The Death Bridge

It's been a while since she got in the tree. She looked down and saw the beasts were still there, lying down, patiently waiting. They were definitely not planning on leaving before getting her and she wasn't planning on climbing down either. A thought rushed to her mind and she quickly looked down, her eyes sweeping over the ground and beasts until she saw the bag lying between the beasts.

"I must've dropped it when I made a run for the tree earlier", she thought as she pinched the space between her brows. "I'm an idiot."

Sighing deeply, she laid her head back against the tree. She sat uncomfortably on the branch and tried to adjust herself to a better position but it was just as uncomfortable as before. She let out yet another sigh.

"Today's just not my day," she thought.

She looked up and could see a few rays of sunshine coming in through the thick canopy.

Her breathing deepened.

_____________________________________

She stood before the gate at the end of the bridge. Fascinated by the beautiful curls that the roots made, she kept staring at it. The water flowed elegantly and a spiralling motion, shimmering with a golden hue.

She slowly reached out to the water. It suddenly stopped moving, as if it was afraid of her. She kept moving her hand slowly. When her hand came close, the water started to move towards her hand in its spiralling motion. Her finger touched the water. She suddenly felt a sharp stinging pain in her finger. She jerked her hand back and looked at it shocked. Looking back up, she saw the water still in the same place, as if inviting her to touch it again.

She moved her hand hesitantly towards the water. Her finger touched it again. The sharp sting came back but was suddenly replaced by a soothing burning feeling. She smiled as the water kept spiralling around her finger.

"Raven!"

The voice brought her back to reality. She quickly pulled her hand back and swirled around.

"Raven! I told you to stay away!" Her father's face was both furious and frightful.

"I'm sorry father, I just wanted to ̶ " Raven tried to explain, herself but her father cut her off,

"I said stay away from this place! Get back here now!" her father said in an urgent and frightened tone.

"John! Look out! " a voice called out to her father.

Her father spun around, only to be grappled by a shadow beast. They tumbled to the ground. When she looked up, she was stupefied by the sight of her mother stabbing her sword deep into the one of the beast's heart. Before she knew, her mother was beside her dragging her off of the bridge. Her father was still struggling with the Shadow beast on top of him.

"Father!" she yelled over her shoulder. Her mother turned her around to face her.

"Raven, honey, listen carefully" Her mother's voice was serious. "Whatever happens here tonight, just remember this: you are a very special girl and you must find a way to save the forest, to save us all." She handed her sword to a dazed Raven. Raven looked at her mother, confused. "Here, take this. It will guide you to the light of life." her mother said with a thick voice.

"But mother, I cannot wield your sword! It's too heavy! What if I lose it?" Raven said.

"You won't, my darling, because it is special, just like you. And you don't have to wield it now. It will call to you when the time is right " her mother said, her voice filled with sadness.

She looked up into her mother's eyes and saw the tears brimming in them. "Now you must run. Run and don't look back"

Tears rushed down her cheeks as she gave Raven a push. Raven hesitated, tears welling up in her eyes.

"Go, Raven!! Go now!" her mother said with a sob.

Raven turned around and ran…Stopping, she turned around and saw ghost-like people surrounding her mother and father. And then she ran, confusion and shock filling her whole mind. A scream made her stop dead in her tracks. She spun around and saw her father's body falling to the ground.

"Father!" she yelled. She gave a few steps forward but then her eyes met her mother's.

The look in her eyes stopped Raven in her tracks. 'Run' her mother mouthed to her. The ghost-like people closed in on her mother. She wanted to run but she couldn't. She saw her mother's body falling beside her father's. She felt herself scream, but she didn't make a sound. Her throat went dry. She looked at the bodies of her father and mother lying motionless on the bridge. Then the ghosts picked them up and carried them away as they faded into the night. The bridge was deserted. Everything and everyone on it was gone. She stood there, feeling waves of shock and emptiness wash over her.

A movement caught her eyes. Through a blurred vision, she saw something blue on the other side of the bridge. And then it was gone. There was a low growl behind her and before she knew it, she was on the ground.

She felt a sharp pain in her shoulder and then…