mission to bring her back. If I lay there, not only was I going down, but I was taking Maisarah down with me. With a deep breath, and a painful wince, I sat up slowly. There was a newfound energy in my veins. And it helped me to steady myself as I sat straight, looking up at the stars. "Well done, child! You're a fighter!" small petals from flowers growing in the grass fluttered through the air. As if the wind was spraying me with confetti to praise my courage. With my eyes on the stars, I gently smiled to myself. I was not going to back down. I was going to find my friend no matter what. My prayers had been answered, the wind had come to my aid. "Sarah, I will find you." - Z e r o ───── •✧ C r e d i t s ✧• ───── Art & Story : OC : Program : Krita Music : Alec Benjamin – Let Me Down Slowly If you use any of the art in this project, please give credit to me as wherever you use it. ───── •✧ N o T e S ✧• ───── Thanks a lot for doing this Art Trade with me ! I hope I did your character justice with the artwork and the story! I'm really excited to see what you'll come up with as well! - benjinara <3
