Unknown Narrator

never once spotted any other footprints in the mud or heard any voices beyond our own it was just us the rustle of branches overhead and an uneasy quiet that pressed in if you paused to listen then one day we found something i still can't quite wrap my mind around Tucked behind a cluster of rotting logs, we discovered a mess of magazines that had definitely seen better days.

never once spotted any other footprints in the mud or heard any voices beyond our own it was just us the rustle of branches overhead and an uneasy quiet that pressed in if you paused to listen then one day we found something i still can't quite wrap my mind around Tucked behind a cluster of rotting logs, we discovered a mess of magazines that had definitely seen better days.

The pages were all warped and smelled like they'd been rained on a million times. They looked decades old, haircuts and outfits like something out of a bad TV special. We shrugged it off as some random stash left behind by hikers or whoever used to live here. Still, it made the forest feel even more like our domain, like we were uncovering relics nobody else had bothered to touch.

The pages were all warped and smelled like they'd been rained on a million times. They looked decades old, haircuts and outfits like something out of a bad TV special. We shrugged it off as some random stash left behind by hikers or whoever used to live here. Still, it made the forest feel even more like our domain, like we were uncovering relics nobody else had bothered to touch.

Eventually, though, our gaze shifted toward this wall of bamboo in the distance. It didn't match anything else around it. It was far too thick and too perfectly arranged to be natural. We'd spent so long goofing around in the same few spots that our curiosity was practically gnawing at us.

Eventually, though, our gaze shifted toward this wall of bamboo in the distance. It didn't match anything else around it. It was far too thick and too perfectly arranged to be natural. We'd spent so long goofing around in the same few spots that our curiosity was practically gnawing at us.

We'd peer through the stalks, trying to see if there was anything behind them, but it was all shadows and green leaves. Maybe that's what made it so intriguing. It was the only patch of the forest that refused to let us in. After weeks of idle talk, we decided we were done just staring. If nobody else claimed that area, it was time for us to stake our claim.

We'd peer through the stalks, trying to see if there was anything behind them, but it was all shadows and green leaves. Maybe that's what made it so intriguing. It was the only patch of the forest that refused to let us in. After weeks of idle talk, we decided we were done just staring. If nobody else claimed that area, it was time for us to stake our claim.

We grabbed a pair of heavy garden shears from my garage, stuffing them in a backpack so it didn't look like we were up to no good. That morning, I remember the sun was out and the air was muggy, like the forest was trying to warn us in its own quiet way. But we pretended not to notice. Hacking through that bamboo was a lot tougher than we'd planned.

We grabbed a pair of heavy garden shears from my garage, stuffing them in a backpack so it didn't look like we were up to no good. That morning, I remember the sun was out and the air was muggy, like the forest was trying to warn us in its own quiet way. But we pretended not to notice. Hacking through that bamboo was a lot tougher than we'd planned.

Thick stalks resisted every snip and old leaves whipped at our arms, leaving thin scratches. We were sweating and covered in flecks of plant matter by the time we made an archway big enough to crawl through. The second we slipped inside, it was like stepping onto another planet. Gone were the tangled weeds and random rocks.

Thick stalks resisted every snip and old leaves whipped at our arms, leaving thin scratches. We were sweating and covered in flecks of plant matter by the time we made an archway big enough to crawl through. The second we slipped inside, it was like stepping onto another planet. Gone were the tangled weeds and random rocks.

instead a soft layer of clovers covered the ground looking almost staged as if someone had groomed the place and then we noticed the statues knee-high fairy figures perched on little mushroom pedestals they would have been whimsical if not for the damage each face was shattered stone shards sprinkled the clover like broken teeth

instead a soft layer of clovers covered the ground looking almost staged as if someone had groomed the place and then we noticed the statues knee-high fairy figures perched on little mushroom pedestals they would have been whimsical if not for the damage each face was shattered stone shards sprinkled the clover like broken teeth

i felt sure we'd tripped into some bizarre art installation except there was no sign of an artist and in the center of the clearing stood this hulking block up close it looked like a coffin made of rough concrete or stone vines creeping along the sides

i felt sure we'd tripped into some bizarre art installation except there was no sign of an artist and in the center of the clearing stood this hulking block up close it looked like a coffin made of rough concrete or stone vines creeping along the sides

we ran our hands over the carvings but they were worn down to nonsense shapes of course we had to see if we could lift the lid because that's what impulsive kids do but it wouldn't budge not even an inch eventually the sticky heat and the pressing hush of the place got to us we backed off and made our way back through the bamboo once we were out we practically raced each other to the nearby playground

we ran our hands over the carvings but they were worn down to nonsense shapes of course we had to see if we could lift the lid because that's what impulsive kids do but it wouldn't budge not even an inch eventually the sticky heat and the pressing hush of the place got to us we backed off and made our way back through the bamboo once we were out we practically raced each other to the nearby playground

sitting there on the swings breathing in the normal afternoon air everything felt a little less intense but underneath our forced laughter was that shared awareness we'd found something off limits something we couldn't just forget part of me was thrilled the other part was screaming that we should leave well enough alone Even then, I knew we weren't going to stay away.

sitting there on the swings breathing in the normal afternoon air everything felt a little less intense but underneath our forced laughter was that shared awareness we'd found something off limits something we couldn't just forget part of me was thrilled the other part was screaming that we should leave well enough alone Even then, I knew we weren't going to stay away.