That's another one down.

With yet another box unpacked, I open up the bottom side and flatten it, folding it up to take up less space when it goes in the trash. I take the cardboard outside to the trash bin for the garbage truck to pick up later, retreating back inside of my new home. The movers left all of the boxes right beside the door, leaving the last of the work to me. I remember the taller one giving me a look when I tipped him. The thought brought a scowl to my face; I hope he knows I didn't have to tip him at all. I brush the thought away; It wasn't that big of a deal since I had spent plenty of money on some new furniture.

Once I return to the decently furnished apartment - tucking away my shiny new key - I figure it's time I take a step back from all the stress and admire the place.

It's a simple apartment complex, on the second of three floors, five apartments per floor, and a basement for washing clothes. The air is dry, which is beginning to give me a sore throat even though I already cleaned the place prior to moving in boxes. But even some quick vacuuming, mopping, and wiping didn't get rid of all of the dirt. The rest of the boxes waiting to be unpacked almost taunt me from their spot, but I wanted to take a rest.

I kick off my sneakers beside the door, setting them to the side before stepping onto something squishy. I had bought a huge carpet to cover most of the dusty hardwood floor, a soft and fuzzy feeling under my socks. It kind of tickles me too since my left sock has a sizeable hole in it. The front door opens immediately to the living room; the only furniture so far being a sofa with a single matching recliner along the walls, a small wooden coffee table, and an empty cabinet designed to hold CDs and DVDs. The previous owner must have taken the television but I'm sure I can live without one until I get my own.

Past the living room is a kitchen with a large table near the center, letting it double as a dining room. It has a working refrigerator, microwave, dishwasher, and oven. A dozen cupboards line the wall above a counter with a sink built into it, fitting with the machinery to cover the walls. I already unpacked some plates, utensils, and plenty of other things, and I even found a toaster earlier that was left unplugged. I had to throw it away since the plug had only one prong, rendering it useless. The table was still in good condition, built into the floor, but two of the four chairs were crooked and wobbly. I'll have to either replace them or fix them.

The next room is a bathroom. It's a bit larger than I expected, but that isn't a complaint. There's an enormous cabinet where I unpacked a multitude of toiletries, plenty of space still left over.

Then there's the two bedrooms. One bedroom was pretty well kept, but it's smaller than the other. I know that if I'm going to be staying here, I want the bigger bedroom. It was quite the hassle being the hardest place to clean. The bed was filthy; I had already gone through the trouble of ridding the old mattress and putting in one I bought. I ended up leaving the old one in an alley outside, so someone else could use it. I expected the room to have a dresser of sorts, but there wasn't, so I had to move one from the smaller bedroom. There was, however, a large desk left behind with a lamp, which didn't have a light-bulb. I thought about using it for a computer to work on, but I only have a handful of money with me, so that will have to come later.

One thing I did notice was a window right beside the bed, left open from when I was cleaning the place. I never really noticed the empty lot right outside.

The lot must be some sort of unoccupied space, filled with an abundance of grass and weeds growing from the cracks in the gravel and concrete. One area seemed to be just a clearing in the plants that meshed with a forest beyond the complex. There's a tall and thick hedge that really needed a trim encasing the area, making the place secluded from the neighborhood. I don't think anyone would know about it unless they went adventuring. If I could find a way in there, I could have the huge isolated area all to myself. Just a little place to relax, like a secret garden.

My smile fades a bit as I imagine my dad hanging out with me in there. I miss him already.

Ever since Mom passed away I've grown much closer with my dad. He was a wise man, and he raised me for most of my life. As an only child he gave me all of his attention, helping me through school and most of the stresses that came with it. He was all I had.

But that was all before he found someone. Someone I grew to dislike.

She would be known as his new girlfriend. I'll admit I was happy for him; since Mom left us, his chance to grow old with someone was snapped and broken, but with someone new in his life, he had the chance again. And I didn't want to ruin it for him. I tried to get along with her, but it wouldn't work out. She hated me. My dad knew she hated me, but he liked her, and that couldn't be changed.

So my dad decided to help me by doing something in which everyone would win in some way; he found me this house. He told me to move here, on my own. At first I felt betrayed, but he promised me that he would visit. He supplied the money to pay rent for the first few months. He wanted me to be happy. He told me to make new friends. He told me that everything would be okay. I wanted to disagree and believe that he was selfish. But really, I would be the selfish one to hold him back from what he wanted to do. He was my only friend, and I had to say goodbye.

It wouldn't be difficult to tell, but he could always read me like a book. He knew that I was scared, and I was.

I was scared of being alone.

I knew I wasn't leaving for good, but it still left an emptiness inside me. I still remember that moment the last time I saw him; he looked me in the eyes and promised me, that I would never be alone.

Sometimes I think he had no idea what he was doing. He told me to make friends with new people. He promised me I would never be alone. So why am I sitting in this empty apartment? I haven't seen any other tenants, this little town is countless miles away from him, and I've only been here a few hours.

I can only sit with my head in my hands, thinking back to those times when we used to live in the city where there was plenty of people. Now I live on the edge of town.

How am I supposed to live on my own?

Sometimes I just get so frustrated, and I know it's childish. I'm just not used to being without my dad. I have no idea what my future holds. I literally don't even have an idea. My future is blank in my mind and I don't know what to do. I'll probably rot out here, like an old banana peel. Just grow old and end up with Mom.

It's times like these I would go to my dad. Whenever I get frustrated, I would go to him. I didn't have to talk about it if I didn't want to, but just telling him that I'm upset was enough. All he would do is take me out for a walk in the city. Those walks with him were always so enlightening. Even if I wasn't upset, I could still ask to go for a walk with him, and he'd take me.

He was an architect, and he loved his work. On our walks, he would show me all of the buildings downtown. When I was younger, I would just stare in awe at the tall structures and pretend I knew what he was babbling about. The way they reached for the clouds was amazing. He'd even lift me on his shoulders and I felt like I could reach higher than any of the buildings, just from his shoulders. As I grew older, I took an interest to the skyscrapers. I became smart enough to understand what he was saying. I learned about different materials and small things I never noticed that really made a difference. Like how one small support beam seemed insignificant, but without it, the building would crumble. Of course I never saw myself as an architect, but just being able to share something with him was all I wanted.

Maybe that's what I need right now; a walk to calm me down. The dry air in here is starting to affect me anyway. I'll just go out for a walk in the afternoon. It's only a weekday so it can't be too busy. I did notice some shops around here when I came by, so maybe I'll just go window shopping for a while. I hop off the couch, grabbing a hooded sweater and my new room key from the dresser in my bedroom. I zip up the sweater and pull on my shoes as I leave the apartment.

Once outside, I take a deep breath, finally free of that dusty air. It was sort of better. The air in my apartment was dry with dust, whereas the air outside was dry because it was getting cold. Too cold. There wasn't snow, but it was Autumn and wind chill is a pain. Maybe I could get a hat from a store. Not knowing which direction to start, I just begin walking down the sidewalk. This street is full of normal houses, and not so many apartment buildings like the one I came from. A dog starts barking at me as I walk past his owner's yard, and he would have come at me if he wasn't chained to a stake.

After crossing the street I begin to feel better. I just think about how my dad would like this neighborhood, with all the buildings looking so simple yet intricate in design. Turning a corner, I find a supermarket not too far away. I didn't see it when I first came down here, so I was glad to know I didn't have to go far to get food. Across from the supermarket is an assortment of shops; a barbershop, Chinese restaurant, secondhand store, and even a tattoo parlor. I don't plan on getting a tattoo anytime soon, but maybe the secondhand shop has a hat they can sell me. It is getting pretty chilly to where my face is beginning to sting.

I dash across the street and open the door, a bell above me ringing to signal a customer. The first thing I notice is the woman behind the counter. She looks like the kind of woman to obsess over cats or something. The jingle of the bell alerts her, making her head swivel like an owl to give me an intriguing stare as I help myself through the aisles. It's almost as if I'm the first customer she had in ages, even though the store has a good number of people walking about.

The place is full of random things, from D cell batteries to cheap children's toys. I find a spot with a bunch of winter clothes like hats and ear muffs. And just like it was meant for me, a special hat - the kind with fluffy balls on thick strings on each side, a third ball on top - sits on the shelf. The hat itself has gray and charcoal stripes while the strings are a braid of black and white. It doesn't look so bad, and it's dirt cheap. I nervously stroll up to the counter and put on the hat I picked out. I hand the woman some cash and tell her I don't want a receipt. I'm hoping to avoid conversing with her since she's kinda creepy, but she raises her voice right as I turn for the exit.

"You're not from around here are you?" Her voice is surprisingly smooth. From the way she looked, I expected her to have a much more raspy tone, like a witch from a cartoon.

"Uhhh, yeah, I just moved in to the apartment around the corner," I reply confused and a bit creeped out.

She chuckles warmly before speaking again. "So I suppose you've seen the forest out there." I move to reply but she cuts me off. "There have been stories of people who head into that forest. Whether it's a happy couple going picnicking or a strapping young man claiming to be an adventurer... they never come back. You should stay away from there if you value your life."

At first I thought this would just be some town myth, but the look she gives me throws me off. Almost as if she's concerned, yet tempting me. I look into her eyes and notice the aqua blue tint. But they gleam in the light, making them look more violet.

I just give her a simple "okay" and leave, hoping to dispel the craziness. What does she mean? It's just a forest. The more I thought on it the more I wanted to investigate. I just grew curious. Is there wild animals? Is there a ghost or something? The woman told me it's dangerous, but that doesn't scare me. I want to know more about this "Forest of No Return".

Heh. I kind of like that name.

I stroll back to my street and approach the apartment, hoping to sate my curiosity with a quick and simple investigation. Adjacent to the apartment is the open lot I saw before; plenty of gravel, dirt, and debris scattered among clumps of grass. It looks like a building used to be here, but was torn down. Besides some scattered trash and some large chunks of cement, the area looks natural. Grass grows in patches, similar to wheat plants that reach my knees and sway in the occasional breeze. Beyond the area is a wall of plants and such. I approach the wall, and a closer look reveals a very loose chain link fence, plants having attacked it. The foliage grows up and along the metal, creating a wall of green leaves like ivy. And sure enough, beyond the plants is a thick forest.

I don't see any break or opening in the wall, so I guess I'll have to climb over it. I'm careful with my footing as I grab a handful of vines and heave myself over. My foot gets tangled on the jump down, causing me to swing and land on my back. I don't think I hurt my back, but a small sting on my arm makes itself known when I try to help myself up. Still on my back, I look over and see a jagged stone which must have cut my arm when I fell. It cut right through my sweatshirt and my shirt underneath, leaving an inch long slit on my forearm that already began forming blood. I ignore it and figure I'll bandage it up later.

Getting up and turning around greets me with the forest. It's definitely not what I expected. From what I can see, the trees resemble weeping willows, but compressed. And beyond that is fog; dense and thick white. I could have sworn it was the middle of the afternoon when I hopped the fence, but the sky resembles night. I was only curious,  but this forest is starting to frighten me. I never planned on entering it, just getting a look. The fence is still behind me so I could just jump back over.

But then I hear it. From my left.

A bark. Like a dog.

Followed by a thud and a sharp squeak.

Glancing over, the fog clears a bit to reveal the same opening I could see from my bedroom. My curiosity gets the best of me again as I take a small step forward. A leaf begins to crunch under my foot, so I slow my step to dampen the sound. Then another step. I step again, this time into the clearing and I begin to pick up a faint growl. Shuffling closer, my foot snaps a twig and I freeze, the growling stopping immediately and my eyes widen as a creature comes into the clearing.

It resembles a wolf, about the size of a household dog, but made out of twigs and wood. And it's prowling towards me, snarling; taking me as a threat.

"Easy... easy... I don't mean harm," I stutter.

And with that, it leaps, wooden claws and fangs sharp and ready to tear through whatever stands in its way. At the moment, I’m standing in its way. I crouch and hold my arms out, bracing for impact with the creature. It crashes into me, knocking me over so I was pinned beneath snapping jaws. For something made of wood and twigs, it catches me off guard when drops of spittle splash on my face from its drooling maw. My folded arms are the only thing keeping those sharp fangs at bay, only centimeters from my nose.

A downside to being made of wood is that the wolf is fairly lightweight. With some force, I chuck it to the side, a deep thud ringing out as it hits a tree. Taking advantage of the time, I scramble to my feet, keeping my eyes on the creature to watch as it does the same. We’re both on our feet at the same time, some fog clearing for me to get a better look at the thing.

It limps toward me, the fury in its eyes flaring tenfold. I've injured the thing; a good sign. I am not afraid to defend myself, but I wouldn't want to kill a living creature.

I don't have time to decide as it bounds toward me. Thinking quickly, I rear my back leg, waiting for it to get close. Almost in slow motion, it leaps, the injury obvious in its weak jump. Timing it carefully, I shut my eyes and throw all of my strength into the single kick, hoping I at least know out the creature.

My foot hits the wooden log of its neck, connecting with a loud crunch. The weight of my kick flows through like water, sending the thing flying away as I regain my footing. But instead of flying away, it explodes at the contact. Whatever was holding its body together must have lost its strength, a flurry of sticks, wood chips, leaves, and other foliage flying in all directions. As soon as my senses come to, a smile dawns on my face in victory.

Although, it’s short-lived; before I can stand in triumph, a stinging pain comes from my foot, leaving me to collapse in pain from putting so much pressure on it. A single, deep bite mark on my shoe that reaches my skin makes itself known as I try to soothe the pain, every touch only making it worse.

I let out a whine in pain to no one in particular before listening closely. Without the wolf-creature growling, I can actually listen to my surroundings. I can hear whimpering, high pitched whimpering interrupted by little shudders. Instead of standing, I crawl towards the noise, leading me to the base of one of the trees.

There’s a hole, a lot like a rabbit burrow, with what sounds like crying coming from inside. This must be what the creature was after, whatever was inside.

I take a peek inside and see something. Something that really baffles me. The creature I had seen before was odd enough; a wolf made of foliage, but this other creature is nothing short of a mystery.

Inside is a small animal, whimpering and shaking with some red stains on its coat. Very carefully, I reach inside and scoop up the poor thing into my hands. Cupping my hands to keep it from falling, I adjust myself to lean against the tree trunk, feeling the cold body in my palm.

Taking a deep breath, I open my hands.

What strikes me first is that it’s very small; the same length and height as my thumb, more or less. It has a coat of fur, originally frost white in color, but the endless onslaught of whatever the wood-wolf was left it covered in dirt and wounds. It suddenly breathes heavily in my hand and shudders uncontrollably, letting fate know it’s still alive. I can make out four legs, a neck, and a face; all in all, it resembles an extremely tiny horse. What I assume is its mane and tail is made up of two shades of blue: one navy and the other a fluorescent blue.

But the most interesting part is the tinier horn poking from its head.