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Near the outskirts of the clearing is a snow covered pathway leading into the adjacent forest. Couples and clusters of friends disappear into the shaded area, their delight in the beautiful scenery loud enough for any passersby to hear. Deciding to venture in to see what the fuss is all about, you (and perhaps whoever you're with) head towards the marked path. Twenty minutes or so in and you soon realize that you must have fallen distracted at some point because the path is no longer obvious and there's neither sound nor sight of any other people around. The sun begins to set and you can swear you hear quiet whispers among the trees. You'd better find your way back somehow - and fast - before the whispers’ owners find you first.
As the day shifted to afternoon, early afternoon, but hey, it still counted, and Sinead had tired from her earlier wanderings amidst the press and bustle of the carnival-goers, she slipped from the busy center and walked more along the fringes. Trying to get away from all the people – there were so many – and debating whether or not it would be safe to return home just yet. She had been out and about for hours already... surely that would be enough to please Aunty Karin and Farrah. See, she did as they asked. And maybe, she might have socialised... at least a little. Talking to vendors as one ordered food or drink counted, right?
But she sighed. No, it was still too early. But she was tired from the energy it took to even force herself to remain. Too many people, and far out of her comfort zone. She was not a social butterfly, was Sinead, and more to the fact, she had a minor phobia of being lost in the crush of people. Yes, it was far better to leave the busy center and walk the fringes. There was less to see or do here, but what there was... it was actually intriguing. Booths lees for commercial purposes or games rigged to where one had to spend more and more for no real reason other than pride, and to be able to say that you defeated a system rigged against you from the start.
Luckily, there were some lovely walks and trails, through the woods surrounding the site of the festivities. A nice forest-walk just might clear her head, and who knew... she might find something interesting there... And wasn't it just lucky that she had brought her sketchbook and pencils along with her, so she might capture anything that caught her attention today. And it could be used as proof to family that yes, she did do what was asked of her...
As she drew closer to the woods, she laughter and gaiety. People seemed to be enjoying themselves and having fun. Had the organizers of the event done something... put games or decorations or whatever up in the woods? Was this some new type of game or entertainment? It sounded like there were others in the woods and having a good time. Perhaps she might go and see what the fuss was about.
At first there seemed to be a marked path, strings of fairy lights in the branches, and all the forced 'cheerful' decorations like plastic candy canes, and fake holly balls... it was fake and contrived and to the young girl's eyes, just plain ugly. But she had started to follow the path and would see just where it led. She couldn't give up now that she had committed to it...
But slowly the decorations flittered off into nothing, and the forest seemed to grow closer and darker, with no end to this in sight. Just where were the people whose voices she had heard. Where was the ...Wait... just where the hell was she anyway? There was something going on here... and it wasn't going to be anything good. She just knew it.
Word Count: 531
