Young Writers Society

"Would you like to play a game with me?" Lilit repeated, her voice growing dark and dismal. A faint waft of sickly sweet dispair filled my nose as the world started to fade into something brilliant. Lilit's curse, the magic to deceive a victim, the ultimate reason she was the spirit of the Lying Forest.

All around me the scenery changed. The tall forest seemed to melt away, and beside me Few started to become dust and float into the distance. I tried to focus my mind, keep my thoughts that I was in the land of False, but even that fact seemed to drift away. The ground beneath me became a lush medow, as the wind rushed through my hair.

"Lets play a game child," a calm voice called to me from the distance.

I looked forward and focused my eyes, unable to remeber Lilit, Few, or the world of Nowhere. All that mattered was this calm medow. My eyes located the source of the voice, a lovely young woman dressed in blue. She was sitting in the center of the meadow, and her golden eyes called out to me.

Slowly I approached, unable to keep myself from moving towards her.

"Who... who are you?" I question as I reached the spot where she sat.

"I am the maiden of the meadow, the keeper of the grass. I have sat in this meadow for centuries awaiting your arrival Jayden, Jayden Turner, the boy who wishes to see the king."

As her words sank in, I couldnt understand what she was talking about. The king? What king was that. All I wished to do was lie down in this meadow, and live forever in its calming grass. I needed something, I knew I did, but my mind refused to remember.

"I will ask again my child, will you play a game with me?" This time as she said those words, something pricked at the back of my mind, for just a second, and then it was gone.

"Yes, I will play with you."

"Very well. All you have to do to win this game..." her voice paused and the world became fire, the grass burning violently as my clothed burst with flame. "Is remember why your here."

With her last words, The maiden of the Meadow let out an evil cackle and vanished in a puff of smoke.

Remember why I'm here? How could I remember anything in this world of hell. The fire drove down on me, as I glanced around for any safe ground, anything, anyone.

Anyone.

As that word entered my mind, a voice from a distance world entered my mind.

"Remember Jayden, when you are going through this treatment, think of someone, real or not. And the thought of that person will guide you. In your imagination, the person you picture as your gaurdian can do anything you wish them to be, they can be anyone and do whatever you need them to do at that moment"

Those words, I couldn't recall who had said them, or what treatment they were talking about, but those words were all I needed. My mind burst to life and I remembered what my mind was trying to tell me I needed.

"Few! Few save me!"

I screamed the words, as the fire on my clothing went out, and the flames in front of me seemed to seperate to make a path towards safety. At the end of the fiery path, stood me friend, my guardian Few. Those words in my head were correct. Few was my guide, my savior, and she changed to be whatever I needed most.

This was the work of Lilit, the spirit of the Lying forest, but she had placed for me one truth. Few would lead me to my end.

***

"Jay Jay... help me..."

The voice broke me free from Lilits magic, as I glanced to my side. Few was standing there, still gripping my hand tightly. She didn't seem to know I was there and her eyes were blank.

"So child of Earth, you have managed to beat my game. If you can save your friend, I will let you live. This time. If you return to my forest again, I will not spare you." Lilit spoke evilly, and turned to walk away.

I kept my gaze on Lilit, refusing to accept her words as truth, but I had to return my full focus to Few. Few, my only friend, my guide and my gaurdian, who was still trapped in her mind by the magic of Lilit.

"Few, come back to me. I need you. I can't make it to the king without you. Since the first say I came here, you have taught me everything. Remember those times? Those times that all you wanted to do was run and play, all you wanted to do was have fun. I made you tell me about the castle, I made you explain this world of Nothing. Come back to me, please. Help me get out of this forest and I promise, I will play with you."

I fell to my knees, still holding the young fawns hand. My every fiber begged her to return, begged her to escape Lilit's curse.

"I need you..."

I closed my eyes, and my head hung in sorrow. I refused to let Few go. I couldnt lose my best friend.

"J... Jay Jay," the voice spoke, weak at first, but when I opened my eyes, I saw Fews blue fur standing on end.

"Jay Jay! I missed you!"

The next moment, I was on my back, Few happily pinning me down and laughing.

"Jay Jay, I missed you so much."

She was laughing, but thick tears were pouring down her face. I didn't know what fake illusions Lilit had shown her, and didn't dare to ask. All I knew for sure was, we were safe for the moment. I let myself slip into happiness as I lie there with Few still pinning me down. The forest had grown silent and all was calm. Everything seemed perfect until a voice from the distance spoke to me.

"Jayden. Jayden wake up, treatment is over for the day."

***

Groggy and dazed I slowly opened my eyes. My world was gone and I was back in the hospital. The doctor stood at the foot of my bed with the clipboard, going over some notes he had written down. I looked at my arm to see the IV pierced through my skin, and wondered when the next time I would be able to open the door would be.

Even though I knew that world was fake whenever I visited, this world wasnt better in the slightest. In this world, this small cold hospital room was my home.