Juniper’s senses came back to life as she became aware of the warm sunlight glowing on her skin. She could smell an earthy smell through her nostrils, and something coarse underneath her face tickled her cheeks. Her eyelids fluttered and she moaned as she moved her head, which felt heavy and laden with sleep. Her eyelids fluttered open and she slowly glanced around her.

She jumped up from the ground and staggered back in shock. She was standing in a small patchwork of grass, surrounded by a flat plain as far as her eyes could see. The grass around her was divided into cleared pathways that traveled far into the distance. Dizzied and awed, Juniper drew her eyes up to the sky. It was a color of blue so vivid that it hurt her eyes, and it looked enormous.

Juniper’s fingers flew to her face, thinking that it was a strange place to be stuck in. There were no trees or mountains in sight, just plains as far as she could see. She groaned and held her head in confusion. Where in the world was she and how did she get here?

Her memory swam back to her, and she remembered the fight, running away, and then rounded diamond in the rock. After that, everything went hazy and she wasn’t sure what happened afterward. She closed her eyes shut and tried to remember. I remember falling through the hole, she thought. But after that, I don’t remember anything.

It didn’t make sense to her. If she had fallen through the hole, she would be stuck under the mound, where it was dark and rocky. Or could it be…that this place is actually underground? Juniper reasoned with herself, and shook her head of the impossible thought.

Meanwhile, she felt a strange, eerie feeling in the air that seemed very wrong. Juniper clutched her fingers into fists and twisted her lip in apprehension. There was a feeling inside her head telling her that she should move, and the silence around her loomed like a heavy curtain.

“Crossroads, huh?” she whispered. Where would they all lead?

She glanced around herself. They all looked endless, and from where she was standing, they all looked the same. Maybe one of them would lead back home. Well then, she thought. Let’s try my luck.

She closed her eyes, and twirled her on one foot. The path that she stopped in front of looked like all the others. She hoped it was the right one. Maybe if she was wrong, she could go back to the crossroads and choose again. Juniper started walking, and blocked out the horrible thought of none of them leading home.

Juniper took her first step onto the solid cleared path, then froze. The moment her heel touched the ground, all the other paths around her vanished. Her eyes swiveled without moving her head, and she realized that she was standing in a field of endless green grass, without only the path she chose in front of her. A trickle of cold sweat went down her back and her breath rattled out of her throat.

There is no going back now, something in the back of her mind told her.

She turned back to the path in front of her, and realized that there was now an end to her destination. She squinted her eyes and saw a green haze stretched in front of her. Something that looked like trees, but she was too far away to know for sure. It wasn’t impossibly far away, but it would be a long walk nevertheless.

Juniper’s thoughts ran through her head and she walked through the plain path. She wondered again if the hole she had fallen through led to the crossroads. Stop dreaming, she told herself. You’re too old too believe in stuff like that. The fact that she sounded like Glade gave her a sinking sour feeling.

“You’ll see,” she muttered to herself. “I’ll find my way back and prove you wrong.” She drew up her fists and pumped them up, walking faster.

After traveling for a short while, the eerie feeling lessened. She couldn’t see anything, but she heard soft sounds of nature around her, like the rustling of grass and whistling of wind. The long grass had diminished in size and the ground below her feet felt rockier. The sun lingered over her as the blueness of the sky faded in intensity.

After the minutes turned to hours, the haze dissipated and formed distinct details after she came closer. Tired but relieved, Juniper grabbed onto her knees and paused in a silent, joyful revelation. It was her forest! Joy collided in through her heart and she found the energy in her knees and legs to move on. Juniper broke into a sprint and ran toward the forest as the haze became clearer and slowly lifted.

She was right--there she saw the same trees, leaves, and shrubs. She felt a jolt of triumph. So, you thought I couldn’t find my way back, did you, Glade? Wait till you hear. She dashed through the trees, abandoning the path.

Something felt odd to Juniper. As she ran through the forest, the ground below her feet was clean, and there were no leaves on the ground. She couldn’t hear birds or the wind blowing through the trees. She could see the same clearings and gaps, but the forest looked newer and cleaner. She couldn’t shake away the feeling that something was very wrong.

“Glade!” she called. Her voice rang through the forest so sharply that she came to a halt, shocked by the emptiness. There was no sound in the forest except her own. She glanced around her and grabbed at her pounding heart, not sure of things anymore. Where was she? She started to run again, this time more desperate. Did she make a mistake?

She knew she hadn’t made mistakes; she knew the forest by heart. She passed the bend, where she had met Glade earlier that morning. She came to the clearing, but the mound of rocks looked just the same and didn’t have a strange opening. She stopped and stared at it, hoping that the hole would reform, but it stayed as it was.

Juniper turned away and ran to area of their dwelling, where the little thatched cabin was supposed to be. If she went home, everything would be there. It had to be there, and she would see Glade and her parents, and everything would be alright.

She came to a dead stop, her face paling in belief.

Everything was gone. There was no sign of anyone living there, or even any signs of life besides the silent trees and shrubs. This was her forest, but it was completely inhabited, only a ghost of the place she lived in.

“Glade!” she screamed. “Mom! Dad! Anyone?” Her voice bounced off the tall trees, then faded into oblivion. There was no one to hear her.

Juniper fell to her knees and put her head to the ground. She could hear her heartbeats pounding in rhythm with the thoughts in her head.



“You know how you always like running and exploring the forest? Don’t you get worried that one day you’ll run too far and you’ll get lost and not be able to find us?”


No! Her thoughts screamed in her head. This isn’t fair! Why?

“Why…?” she whispered. So Glade was right all along. She was stupid for thinking that she was so invincible and now she was helpless. Nothing was worse than being home, without the people that made it what it was. But this isn’t home, is it?

She stood up, dazed, but too desperate to give up. No, it isn‘t. And I need to get out of here. She looked around her, wringing her hands in anxiety. First…I need to find the path again. If she retraced her steps backward, maybe she could find her way back. But to where? She kneaded her head with her knuckles, remembering that all the other paths had disappeared once she chose. Maybe this is just an illusion, she thought. There are imitation forests just like mine and I need to find the one that’s real. It sounded like a delusional nightmare.

Blindly, she walked back toward the path, without no idea what to do when she found it. As she moved through the forest, another thought caught her interest. Her eyes snapped to attention around her and turned back. If this world was an imitation of her own, then… She glanced at the road, and to both directions it led. It has to lead somewhere. Instead of going back, Juniper followed the path to where it ended.

Juniper gasped as she realized where it was taking her. She walked faster, recognizing the changing foliage and receding trees instantly. At the end of the path, the last of the trees grew together and crowned the cleared space like an enclosed ring. She had never seen it before, yet she recognized where it led instantly.

“This…this is the clearing of where the cliff is supposed to be,” she whispered. They had just gone the other day, and it was the same location. But the cliff wasn’t there, and instead there was a strange red structure before her. The path dwindled just before its steps.

Juniper gazed up at the tall red structure, a temple with sloping roofs and thick columns. It was more majestic than anything Juniper had ever seen before. The temple was built with new red brick and held up with two vast pillars that glinted in the sunlight. It seemed new and almost welcoming, except that its appearance intimidated Juniper. The doorway, which was wide and open, stood before her. So, this is where the path ends, or maybe, where it continues… She licked her dry lips and unstiffened her muscles. A strange chill ran up her bare arms and she shivered, clutching them close to her chest.

If this is where the cliff stops in our world, she thought, this must lead to where it goes on if it did… It seemed doubtful that home would lie on the other side, but it was the only path she could take. The biggest question would be what lied on the other side. She stood there, her legs quivering before the majesty of the building. Another imitation world? Home? Or some place completely different…?

One thing was clear to Juniper -- she could only find out by moving forward. Her heart was beating fast against her chest, but she knew that she had to be brave. She took her first steps outside the dwindling path, onto the steps, toward the entrance, and faced the temple head on.

“Don’t move.”

The voice was so sharp that it froze every part of her body. She stayed suspended in her position, too afraid to look behind her. Her foot had stopped just inches away from the door.

“It’s too dangerous here,” said the voice. “You need to turn back.”

Juniper managed to choke out words in a raspy voice. “Who are you?”

“That’s of no importance,” snapped the voice coldly. “Follow me back. You can’t be here.”

Juniper hesitated, thoughts pouring into her head but nothing coming out of her mouth. She felt conflicted, but managed to sputter out words. “I have to see what’s through this door,” she whispered.

At her words, something quick snagged onto the shoulders of her dress threw her forward into the temple. Juniper screamed, more in surprise than fear, as the door behind her slammed closed and the room around her submerged into darkness. The floor started quivering and Juniper felt the walls veer close to her and tremor. Within moments, the walls started collapsing, the ceiling crumbling, and the floor shattered into jagged crevices that jerked her body with its destruction.

The room exploded into light, illuminating the obstruction around her. Juniper drew in her breath as the ground split into jagged crevices and the ceiling spilled onto the floor. She wondered where the light had come from, but she could only think about her problem at the moment. The room, which had started collapsing as soon as she stepped in, only deteriorated faster as she stood in shock. Her heart felt like it pounded out of her chest, but her feet were rooted to the ground.

What am I doing? I need to get out of here! She jerked out of her trance and stumbled backward. There was a rumbling noise above her head, and she snapped her eyes up to see the ceiling crumble over her.

Juniper tried to dodge the falling rocks, but a giant piece fell onto her leg as she swung back. Letting out a jowl of pain, she slammed against the floor as another chunk of ceiling narrowly missed her head. Her hands grabbed onto the wound on her leg and bit her lip as thin trails of blood seeped from the cut.

Over the sound of falling rubble and collapsing walls, her ears picked up the small sound of approaching footsteps. Oh no, she thought, panicking. What does he want with me? The door had slammed on her, how did he get in? She propped herself up on one elbow and swiveled her hip to face the stranger.

“D-don’t come any nearer!” She thrust her bloodied hand in front of him.

The stranger stopped, and her hand fell and eyes widened. She was sure that she heard a matured adult voice before stepping into the temple, but all she saw in front of her was a small boy who looked her age. She blinked and glanced around, but no one else was there. The young boy was even shorter than Juniper and looked very foreign, having narrow black eyes, chin-length black hair, stiff black garments. He looked only twelve or thirteen, but carried such a regal expression that he seemed older.

“I’m not going to hurt you,” he said, in the same voice she heard before. “You need to trust me. He slowly came closer to her as Juniper gave no objection. “Just take my hand and I’ll lead you through the other gate.” He held out a pale hand before her.

The other gate was the one that led forward. Was it shut for good? “You mean I can’t go back?”

The boy shook his head. “You can only go forward now.”

Juniper furrowed her temple and glanced at the other entrance that led forward. There was no way that she could reach the other side with her wounded leg before being buried alive. But how can you help me? The situation looked helpless and her hope faltered. Not having another choice, she lifted her arm and feebly offered her hand.

The boy leaned over and tried to help her up, but Juniper fell back as a jolt of pain went up her leg. It was hopeless to stand up.

The boy snapped his eyes at the deteriorating ceiling and frowned. “We don’t have any more time.” He kneeled next to Juniper and placed his hands under her knees and shoulders. Juniper gasped as he quickly brought her up and carried her in his arms, as if she was a feather-light doll. “I’m taking you out of here. Hold on.”

“Wait, wha--?” began Juniper. And with that, he kicked off.

Juniper gave a scream of surprise and seized his shoulders as the acceleration slammed against her body. His steps were so fast and fluid that it didn’t feel like his feet touched the ground. Her eyes saw blurs of color and she squinted to see where the boy was going. Juniper watched as he dodged the falling rubble and headed toward the doorway.

“The exit’s blocked!” she exclaimed.

Freeing one of his hands, the boy clawed his fingers and jerked his wrist back. At that movement, the doorway reformed as if it had been jerked up from a string. Thoughts whizzed through Juniper’s head as the boy glided through it. I just went inside this temple, and it started collapsing. Then, this boy comes to save me, but he doesn’t seem human. She glanced at his face and noticed the furrowed expression on her face. Who was he?

The boy flew through the hallway, just as the ceiling starting shaking and crumbling down as well. As he dodged a pile of falling rubble, he turned fast, accidentally scraping Juniper’s ankle against the wall.

Hearing her yelp in pain, the boy halted. Slamming one hand into the wall, he created another opening, pulled Juniper through it, and closed the entrance.

Juniper panicked for a moment as the darkness swallowed her, but calmed down when she realized that the ceiling had stopped falling. There was not a thing she could see in the darkness besides the faint face of the boy in front of her.

“I created a diversion room so you’ll be safe for a few moments before the maze shifts again. We have a few moments to talk, but not a long time. Are you hurt?”

“Yeah, a little…well, it hurts a lot. Did you say that we’re in a maze?”

“A trap.” His voice was hard with anger. “How did you get here?”

Juniper hesitated. “I…I don’t know for sure.”

“You don’t know? Well, I’m sure you know that you’re not supposed to be here.”

Juniper swallowed. “I’m sorry. I think I’m realizing that now…”

“It doesn’t matter. The most important thing is for you to get out of here.”

His voice was drowned by heavy rumbling. Juniper’s stomach lurched as the walls bounced and moved in closer.

“W-what did you say about shifting?”

The boy glanced at her. “Can you run well?”

Juniper was surprised by the question. “Y-yeah, I can.”

“Good. I can alleviate the wound on your leg so you’ll be able to stand.” He touched her leg with two fingers. “Here, how does that feel?”

Cool waves spread through her leg, and the pain disappeared. She slid off from his arms and stood on the ground. Shocked, Juniper touched where her wound used to be and only smeared blood on her smooth skin. Trembling, she brought her hands up to her face and realized that the bloodstains on her palms had disappeared. For a second, she forgot that the boy had spoken to her. “G-great. How did you do that?”

He thrust his hand in front of her. “Quick. Hold on to my hand and I’ll lead you out of here. We’ll be able to get out in twice the time if we run together. That way, I won’t have to carry you and you can move your own weight.”

“W-wait,” said Juniper, slightly annoyed that he was ignoring her. “That’s not going to work. You’re too fast, you’ll just rip my arm off.”

“Trust me.”

Juniper hesitated. He’s been right so far. I hope he knows what he’s doing.

She reached into the darkness for his hand and gripped it firmly.

The boy turned to the wall and slammed his hand against it. The entrance reformed at his touch, and with a tight squeeze of Juniper’s hand, he jerked them both out of the shelter, throwing their bodies into the motion.

Before she knew it, they were both running lightning-fast in unison. Juniper gasped as a cold thrill swept up her body. She was running at his speed, but the burst of energy didn’t belong to her. She wondered if the boy was channeling his powers through her.

Juniper faltered with doubt, and she felt her legs stiffen for a moment. Immediately, she felt the weight of the wind against her body, ready to knock her down.

“Don’t let the connection break!” shouted the boy, turning his head back at her.

Juniper caught herself, letting the energy surge back into her legs. She couldn’t risk their safety with lack of trust. Determined not to lose focus, she calmed her senses, imagining that she was running through the forest. It’s just the same, except I’m running for my life, with falling rocks that can smash my head at any moment…

“How are we doing this?” she called out, loud enough for him to hear her over the wind. “This…this is amazing!” The more she ran, the less scary it was. It became exhilarating, like her run in the forest, but ten times faster.

“I’m channeling my powers through you,” he yelled back. “Just don’t let go!”

They rushed through the hallways together, flashes of colors whizzing past her face as he led her through them. The temple felt endless. How long could it go on?

Juniper faltered at the sight of the next corridor, and the boy stopped, just before a vast chasm in the ground. Juniper leered over the edge and gazed at the abyss.

“Looks like an ugly fall. How do we get over this?” She turned to the boy. “You can’t fly, can you?”

He seemed annoyed by her question. “Here. Get on my back.” I can’t believe it, he’s serious about this. He kneeled on the ground so she could grab onto his shoulders.

“Are you sure about this?”

“Don’t underestimate me,” snapped the boy in a low voice.

Juniper clung onto his shoulders as the boy backed away from the gap, and came to a running start before the leap.

Juniper felt the wind breeze through her hair as the boy rose over the chasm in a high arch. Her stomach rose up, but at the same time, it was exciting as it was terrifying. She saw the other side come closer, and he was about to reach the edge…

“Ahh!” Just before the boy landed, something thick and earthy wrapped around her ankle and pulled her off his back. In horror, she looked behind her, seeing giant tendril of a vine dragging her downward. Juniper tried to grab onto something, but there was nothing around, and it pulled her down and down into the abyss…

She saw the boy swerve back and sweep both his arms upward.

The vine suddenly surged out from the crevice, responding to a different master by dropping Juniper on the ground in front of the boy’s feet. The boy then turned his hands into fists and drew them apart forcefully. The vine ripped into two, fell to the ground, and shriveled up.

Her hands flew to where it had grabbed her. “W-was that a plant?”

“C’mon!” He took Juniper’s hand and dragged her forward.

They ran in unison again, quickly leaving the corridor. To Juniper, all the corridors looked the same and were more dangerous than the last. She wondered what horrors would be faced next…

As they entered the next hallway, a column of rock emerged from the ground and rushed at them. The boy scowled, not able to stop in time. He clenched Juniper’s fingers, then swung her off to the side, as he faced the column, which rushed toward him. Juniper screamed, her body flying through the air of its own accord. She hit the ground and tumbled, dizzy, but unhurt.

She turned around and saw the boy gripping the column in attempt to hold it back. Instead, the column pushed him back until he slammed against the wall. Juniper gasped, but then the boy smashed it with a kick. The rumbling stopped, and Juniper felt the walls around her stiffen. It was the first time that the destruction had stopped at all.

“Did it…just end?” she wondered out loud.

The boy flew back toward Juniper.

“Ah,” she exclaimed, seeing his bloodied face. “You’re bleeding!”

The boy’s hand flew to the cut on his head, but did not seem surprised.

“Are-are you okay?”

“I’m fine. Let’s go.”

“Please be careful. You don’t have to do this for me.”

The boy said nothing, and swept past her, walking away. There he goes, ignoring me.

“Wait!” She ran after him. The boy did not stop, but only waited for her to catch up. “Back when we were over there, those things moved by themselves. I thought this place was falling apart?”

“All these obstacles were caused by one source, for one mission,” he answered. “His presence is gone for now, but he’ll be back.”

“His presence?” One source? A mission?

“The one who’s doing this.”

Juniper felt a cold chill up go her spine.

“This temple is supposed to be a passage,” he explained. He wiped blood away from his face, staining his black sleeve with a shiny film. “But lately, it’s been cursed to serve a different purpose. To keep intruders out, and us in.”

“What do you mean by us?”

The boy sounded irritated. “These questions. You make my head hurt.”

“Sorry,” squeaked Juniper. “I’m just really confused.”

“I mean the ones on the other side. Including me.”

Juniper paused in thought. The ones on the other side. That couldn’t mean home…could it? She struggled to phrase her question in an acceptable form. “But you’re here…”

“I’m not one of the rest.” His voice dropped like a stone. Juniper wondered if it was an unhappy subject.

They walked in silence for several moments.

“Don’t worry,” said the boy. “We’re nearly at this temple’s end. We’re too close to the sacred ground now…so not even he can harm us.”

“Oh,” said Juniper, relief spreading over her like warmth. That explained why he was walking, not running. She didn’t bother asking about the “sacred ground,” as long as they wouldn’t be attacked. I guess I can’t call myself invincible now. Just wait until Glade hears about this…his ears will pop.

The boy pointed at another opening at the end of the passage. “Just through here.”

Juniper stared at the opening, a strange tingling feeling going up her spine, as if the portal led to something both wonderful and terrible. To keep strangers away, and more importantly, to keep all of us in. She had to wonder what was behind the door. Is it my world that lies on the other side? Or… (she felt like a heavy weight dropped in her stomach,) is it going to be a place completely different?

“And once we go through…” she muttered, forgetting not to ask questions. “We’ll both be out safely?”

This time, the boy did not respond.


They entered the room in unison, a vast space with a large closed archway. The new room as nothing like the endless passageways they gone through. It had a higher ceiling and was much larger and wider. Juniper stared at it in awe, wondering if it had served some sort of purpose in the past. It looked sacred, with strange etchings and columns placed around the room. Besides the minimal decoration, it was completely empty, as if it was abandoned for the purpose it once served. Juniper could see creeper vines coming of crevices in the room -- the first signs of life.

Juniper gave a sigh of relief. They had finally made it.

She turned to the boy. “Thanks, really. I owe you my life.” She couldn’t find the right words and felt embarrassed. What could she say to express her gratitude to a person who had just saved her from a horrible death?

The boy averted his gaze and turned his head. “It’s nothing.”

Juniper grinned, even if he was deflecting a compliment, he at least looked like he was embarrassed. Wait a minute… She studied his face and frowned. The look on his face wasn’t embarrassment. In fact, she realized it to be the exact same look Glade had when he was about to tell her that it was time to leave the forest…

The boy turned around and looked at her, and Juniper was shocked to see a very tired and reluctant look on his face. It was as if he hid a secret that was too big for him to keep bottled up.

“Are you okay?”

“Never mind me,” he said in a voice that was half a sigh and half a command.

“But you look--”

The boy suddenly shot her a look that made Juniper want to step back. He drew his hands upon her shoulders and squared his face with hers. “You need to listen to me,” in a tone that Juniper didn’t dare disobey. “Right now, I want you to run way from here as fast as you can, without looking back or stopping. Just head over to that archway over on the other end, and when it opens, go through it and forget that I ever helped you. Do you understand?”

Frantic thoughts rushed in her head as he spoke. Why was he saying this? Wasn’t he going to escape with her? “But what about you?” she mumbled.

His voice hardened and his fingers pressed deeper into her shoulders. “I asked you if you understood!”

Juniper cried out, startled by his volume. “I do!”

The boy released her and turned away, pushing Juniper on the back.

“Then, move!”

She turned away and sprinted as fast as she could forward, not knowing what to think of his directions. That boy is really a jerk. Guilty for thinking ill of a person who had just saved her, she changed the thought. I mean, he’s obviously special, but if Glade had treated me like that, I’d have boxed him hard. She was annoyed that he was so sharp with her, but was more worried about why he insisted that she go on without him. What was going to happen to him? She wanted to look behind her and check to see if the boy was okay, but he had told her not to. And he had always been right…he probably knew what he was doing.

At that thought, everything turned black. Juniper stopped in her tracks, too shocked to move.

“Is…everything okay?” she called in a feeble voice. “What happened?”

There was no response. Everything was still. Deathly still, like something had died. Coldness trickled up her spine. What if…what if he was killed? Was she next? She looked around the room, but there was not a single shred of light in the darkness. It was as if a black cape had incased the room.

Heart pounding against her chest, she turned around, threw her fists back, shut her eyes, and yelled out, “Where are you?”

The room exploded into bright light. Blinded by the intensity for a split-second, Juniper shielded her eyes and squinted though her fingers. All she could see was the boy in the middle of the room, with a halo of white gleaming out from him. A revelation hit her, and Juniper realized where the light came from. Just like when I first came into this temple…The light had always come from him.

Still turned away from Juniper, he held his hands slightly apart, with his palms facing the ceiling. He spoke in a hushed voice, but Juniper’s ears clung onto every single word.

“I will be the sacrifice.”

The boy closed his eyes, lowered his head, and raised both arms in the air.

Out from the ground burst out thick tendrils of vines, which snaked upward and wound themselves around his arms. The boy was jerked violently onto the ground as the cords dragged him backward from the exit.

“No!” screamed Juniper, starting to him.

The boy heard her, turning his head in alarm. “Get out of here!”

Juniper froze, torn between the door and her savior. The archway was now open, but it looked like it was reforming into a solid barrier before her. The boy struggled, his face screwed in concentration. The tendrils of tree branches quivered in place and tugged back and forth, as if the boy was trying to stop them from taking him in.

“Don’t worry about me!” he screamed. “The passage is open now, you need to go! Run to the outskirts of the village, and go to the house between the lemon trees. Don’t let anyone else see you or they might--”

A root slithered around his face, muffling his words. He jerked his head away and spat it out.

“Go!” he screamed.

But I can’t leave you here! Staggering backward, she stumbled a few steps and decided that there was nothing she could do. Turning on her heel, she dashed toward the final archway, just as half of it solidified. She bent her head back in momentum, pumped up her arms, and ran as fast as she could to the quickly-disappearing portal. Just as the slits diminished, she hurtled her body through and tumbled into a grassy ground.

Her eyes darted back for the boy, but the wall had already resealed itself. She moved her hand toward the plain wall, not wanting to believe that there was no way back out. The walls suddenly shook before her.

Juniper drew her hand back as if she had touched fire, cautious in case it started attacking again. The temple groaned like a dying man and shook from the ground up. It made a rumbling and skittering noise, as if it were repairing itself. She gazed in awe as the fallen building reformed and rose into the sky. Within only moments, the ruined temple looked just as majestic as before she entered it. The façade of the building gleamed, mocking her own existence.

She turned her head away from it, but shut her eyes, too afraid to look at the world behind her. She didn’t catch a glimpse of the outside before, but she was didn’t want to see another unfamiliar world before her. What if it isn’t home…what if…this…everything, was just a mistake of mine? She begged in her mind for her to be back home, and maybe…for everything just to be a bad dream. With slow scrutiny, she opened her eyes and looked around.

The world she landed in was not her own.

Frustrated, Juniper sunk down and dug her nails into the grass. This time, there was no chance that she was still home in her forest. The new world, as much as it resembled her forest, was only an artificial reflection; a kingdom underground, existing from a portal she fell into. I’m sorry, Glade. It’s going to take me a while to come back. She stayed motionless in her position, feeling as lifeless and insignificant as a rock.

The sun slowly dipped below the horizon, coloring the skies with hues of red. Juniper squeezed her eyes so tight that they stemmed back the tears -- but not the light of the world around her. There was no escape from the world she had landed in. And worse…“I will be the sacrifice.” What did he mean by that? Why would anyone give their life for me? It played like a haunting lullaby in her head.

She had to go. To survive, not only for herself…but the stranger that had saved her life. She covered her face, grating her knuckles against her eyes. And I don’t even know his name.

Juniper rose and stood before the world, gazing over the hills, mountains, and forests. The trees rustled in wake of the wind, and the grasses of the hills rippled like waves. Before her, the world bathed in the shadows of sunrise while a blood-red sun dipped in the distance. It was just like the world she knew, and yet it was completely unfamiliar. Breathing in the cool evening breeze, she ducked her head down and started to run to civilization.


With his departure, the savior had left one last statement she could trust in.

“The house with the lemon trees…”

Darkness had already fallen onto the world before Juniper slipped into the streets. The moon hovered over her and illuminated the silent roads with an eerie glaze of silver highlights. Juniper shivered as she grabbed her bare arms, skittering through the pebbled paths while ducking into the shadows as well as she could.

The homes around her were much larger than the little dwelling she lived in with her parents. Underneath her feet, the ground was paved with small pebbles that were so uneven that she almost tripped when she ran over them. Tall metal lampposts glowed dimly, while a few of the cabins had lights in the windows. Juniper had never seen a civilization with so many houses and so little trees, having only heard about them from stories.

“Well,” she whispered. “At least it’s not a pastureland.” Her breath came out in a wisp under her lips as she spoke.

Remembering Glade and her parents made a stone drop through her chest. If didn’t run away, I would at least be in a different place with them. After wallowing in guilty thoughts for a while, she shook them out of her head and searched for the house that the boy had mentioned.

“A house with a lemon trees,” she murmured, tapping her chin as she scanned the homes. All of the houses looked the same, and she couldn’t find any lemon trees at all. The trees even all looked alike in the darkness. Her heart dropped. Could he have been a little more specific? She wandered through the area, lurching down the roads as quickly as she could to warm herself without clacking her feet, and ducking down onto the ground whenever she saw a light in the window.

It’s strange, though, she thought, as she pressed her face to the cool dusty pavestones. Why isn’t anyone out at this time? She crawled under the window of a house and got up as she passed it, looking around with wary eyes. The streets were completely empty, and even the homes seemed to be silent. Night had just fallen, but there were so many homes around her. A trickle of doubt wormed in her mind. Wouldn’t someone be out at this hour?

After thirty-some minutes, Juniper’s nails had bitten into her arms from cold weather and desperation. Marching with her head down, she retreated to an alleyway that she had passed along the way and ducked into the shadows again. Once she was out of sight, Juniper placed her shoulders against the wall and led her back slide against it until she sank onto the ground.

“What I wouldn’t give to stay in one of those houses,” she muttered to herself. She slammed her head against her knees and wrapped her arms close to her body as shivers ran down her back and up her face.

There was a soft clip-clop noise coming down the street.

Argh! No one’s supposed to see me!

She rose in a jerky movement and looked for a place to hide. Seeing that there was none, Juniper scooted off further into the darkness of the shadows. She curled up into a ball and tried to make her body as small as possible. She closed her eyes and tried not to shake, but couldn’t help peeking at what was coming toward her.

A large horse was trotting on the pebbled ground; she had never seen one so close before. A horse…that means it must have a rider…

Trailing after it was a large cart with a man sitting in the front. He was holding something in his hands that looked like a glowing lantern. Juniper’s eyes widened, and flinched when she thought she saw a pair of eyes focus on her.

The man brought his arm forward, and Juniper felt a ray of light fall over her. She closed her eyes, but could still feel the glare of the glow piercing through her eyelids. She could hear the man say something under his breath, stopping the horse.

“Who’s there?” called a gruff voice.

Juniper did not budge, her heart pounding as she hoped the man would move on.

“I can see you!” barked the man impatiently. “Show yourself.”

Juniper squinted her eyes open and saw that the man was looking right at her while the light of his lantern completely gave her away. She crept to her feet and ambled forward as she blocked the light with her hands.

I don’t want to cause too much suspicion, she thought. But if he goes after me, I might be able to get away from him. Surely a horse couldn’t gallop after her while lugging a man and a heavy cart. She clenched her teeth in determination and her heartbeats quickened as she approached the cart.

The man slid off from the carriage and hobbled toward her. He was squat and carried a lantern and a whip in either hand. There was a frown on his face and the light from his lantern illuminated the creases on his middle-aged face. He wore plain-looking waistcoat and slacks, but it was fancier than what most adults wore around Juniper.

Juniper could tell that the man was studying her appearance as well--from the grime on her face to her tattered dress.


The man scowled and swung his lantern in her face. “What’s your name? How come I’ve never seen you here before?”

She squinted and stepped backward. “I-I’m just Juniper. I don’t come out a lot.”

The man looked as if her lie put a bad taste in his mouth.

“Where do you live?”

Her eyes darted around, frantically searching for the right thing to say. Can I trust him? Should I tell him what the boy told me, or try to throw him of? He said not to talk to anyone else…

“Well?”

“It…It’s at the house with the lemon trees.”

A flash of shock came across the man’s face. He stared at her in this belief for a few seconds, until his expression shifted into calmness.

“Well then,” he murmured. “I see.”

Juniper raised her arms defensively, prepared to bluff out another answer or to push him and run away. The man stroked his mustache, then gave a curt nod of his head. “It’s dark out. You should probably be at home.”

Juniper blinked and dropped her arms.

The man climbed onto the horse-cart, then motioned for Juniper to join him. “Come on. I can give you a ride home. It’s already too dangerous out here without little girls wandering by themselves.” He glanced over his shoulders to the sky and scowled. Juniper still hesitated, still aback by his sudden change in demeanor.

“Come on.” His voice was still growly, but sympathetic. “You’re lost and you don’t have anyone else to turn to, do you? You can trust me.”

Juniper gulped, embarrassed at her helplessness. “Th-thanks. Uh…”

“Horse-cart man,” he snapped.

“What?”

“Just call me the Horse-cart man,” he said, his mustache bristling as he talked. “You don’t need to know anything else about me besides that.”

Juniper wondered why anyone would choose to be known for his job rather than his actual name. The man seemed to be looking back at her strangely, so she pulled herself up and hopped over the side of the cart. She seated herself beside him, a slight space away.

The man shook his reins, and the animal obediently began walking. Juniper kept her mouth shut as the horse moved into a comfortable pace.

She let her eyes wander while sitting on the steady cart. The houses were lined with houses on both sides, all looking uniform and quiet. They came along one house with the light in the window, and Juniper saw a woman behind the glass. The woman glanced at her, then dropped the curtain over the window. Startled, Juniper turned her head away. The Horse-cart man didn’t seem to notice and cleared his throat.

“So. Juniper,” he said. “You say you happen to know the Healers, correct?”

When did I say that? “Sorry, who?”

The Horse-cart man raised his eyebrows and jerked a corner of his lip. “The couple that lives in the house that you mentioned.”

“Oh!” said Juniper, her ears turning red. “Y-yeah, them.” She noticed the man shake his head and huff to himself. A twinge of discomfort nestled in her chest; she had never been good at lying. Anyway, did he say Healers? She glanced at her leg, where the cut on her leg had completely vanished. Why did the boy want her to see healers?

Her thoughts were interrupted when a man in a hood jumped out in front of them.

“Whoa there!” roared the Horse-cart man, pulling hard on his reins. The horse whinnied in protest and threw its head back. Juniper held a gasp as her back slammed against the hard wooden back of her seat.

The Horse-cart man gained control of his horse, then turned his attention to the stranger that was now bent-up in half and shaking as if he was laughing. “What…what d’yeh think you’re doing?” roared the Horse-cart man, shaking his fist at the mysterious-looking figure.

“Just passing through,” said the stranger pleasantly. He gave a little wave to the Horse-cart man. “You know, I thought I heard someone address me.” He bared a grin, and Horse-cart man’s expression shifted from surprise to annoyance.

“So it’s just you then,” he growled. “You’re out late, Lucien.”

“Likewise,” responded the stranger. “So, what’s keeping you up?”

“Some last-minute evening errands. I had to take shipments from all around town, and to drop a few people off.” He made a tiny nod to Juniper. “This one’s my last stop.”

“Sounds rough,” commented the stranger. He didn’t seem to notice her.

“And you?” demanded the Horse-cart man, shooting him a suspicious glare. “What’s keeping you after the curfew hours?”

The man crossed his arms and chuckled. “Well, you know.”

The Horse-cart man gave a heavy “humph!” and leaned back into his seat.

Lucien raised his arm toward Juniper. “So, who’s this young girl?”

The Horse-cart man folded his arms and raised an eyebrow, having awaited this moment. “I could ask you the same thing, Lucien.”

“Oho?”

“Yes, in fact, she claims to live with you. Tell me, is that true?”

Juniper flinched, her eyes widening at the hooded man. Him?

He shrugged his shoulders and threw his hands up carelessly. “Possibly, you know the unpredictable company we keep at our quarters.”

The Horse-cart man shot him a stern glare. “It would do you much good to keep the news of your company private!”

The stranger dropped his voice. “I’ll take that suggestion to heart.”

The Horse-cart man wrung the reins in his hand and sighed. “I don’t speak for my own health, Lucien. You’d best be careful, what with --” He nudged over his shoulder again. This time, Juniper glanced to the same direction, but she could only see mountains in the distance.

The hooded man gave a quick sidelong glance and nodded. “I’ll promise to be careful.” Then he grinned and pointed to Juniper with a lazy flourish of his finger. “Hey, what do you say to letting this little lady off your responsibility?”

The Horse-cart man scoffed. “I don’t see why not.” He laid his hand on Juniper‘s shoulder and patted her so suddenly that she jumped up in her seat. “Here’s your stop.”

Dazed, Juniper looked back him in disbelief, but the Horse-cart man shook his head at her again. “Don’t worry,” he said, as Juniper raised herself from her seat. “You’re in good hands.”

Juniper moaned a little, but hopped off the cart. Well, she told herself. At least I get a house to stay at. Beats the cold.

“Good luck,” called the Horse-cart man after her, (or was it to Lucien?) “Watch out for those wicked watchdogs.” He gave a wheezy chuckle, and the hooded man threw his head back and laughed. Juniper scratched her head, wondering what in the world was so funny.

He’s a kind old man after all, she thought. He’s just a little gruff. The hooded man finished laughing and beamed at her with smiling eyes.

“Hey,” he said, drawing Juniper close to him to whisper in her ear. “Don’t forget to thank the old man for bringing you here.”

He’s right, thought Juniper. I should be thankful. “Oh!” She jumped up and called to him as he turned away. “Thank you!”

She saw him give a shrug with his shoulders and nod of his chin. His eyes wandered over to Lucien’s and gave a raise of his eyebrows.

“Good of you to take onto another,” he said. “Good night, Lucien.”

Lucien grinned and gave a farewell salute.

The Horse-cart man took the reins in his hands and shook them sharply with a loud “Yah!” The horse muttered and shook his head to attention, turning around and trotting in the opposite direction.

They watched as the man and the horse turned around the corner while the sound of clip-clops slowly faded away.

“Good old Gaston,” mused Lucien in the silence.

He placed a gentle hand on Juniper’s shoulder. “Let’s go.” He leaned over to whisper in her ear, sending a nervous tingle up her spine. “You can explain everything about yourself at home, and we’ll tell you everything you want to know, okay? There’s nothing to worry about right now.”

His face turned, and the glare of the moon illuminated the side of his face. She could see his bright eyes shining and the corner of his lips raised in a grin.

“Here,” said the man, turning his palm toward her. “Take my hand.”

There was a jolt in Juniper’s memory, and the face of the dark-haired boy swam up in her mind. Her eyes widened and she froze for a moment.

“Is there something wrong?”

“No…nothing.” Juniper shook her head. Something in my heart tells me I can trust him. Just remembering the boy gave her feeling of reassurance.

She took the man’s hand, and he held it tightly, moving forward to lead the way.

Juniper inhaled the night air and let out a heavy breath as the muscles in her chest relaxed. For a moment, she thought back to the endless field of paths, and the uncertainty she had about which one to take. For the first time since losing her way, she felt confident about where she was headed next.

Hand in hand, the two walked into the night.