Flora and Damien navigated the dense forest, the moonlight casting long, eerie shadows around them. The chirping of crickets and the occasional rustle of leaves added to the atmosphere, making Flora's heart race with a mix of excitement and apprehension.
"This is a terrible idea," Flora muttered for the umpteenth time, swatting at a branch in her path.
Damien glanced up from his phone, the screen's glow casting a ghostly light on his face. "Relax, Flora. What's the worst that could happen?" he said with a grin, completely unconcerned.
Flora huffed, feeling a surge of irritation. "I don't know, Damien. Maybe we get mauled by wolves or get lost and die of exposure?"
Damien chuckled and shook his head. "You're such a chicken, Flora."
Flora stopped in her tracks, fixing Damien with a steely glare. "I am not a chicken," she snapped. To prove her point, she pushed past him and strode confidently ahead. "Now, shut up and keep up."
Damien's laughter echoed through the trees as he followed her. "Whatever you say, braveheart."
They walked in silence for a while, the path winding deeper into the woods. Flora found herself talking just to fill the quiet. "You know, this really is dangerous. We should have listened to Maia."
Damien was still on his phone, barely paying attention. "Yeah, yeah. But think of the stories we'll have after this."
Flora rolled her eyes but couldn't help but smile. "You're impossible."
Damien pocketed his phone and looked at her seriously for a moment. "Look, Flora, if you're really scared, we can go back."
Flora's pride flared up. "No way. I'm not backing down now."
Damien smirked. "That's the spirit."
As they continued, Flora found herself talking more about her dreams and aspirations. She had always yearned for a fairytale romance, a love story that would sweep her off her feet. Damien listened intently, nodding and occasionally sharing his own thoughts.
"Do you ever feel like you're always the sidekick in someone else's story?" Flora asked, her voice soft and introspective.
Damien raised an eyebrow. "What do you mean?"
Flora sighed. "Maia always finds love so easily. Remember college? She had guys falling for her left and right."
Damien nodded. "Yeah, she did seem to have it all figured out."
Flora continued, "I just want that for myself. Someone who sees me, really sees me."
Damien's expression softened. "You deserve that, Flora. You're amazing, and anyone would be lucky to have you."
Flora felt a warmth spread through her chest. "Thanks, Damien. That means a lot."
As they walked, Flora realized she was feeling something she hadn't before—a growing affection for Damien. He was funny, kind, and they shared a lot in common. But she quickly pushed the thought aside. It was ridiculous. They were friends, and that's all it could ever be.
The forest grew denser, and the sounds of nocturnal animals became more prominent. Suddenly, a low growl pierced the silence, sending a shiver down Flora's spine.
"Did you hear that?" she whispered, her eyes wide with fear.
Damien nodded, his playful demeanor vanishing. "Stay close."
They moved cautiously, every snapping twig and rustling leaf making them jump. Without warning, a werewolf emerged from the shadows, its eyes glowing menacingly.
"Run!" Damien shouted, grabbing Flora's hand and pulling her along.
They sprinted through the forest, the werewolf hot on their heels. Flora's heart pounded in her chest, and her breaths came in ragged gasps. The trees blurred past them as they dodged branches and leaped over fallen logs.
"Faster, Flora!" Damien urged, glancing back at the pursuing beast.
"I'm trying!" she panted, her legs burning from the effort.
The werewolf let out a bone-chilling howl, closing the distance between them. Flora's fear turned to adrenaline, pushing her to run even faster. They burst into a clearing, and for a moment, it seemed they might have lost their pursuer.
But the werewolf was relentless, emerging from the trees with a snarl. Flora's foot caught on a root, and she stumbled, crying out in pain.
"Get up, Flora!" Damien yelled, pulling her to her feet.
They ran again, but the werewolf was too close. Flora's lungs burned, and her vision blurred with tears. Just as she thought they were done for, they stumbled into another clearing, this one bathed in an ethereal glow.
Flora gasped, momentarily forgetting the danger. The clearing was filled with glowing white crystals that sprouted from the ground like flowers. The crystals sparkled like stars, casting a mesmerizing light over everything.
"It's beautiful, Damien," Flora whispered, her fear momentarily replaced by awe.
Damien was equally entranced. "Yeah, it really is."
Before they could take another step, Flora felt a firm hand on her shoulder. She turned around, her heart leaping into her throat. Behind them stood a tall, imposing figure. Another hand rested on Damien's shoulder, and he spun around, eyes wide with fear.
"Who are you?" Flora demanded, her voice trembling.
The figure stepped into the light, revealing a rugged face with piercing blue eyes. He looked at them with a mixture of curiosity and annoyance.
"You shouldn't be here," he said, his voice deep and authoritative.
Damien stepped forward, trying to sound brave. "We're just passing through. We didn't mean any harm."
The man's expression softened slightly, but he remained cautious. "This is sacred ground. You need to leave."
Flora glanced at the crystals, their glow enchanting her. "What are these?" she asked, unable to hide her fascination.
The man sighed. "They are ancient. Powerful. And very dangerous if you don't know how to handle them."
Damien took a step closer to Flora, protectively. "We'll leave. Just let us go."
The man nodded. "Follow me. I'll make sure you get out safely."
As they followed the stranger through the forest, Flora's mind raced. Who was this man? And what were those crystals? She glanced at Damien, who looked equally puzzled but determined to protect her.
After what felt like an eternity, they emerged from the forest. The man turned to them, his expression serious. "Stay away from these woods. It's not safe for you here."
Flora nodded, her fear and curiosity warring within her. "We will. Thank you."
The man disappeared into the shadows, leaving Flora and Damien alone at the forest's edge. They walked back in silence, the weight of their adventure pressing down on them.
When they reached Flora's house, she turned to Damien, her heart heavy with unspoken words. "Thank you for being there with me," she said softly.
Damien smiled, his usual playful demeanor replaced by a rare sincerity. "Always, Flora. You're not alone."
As they parted ways, Flora couldn't shake the feeling that something had changed between them. She had always wanted a fairytale romance, but she never imagined it would come with so much danger and uncertainty.
Back in her room, Flora replayed the night's events, her mind a whirlwind of emotions. She couldn't deny the growing feelings for Damien, but she also couldn't ignore the fear of losing their friendship. As she drifted off to sleep, the memory of the glowing crystals lingered in her mind, a reminder of the magic and danger that lay just beyond the safety of their everyday lives.
Flora was so starstruck from the night that there were so many details she missed that she normally wouldn't. She poured over the day, coaxing her mind to remember the times she was not actively conscious of what was going on, and surely, she did.
The crystals alone were weird enough. She was so entranced by them that she didn't notice the geometric pattern in which they were arranged, a spiral that closed in on itself to one giant crystal in the middle, or how it seemed strange that the wolf chase led them right to that strange place. Had the elderly wolf somehow meant for them to discover the crystals? It all seemed quite crazy to her.
She was so lost in the moment that she never even noticed the quick photo Damien took of the mystical clearing with his phone. That detail would never come to her memory of course.
Tired of being in her own head, Flora made a silent promise to never do that again. She turned to her side and slept off, completely oblivious to the angry buzzing of her phone that she had set aside.
15 missed calls from Maia.