The Forgotten Forest

Lila had always been fascinated by the old stories of the forgotten forest. She had heard them from her grandmother, who claimed to have visited the forest when she was a young girl. The forest was said to be a place of magic and mystery, where strange creatures and plants lived. It was also said to be cursed, and anyone who entered it would never return.

Lila didn't believe in curses, but she did believe in adventure. She wanted to see the forest for herself, and find out if the stories were true. She packed a backpack with some supplies and a camera, and set off early one morning. She followed a dirt road that led to the edge of the forest, where a rusty sign warned: "Danger! Do not enter!"

Lila ignored the sign and climbed over the fence. She felt a thrill of excitement as she stepped into the forest. The trees were tall and thick, blocking out most of the sunlight. The air was cool and damp, and filled with the sounds of birds and insects. Lila walked deeper into the forest, taking pictures of everything she saw.

She saw flowers that glowed in the dark, mushrooms that changed colors, and vines that moved like snakes. She saw butterflies that sparkled like jewels, birds that sang like angels, and squirrels that spoke in riddles. She saw a pond that reflected the stars, a waterfall that flowed upwards, and a cave that led to nowhere.

Lila was amazed by everything she saw. She felt like she had entered a fairy tale. She wondered what else the forest had to offer. She decided to keep exploring, hoping to find something even more incredible.

She didn't notice how much time had passed, or how far she had gone. She didn't notice that the forest was getting darker and quieter. She didn't notice that the trees were getting closer and tighter. She didn't notice that she was lost.

She only noticed when she tried to turn back, and realized that she couldn't find her way out. She panicked and ran in circles, looking for a familiar landmark or a path. But everything looked the same: green and brown and black.

She shouted for help, but no one answered. She cried for her grandmother, but she didn't hear her voice. She prayed for a miracle, but nothing happened.

She was alone in the forgotten forest.

And she would never leave.

Lila felt hopeless and scared. She didn't know what to do. She sat down on a fallen log and hugged her knees. She wished she had never entered the forest. She wished she had listened to her grandmother. She wished she could go back home.

She looked at her camera, which was hanging around her neck. She turned it on and scrolled through the pictures she had taken. She saw the beautiful and bizarre things she had seen in the forest. She felt a pang of regret and sadness. She realized that she would never be able to share them with anyone.

She decided to take one last picture of herself. She wanted to have a record of her existence, in case someone ever found her camera. She held the camera at arm's length and smiled weakly. She pressed the shutter button.

She looked at the screen and gasped. Behind her, in the picture, was a figure. It was tall and thin, with pale skin and long hair. It wore a green cloak and a hood that covered its face. It had a hand on Lila's shoulder.

Lila turned around and screamed. There was no one there.

She dropped the camera and ran. She didn't know where she was going, but she didn't care. She just wanted to get away from the figure. She hoped it was a trick of the light, or a glitch in the camera. She hoped it wasn't real.

But it was.

The figure followed her silently, keeping a distance. It watched her every move, waiting for the right moment. It knew the forest better than anyone. It knew every path and every trap. It knew how to make Lila suffer.

It was the guardian of the forest.

And it was angry.

Lila ran as fast as she could, dodging branches and roots. She hoped to find a way out of the forest, or at least a place to hide. She glanced behind her, but she couldn't see the figure. She wondered if it was still following her, or if it had given up.

She didn't notice the hole in the ground until it was too late. She stepped on it and fell. She landed hard on the bottom of the hole, which was filled with sharp rocks and bones. She felt a sharp pain in her leg and her head. She groaned and tried to get up, but she couldn't. She was trapped.

She looked up and saw the figure standing at the edge of the hole. It looked down at her with a cold and cruel expression. It spoke in a raspy voice that sounded like leaves rustling.

"Hello, little girl. Welcome to my forest."

Lila felt a surge of fear and anger. She recognized the voice. It was the voice of her grandmother.

"Grandma? Is that you?" she asked.

The figure laughed. It pulled back its hood and revealed its face. It was indeed Lila's grandmother, or at least what was left of her. Her skin was wrinkled and gray, her eyes were sunken and red, her teeth were yellow and rotten. She looked like a corpse.

"Yes, it's me, Lila. Your dear old grandma."

Lila felt sick and confused. She didn't understand what was going on.

"What are you doing here? What have you done to yourself? What are you?"

The figure smiled wickedly.

"I'm the guardian of the forest, Lila. I've been here for a long time, ever since I came here as a young girl, just like you. I fell in love with the forest, and the forest fell in love with me. It gave me its power and its secrets, but it also took something from me: my humanity."

The figure reached into its cloak and pulled out a knife.

"I've been protecting the forest from intruders like you, Lila. Anyone who dares to enter the forest must pay a price: their life or their soul. I've killed many people over the years, but I've also spared some. I've turned them into my servants, my children, my pets. They help me keep the forest safe and beautiful."

The figure pointed the knife at Lila.

"And now it's your turn, Lila. You have two choices: die or join me."

Lila felt a surge of courage and defiance. She refused to give up or give in.

"No! I won't do either! You're not my grandma! You're a monster!"

The figure frowned.

"Very well then. You've made your choice."

The figure raised the knife and prepared to strike.