Chapter 73: Echoes of Loss
The jungle was silent once more, but this time the stillness felt mournful, as though it were grieving alongside Alison. He carried Natasha through the winding paths, his mind racing with questions he couldn't answer.
Her eyes fluttered open again, confusion clouding her expression. "Where are we?"
"You fainted," Alison replied, his voice tight. "The jungle… it took something from you. I don't know what yet."
Natasha frowned, touching her chest. "I feel… lighter. But I don't know what's missing. It's like… like a piece of me is gone."
Her words sent a chill through Alison. "We'll figure it out. I promise."
The Clearing
They reached a small clearing and stopped to rest. Alison set Natasha down gently, his eyes scanning the jungle for any signs of danger.
"Do you remember anything?" he asked.
Natasha shook her head, her fingers brushing against her temple. "Bits and pieces. The tree, the artifact… and then nothing."
Alison crouched beside her, his expression grim. "That shaman said the jungle would demand a sacrifice. Whatever it took, we'll get it back."
Natasha reached for his hand. "What if we can't? What if it's gone for good?"
He squeezed her hand tightly. "We don't give up. That's not who we are."
A Strange Encounter
As they rested, a soft rustling emerged from the underbrush. Alison sprang to his feet, drawing his machete.
"Who's there?" he called out.
A figure stepped into the clearing—a young boy, no older than ten, with skin as dark as the jungle's shadows and eyes glowing faintly green. He tilted his head, studying them curiously.
"You're the ones who woke the heart," the boy said, his voice eerily calm.
Alison frowned. "Who are you?"
The boy ignored the question, turning his gaze to Natasha. "The jungle took what it needed. You gave willingly, but now you must learn what it means to live without."
Natasha's voice wavered. "What did it take from me?"
The boy's glowing eyes met hers. "Your connection to yourself. Your memories of what you were before this journey began."
Her breath hitched. "My memories?"
The boy nodded. "Not all of them, but enough to change you. To make you forget the person you once were."
Alison stepped forward, anger flaring in his eyes. "Why would the jungle do that?"
The boy's gaze shifted to him. "Balance. She carried too much weight—grief, pain, doubt. The heart stripped it away, but at a cost."
Natasha looked down, her hands trembling. "If I don't remember who I was, then who am I now?"
The boy approached her, his expression softening. "You are who you choose to be. The jungle doesn't erase—it transforms. What you've lost is not gone forever. It's buried, waiting for you to uncover it again."
A New Resolve
The boy turned to leave, but Alison blocked his path. "Wait. If her memories are buried, how do we get them back?"
The boy smiled faintly. "You'll need to go deeper. Beyond the jungle's heart, to the source of its power. But be warned—what you find may not be what you expect."
With that, the boy vanished into the foliage, leaving Alison and Natasha alone once more.
Natasha looked up at Alison, her eyes filled with uncertainty. "Do you think we can find it? The source?"
He crouched beside her, his gaze steady. "We've come this far. We'll go as far as it takes."
Natasha nodded, determination flickering in her eyes. "Then let's finish what we started. Together."
The Journey Ahead
As they prepared to move on, the jungle seemed to shift around them, the trees parting to reveal a faint path illuminated by the soft glow of bioluminescent plants. It was as if the jungle itself was guiding them.
Alison helped Natasha to her feet, and they set off toward the unknown, their bond stronger than ever. Whatever lay ahead—memories, monsters, or mysteries—they would face it side by side.
The jungle had taken, but it had also given. And now, their quest had a new purpose: to uncover the truth hidden within its depths and reclaim what had been lost.