I covered my eyes with my arms.

Curse you Demeter!!!

Curse you to Tartarus and a life without teeth!

Like a sacrifice to a forbidden ritual I lay at the centre of a clearing, charred earth under my palm. For a while I waited for something to happen, for someone to step into my view, so that I could at the least know which direction I was to run.

When no one brothered, I eventually got up, and looked around with a frown at the wilderness on all sides, feeling both lost and helpless.

Not far away from where I had awoken, lay my backpack, a mystery in itself. If the goddesses had indeed aimed to get rid of me, why throw in the bag full of supplies, I wondered.

With relief, I found my legs uninjured, but a striking bump grew over one end of my brow.

How exactly the portal worked I did not know. All I could remember was the forced entry and not the exit when I opened my eyes.

The nearest area of civilisation, I hoped wasn't too far away when I fastened my bag over my shoulders, after making sure its contents weren't tampered with.

The towel I had around my head was cut into strips to be tied around my ankle upto my knees, and another set from my elbow to my wrist, acting as an extra layer of protection over my clothes when I entered the forest.

The thick scent of moist soil lingered in the air, overflowing through the woods. But no matter how comforting caresses it brought with, I could not ease into steady steps, for from the very beginning I held fear towards these ancient tress, that knew no place in botany text books, indigenous to no country or state.

Bleary circles formed where light struck through the leafy canopy. And under sky high trees the sound of leaves scrunching under a feet other than my own seemed to coming from all four sides, and each branch a few inches thick seemed like someone peeping from the dark.

I had not reached far when my heart threatened to arrest it's beating, and my mind screamed for me to run back.

But I knew it was stupid to do so, for I would have only became an easier target if I had remained in the clearing with neither cover nor shade.

The organic smell of the dead and decayed overwhelmed my sense of smell, and a soul-haunting melody filled my ears.

I sometimes ran, sometimes jogged, but didn't stop. And the moment fatigue slowed my bones into small steps and heavy breathing, I imagined weary eyes looking at me with ridicule.

What was happening? I asked myself, highly aware of my panicked state, and whatever courage I had kept crushed to my chest was crumbling to dust.

There was something wrong with this place, something that I had noticed, but yet to accept.

And not an hour had passed before I witnessed the very truth I avoided unfold with white wings.

A deep bellowing roar erupted from above, and I halted my steps to gaze heavenwards. I saw nothing past the thick canopy other than the cloudless sky, nor found any creature crouching on the high branches.

Holding my breath, I waited for the roar to sound again, but instead it began to rain. I looked back at the ground that grew clammy with the heavy droplets, and was too slow to seek shelter.

The outpour only lasted for mere seconds, and was followed by strong winds that set free dying leaves.

A pungent smell assaulted my nose, and my eyes that had once again strained up towards the towering tress lowered to my damp clothes.

Goosebumps quickly broke out on my neck when I scrutinised the liquid between my fingers.

It had rained blood.

After a moment of bewilderment, my feet took off after the red trail before me, unwittingly curious of the strange phenomenon. Not long later, it brought me before a large boulder, where it continued to rain.

Then suddenly the wind that swayed the tree tops blew closer to the ground making me close my eyes with the dust unsettled by the tiny storm.

When the winds died, my eyes opened to a chilling sight. The boulder was now covered in white, like a coat of distant snow, and bitter frost over blood red.

Wings of white feathers withdrew to the beast's torso, revealing the the carcass held underneath its paws.

An enormous white lion with the wings of angels depicted in paintings, proudly settled to feast on its catch.

Its sleek fur lying over an elegant frame, and lean muscles was marred by blood and mud, and its shaggy mane shook when it let out a roar. It was nothing like human speech or a bird song, but what it conveyed was a universal, he was not to be disturbed.

And just like a prey when faced with a predator, my instincts were beseeching me to snap out of my daze and hide.

And when sharp eyes of soft yellow-brown scanned past the surroundings, I had already sought cover.

Though my eyes couldn't see, I could visualise the gruesome scene as its fangs ripped through the leather like skin of the animal, that was hardly recognisable with a missing head and mangled body - the source of the blood rain.

And then finally, I had rest, though danger sat on four limbs not far away.

A long while later bones with little flesh was left behind, as the regal beast took flight, hopefully in search for a place to sleep for weeks!

I figured the scent of blood, would draw in others as the beast was no longer present to scare them away. And having given enough time to think while the beast happily ate, I was forced to accept my assumptions.

I was not on earth.

When struck by the undeniable evidence, I did not feel as anxious I had ought to be, and strangely felt more calm than I had been before, an obvious sign on an overloaded mind.

Breaking into a smile, I was certain that William Isherwood would have me murdered by his own blade, and Victoria Airlea, would wring her daughter's neck with her skinny fingers.

But what hung with great uncertainty was whether Demeter had indeed brought me to the land she had spoken of, the one where Hades' soul rested, and if so why had she acted so strange.

She was rushing to have me leave, and I had concluded that there were more than just a few things that she hid from me. But what if I was wrong, and she was truly just desperate.

But, Apollo standing in Hades' path in obtaining his fragmented soul was one thing I highly disagreed with, even though I had no proof to follow it up. And it was suspicious how Demeter never brought up the Oracle, and the glitches in her personality was equally so.

The image of the hand reaching out to save me in the last moment was still vivid in my mind, and though I had kept wondering of her split personality syndrome, I couldn't push away the idea, that maybe, she was being forced, and had a change of heart in the critical moment.

But by whom and why?

If it was Persephone who was also Demeter's daughter why go through such an elaborate plan to get me stranded here?

What grudge did she hold against me anyway, other than the fact that I am the descendant of the woman she despised, and was remotely close to the god she had once tried her hardest to obtain.

Wonderful.

I found myself thinking this option was much better than the other, where Demeter was putting on an act when Hades had arrived. The outcome of such circumstances seemed scarier to me than the first, for I knew he despised when secrets were kept.

In a way I had brought this upon myself by playing along Demeter's plans in the beginning, but the price I could obtain if her words turned true kept me from refusing till it was too late.

The situation as it is, weighed to be more advantageous if Demeter turned out to be a goddess with a good heart who was so bad at expressing her thoughts that she ended up resorting to violence. If this theory spoke facts, I would be able to return home if I retrieve the soul fragment and if not, I would have to survive till I was rescued.

So in conclusion I was presented with two paths.

i) Good Goddess : Return home by collecting soul fragment.

ii) Bad Goddess : Play damsel in distress and await help.

I very much wanted to lie down on my stomach, roll around in the grass and ponder over my worries, but I knew as the time went by, I would find it more interesting to just roll around and procrastinate.

Sighing, I held onto the straps a little tighter, and prayed that nothing would go wrong.

But without forewarning, the foreign land fell into darkness, as quickly as the turning of a page, making me trip as I fumbled about in surprise.

My teeth fortunately did not impale my tongue as my chin hit hard on turgid roots, but nevertheless came the pain of impact that left me dazed.

I stayed down till I calmed, and then felt around me with my hands to find myself in the worst case scenario.

Roots the size of my wrists were coiled one over the other, in no specific order like tiny hills as far as my limbs could stretch, affirming itself to be challenge to walk past even in broad daylight.

My bag weighed down on my spine, and I was suddenly reminded of the flashlight in it's contents.

Smiling, I sat up and shrugged off one of the straps. My fingers were tracing down the zippers line when I heard the sound of hooves.

Fast approaching and loud, it rendered me immobile for a second and with the lack of sight, my sense of hearing heightened.

A moment later, the sounds were heard only a meter away like a stampede of horses ready to squish me into a bloody pulp.

Screams clawed at my throat as specks of dust landed upon my face that I deemed fell off the hooves passing over my curled up self in a steady rhythm, and soon faded away into the humming life of the forest, just as fast as they came.

Frantic, I felt around again, and crawled on all fours in the direction the roots began to grow thicker till my palm was finally resting on the hardened bark of an enormous tree.

I got up leaning my body towards the trunk, and circled around it hoping to find a cave in, but found none.

Frowning, I crouched down, and kept low as I began to feel for the nearest tree, and this time the heavens were on my side, for where the roots ended, a hollow formed from a half uprooted tree, big enough for me to writhe through.

I pulled down my sleeves when I got in, keeping very little skin exposed to the insects who may have already called the place home.

Then pulling the bag onto my front, I slipped in a hand through an opening just big enough for the flashlight to pass, in order to prevent the rest of the items from spilling and then most likely go missing.

When the circuit was connected, it lit up, but at the same time, flickering blue light appeared at a distance, outlining the trees that separated us. I pressed again at the button, switching it off and kept a close watch, my nose the same level as the ground even when standing.

I ducked reflexively when an inhuman scream was heard from where it would be its source, and soon after the light died.

It reminded me of the predators dwelling deep down, closer to the ocean floor, those that lured in their prey by emitting light, a bait of rare warmth in the freezing cold. And even my irrational curiosity did not make an appearance as colours lit up in the dark sky again.

My hands wrapped around myself becoming my own companion in the dark, and listened intently to the forest life that would sometimes quiet down for seconds before brimming back to life in a mixture of chorus.

I couldn't discern its beautiful harmony for only fear sung its favourite tune in my mind, and not an ounce of sleep came my way.

And when it was once again bright, the shelter I had chose, kept me safe through the night.

I yawned, my body reminiscing the sleep it dearly craved.

"Its going to alright." I told myself as I stared far into the endless undergrowth, seemingly a maze of mirrors reflecting all green.

But I didn't know where this journey would take me.

_________________________________________

I feel my lungs screaming, and the will of my muscles to go far beyond what normal exercises could ever demand.

"Clap along if you feel...like a room without a roof." I softly sang the lyrics to the song my subconscious mind handpicked to soothe my nerves in a time of crisis.

A boar the size of a bear, possessing tusks that rivaled an elephant's had fallen in love with me at first sight.

And despite the obvious screams and curses of rejection it persuaded me like a crazed lover.

I dared a glance behind.

"Because I am happy...." Tears pleaded to make an entrance, but a blurry vision when avoiding one tree after another didn't seem helpful.

Its enormous size did not seem to slow it down, nor work in my favour as it twisted its body like a cat to find space to fit through even when there was none.

The terrible noises its breathing made suddenly dulled, and when its powerful hooves began to leave shallower impressions on the green forest floor, I looked back, and then breathed in the humid air.

The scary creature then finally stopped its pursuit and paused before a peculiar looking plant with yellow leaves.

It sniffed the berries leaning towards the ground and then snorted, the sound clearly of excitement as it began to nibble at the plump looking flesh as if wanting to savour its taste in a slow pace.

And thus, I was saved by blue wild berries.

The witnessed scene gave me quite a temptation to reach into my bag, but burdened by limited rations I kept my jaw shut tight, and walked on ahead too afraid to rest in bright day light.

Three days have passed since I first entered this land, and had come to note a varied number of reasons to why it wouldn't be an ideal spot to spend the holidays.

Dawn and dusk, the borders of night and day held no meaning, and like the turning off of a switch, darkness would befall without a prior warning, lasting for over seven hours before another day began.

And in the dark, where I expected danger to seek me out with red glowing eyes, never came. But in light of day creatures craving for my blood and flesh sprang out from behind bushes, trees and boulders.

By this contrast, I was compelled to either believe that every single one of them sleeped like the dead during the time of night or that I was looked down on as a worthy target when I was blind, and clumsy.

The flora, was also equally interesting, leaning towards poisonous, flesh eating, and allergic in population density, and I doubt if not for Apollo's blessing I would have died with a bite or starved to death.

And the odds like a sand dune in the desert rose against my survival, but maybe it was my family's prayers and another's wish to be the one to end my days, the reason that I was still breathing.

My steps ceased when my ears picked up a strange sound ahead, but as I was about to turn around it suddenly became more distinct.

Somebody was crying.

Distinctly feminine, it kept me from walking away, and with the curiosity towards the first sign of human life, I ended up following the wracking sobs.

The towering tress broke to reveal a river, and at the centre of its mirror like waters sat a lady with silver hair.

She sobbed free, and broken as her blemished fingers brushed away the dark locks of the man who lay on her lap, unmoving and cold.

The leaves aged by seasons scrunched under my feet, and in panic she looked around, till turquoise eyes glazed by tears turns to me.

"Help."