Chapter 2

 

JOURNEY INTO THE FOREST.

 

            The next morning they all sat quietly as they ate their breakfast. Philomena watched her father who was obviously deep in thought while he was eating. The aroma of cooking filled the air. Lucia had got up early and baked bread and she had made bacon and eggs for all the family. Lucia sat beside Marcus feeding him, as even though he was four it was very difficult for him to feed himself. Autism is a strange disability thought Philomena. Marcus seemed to have a bright brain, but somehow the message to move his arms so that he could eat seemed to always be blocked somewhere in his brain. He sometimes could get through this block and do things, but it always took a lot of effort. Marcus was very hungry and was happy to be fed. They all ate heartily. Just as they were about to finish, their father spoke.

            "We all have to go on a trip today. It may be dangerous as we have to go into The Dark Forest. There is something I have to do and it will not be safe for you to stay here without me.“ Aurelius looked very serious as he talked. "I believe I know the reason why the caticus attacked us and I have to put the situation right.”

            Philomena glanced round at the rest of her family who looked equally as shocked.

            "I cannot leave you here alone,” continued their father." Bcause if I am right there will be more trouble from the beasts of the forest. So when you have finished your breakfast we will have to get ready for a trek into the forest."

            Aurelius stood up as he finished his statement and headed into the store room to prepare.

            "Right girls,” said Lucia, "finish your breakfast and go and get your walking gear on and wrap up warm because as you go further into the Dark Forest it gets colder and colder. I will get Marcus ready.”

            The girls quickly finished eating and went to their rooms to prepare. Lucia took Marcus with her as she would have to dress him, something else he could not yet do for himself.

            Philomena knew that her father must know what he was doing, but she was still afraid. The stories she had heard about the creatures of the forest had been frightening. She had never actually been in the forest itself before, no one went there out of choice and her father had always told them to stay out of it. Nevertheless, she had to be strong. She believed her father’s powers would see them through any danger. The way he had dealt with the caticus the night before had been impressive. She quickly put on her walking trousers, boots and jacket and joined the rest of the family who were already in the yard. Lucia gave the two girls a bag each to carry and then checked that all the children were ready and nodded to Aurelius to let him know. They walked across the yard and through the gap in the fence where the caticus had broken it.

            They entered the forest in a line behind her father. She was directly behind her father, with her sister Lilia following her. Lucia came next with Marcus in a carrier on her back. He had to be carried as his coordination was also affected by his autism and walking, particularly over long distances was very difficult for him. Lucia often did climbing and other exercises with Marcus. She had built a climbing frame in the farm yard which had helped Marcus greatly. Bohemia was at the rear guarding the family with his usual alertness.

            Almost immediately after entering the forest they could hear the screams of a caticus. This was answered by further screams from other directions. They must have been calling to each other, announcing that Aurelius had entered the forest. Philomena knew this was all so unusual and that there must be something seriously wrong for this to happen. The forest was very still. Philomena noticed that there were no birds flying around or any sounds of normal forest life. The forest seemed so normal as they entered it, but soon the leaves on the trees and the grass quickly turned from green to a very dark grey and all the tree trunks were very black. The whole atmosphere seemed dark and dangerous. Philomena now understood why it was called the Dark Forest. They walked in silence, sometimes punctuated by a random sound from Marcus as they followed the path taken by their father. After a while Philomena noticed that the trees were beginning to thin out and, as her mother had said, the temperature was starting to drop. Also she felt a slight breeze in her face. That was something she could not understand, how could it be that the breeze was only in this part of the forest? She shivered with apprehension as well as the cold. The trees towered above them and it was still dark in the shade of the forests' canopy of leaves.

            Suddenly Bohemia started to growl, looking at a bush not ten meters from Philomena. She stood still and held her breath as she noticed a slight movement in the bush. Without a moment’s hesitation, Bohemia darted towards the bush and leapt into it. After a brief but ferocious struggle he emerged with what looked like a spiky snake in his mouth. It was not very long and much fatter than a normal snake and it hung limply from his jaws, obviously dead. Its mouth gaped open showing the upper and lower rows of very sharp teeth, with two long curved fangs at the front. Aurelius walked towards Bohemia and pulled the creature from his mouth.

            "It's a snaggit,” he retorted. "Not a very pleasant little creature. If it had bitten you, it probably would have been fatal!"

            "Are there any more things like that which we have to worry about?" Asked Lilia,

            "Plenty,” replied Aurelius. "But if we stay close together, Bohemia and I should have no trouble in dealing with them. Let's get on, I want to find out what is going on as soon as possible." At that, Aurelius started off again and they all followed as closely as they could. Philomena was always impressed that her father was so confident and that he never showed any fear.

            They had been walking for about another half an hour when Aurelius said they should have a rest. Philomena got some bread rolls and a water bottle out of her bag and gave some to everyone. They had brought quite a lot of supplies with them. They all found somewhere to sit, including Marcus, who Lucia had taken out of his carrier. He then got up and walked around, seemingly oblivious to his surroundings. He occasionally slapped his own face and said "Argh". This self-stimulation is typical in autism. He is just checking he's there for himself. Strangely autistic people sometimes can't feel parts of their body. Philomena could not imagine what that felt like. She looked around at the forest which still surrounded them. It all seemed so dark and eerie, almost as if it were out of a nightmare.

            "How much further do we have to go?” she asked her father.

            "If my memory serves me well, about another hour," he answered.

            "And what will be there?" she enquired further.

            Aurelius stood up and turned to the family.

            "We shall come to a clearing and in that clearing will be an old Castle. I have to go in and see what has changed. I believe the root of the problem with the caticus will be found there,” he said slowly, seemingly worried as he spoke.

            Philomena wondered what he meant. She did not yet understand what was going on. Obviously her father must have been there before. It all seemed so strange to her. After a short break they got themselves ready and continued on their journey. Philomena felt calm in the knowledge that her father and Bohemia were there to protect them, but deep down she was very afraid.

            As her father had said, after they had been walking for about another hour, the trees finally stopped and they stepped into a clearing. The breeze swirled a mist around what appeared to be a ghostly shape. It was a huge ruined castle, standing in the middle of the clearing. Philomena looked up at the four corner turrets that towered above them. She noticed they were all damaged, one more so than the others, looking like it might collapse at any moment. There was a big entrance before them that was open, its doors gone, destroyed somehow, maybe in battle. There was a drawbridge leading to it that traversed the now empty moat that surrounded the castle, leaving it completely defenceless.

            "Come," said her father, "we must go in. Stay with me and you will be safe."