As soon as they got out of the village and passed the surrounding fence, they became inside the forest, and tension and panic began to creep into each one of them.
Then, after several steps forward, their fear increased even more.
The closer they got, the more they saw skulls, bones, and hair on the trees, sticky green solutions, a little blood, and scary sounds.
Thomas felt threatened, so he asked them to leave immediately, but Adam claimed audacity, saying:
-(Do you think we came all this way to come back afraid? These nasty things have been here for centuries, so don't be afraid).
He moved forward a little and pointed to a giant tree, then added:
-(Come and see there. That tree is not stained or dirty with anything. Let's cut it down and take the wood directly to the village).
Talan hesitated a bit, then added:
_(Okay, but let's hurry).
Everyone nodded to each other and hurried to that tree.
Two of them hold it from the side so that it does not shake, and Adam and Thomas start cutting it, while the remaining three of them take care of the place around them in case any strange person or object appears.
And it was only moments until one of the boys spoke, saying with fear:
_( Oh, guys...I think we should stop now ).
Everyone turned back to meet the charming woman face to face.
Her presence startled them like a thunderbolt, to overcome their gasps as if a wave of something seeped through their skin and passed through their skin causing them all to stupor.
Her eyes were shining like crystal under the water, they moved to examine each and every one of them deeply until they finally rested on the ax in Adam's hand.
he felt a little panic creeping inside him, as was the case with the rest.
This woman was of human form but she never looked like one.
Their hearts swelled with immediate fear at the possibility of her being a witch.
Her attitude radiated confidence, and her eyes and smile betrayed pure malice.
Her light green dress attracted them to look at it , hypnotizing them. It glittered like an emerald in the sunlight, and they couldn't help but glance at her hands.
Her long fingers seemed to be covered with eye-catching red velvet gloves.
Their eyes went up a little, scrutinizing the strange mark in the middle of her forehead, and then to the color of her hair, the like of which they had never seen before. It was a mixture of frosty white wisps and green like cold ground.
They could think of no other than that this woman now facing them was a charming human being or one of those witches or flaming beings that inhabit this forest.
She walked towards them with a series of steps that spread terror within them until she met them face to face, staring at them with her piercing looks, then she said in a sharp tone addressing them:
_(So, how dare boys like you enter my forest and cut down my precious tree without my permission?).
The boy with the orange hair spoke curiously: -(Are you one of the witches or the flaming beings ? or are you just a charming human being ?).
The woman giggled a little, then stared back at him, saying:
_ (And does this beauty seem normal to you to be human?).
The boy retreated and swallowed his saliva in response to the sudden advance of the seductress towards him, to add in her calm tone that made them more terrified:
_(And what!?... flaming beings OR witches? That's boring. I'm too great and lofty to be compared to that.... I'm both).
Everyone's eyes widened in fear and amazement, and their gasps of despair became all that could be heard in that suspicious silence, to be interrupted by Adam curiously asking:
_ (What do you mean by both?).
The woman advanced more towards Adam with confidence, which prompted him to press hard on the ax in his hand, and he considered her sudden closeness a grave threat.
The woman spoke:
_ (I am the one and only " Flamethrower" . No one like me was created on this earth and never will be).
Talan felt threatened by the way she spoke, as well as her confession of what she was with confidence, which forced him to intervene quickly in order to try to alleviate the severity of the problem they had fallen into: _(We're sorry, ma'am. We lost our way and needed some wood to make a fire, so...). Adam interrupted:
_( No, Talan, we haven't lost our way....We came here on purpose to get some wood for our village because we need it and your forest is the only place we can get it, so I beg your pardon to let us finish what we came for ).
Everyone looked at Adam in shock at his audacity, which seemed frightening to them now, so Talan intervened, trying to save the situation again:
- (Adam, that's enough, let's go back as long as we can).
The woman stared at Adam's face more deeply this time, her lips forming a side smile suggesting malice and knowledge. Then she opened her mouth to speak:
-(I knew I'd seen those forest eyes before. So,... it's my habit to give a second chance to everyone I've made an appearance at some time in their lives, and here I am now giving you the chance, Adam, to leave from here you and your comrades, but without a ticket to return).
Adam replied:
-(I do not know what you mean by what you said, but I know that we will not return home empty-handed, we will leave this place only while we are loaded with wood).
She let out a small giggle, spreading terror to those standing there silently. She ended it with her dark looks towards Adam, saying:
_(Are you defying me, boy? Or do you never know the fate of people like you who always end up cursed ? You shouldn't have played with my bad side).
She finished her words, which combined sarcasm and anger in her strong tone, to hit her leg on the ground, and it split open, then her crystal eyes turned completely black, and red veins appeared on her skin, as if it had suddenly become transparent.
The boys quickly retreated, running away, while Adam remained staring at her in shock and curiosity, until Talan grabbed him by the wrist, dragging him behind him.
They were running and the ground kept cracking behind them while that creature remained immobilized in the same position.
They barely reached the village safely, and when they crossed the fence and did not find her behind them, they felt some safety until their gasping and violent heartbeats did not subside yet.
And while they were catching their breath, they were surprised by the ground shaking and cracking slowly beneath them, which caught the attention of some of the people who were near there, and whispers began to multiply and terror spread, fearing the coming natural disaster after the tragedy left by yesterday's storm.
The boys began to retreat away from the borders of the village until they reached the center of the main square . and out of nowhere, a whirlwind blows and the same enchanting woman, "Flamethrower" emerges from it , making her terrifying entry into the center of the village.
Little by little, until more people gathered with the leader, Tamer Rumah, to check on their surprise visitor.
the "Flamethrower" finally opened her mouth to speak in a loud voice that other villages could almost hear:
- (Today. Sky witness, oh heavens, and oh spirits of light and spirits of evil. I am "Tamader", the "flamethrower ", the strongest, the greatest. I cast my curse on the inhabitants of this village, so that time would stop and adults would turn into inanimate objects with it, The clock would be reversed, and youth would be sentenced to immortality. The borders are closed from its east to its west, and the doors of exit are closed with a transparent one).
She finally closed her mouth and stared with her crystal eyes into Adam's forest eyes
as if she had delivered the message with satisfaction, a malicious smile crept her lips, then she added:
-(I gave you an opportunity that I only give to the distinguished in my journey, and unfortunately, with your arrogance, you missed it, you weak being. With this, you and everyone here will have to bear the consequences of your selfish behavior and arbitrary actions, O human beings).
Her dark giggle was the last thing they heard before she disappeared into the whirlwind from which she came, as if she had never existed.
As a price for Adam's arrogance and stubbornness, the entire village paid the price with the most precious thing there is, and he became rejected and hated by everyone who remained living in that village, which turned into a real prison for those cursed souls inside. Even his old comrades abandoned him and blamed him alone after that incident, except for Talan, the only companion of his life who remained by his side and clings to him, and together they overcome boredom and life that has become meaningless to them.