Empress of Another World

Two

“What… what’s this? A forest?”

I was in the middle of a forest. I sat down in shock.

Birds flew above me. I could hear insects around me. The ground was covered in thick layers of brown leaves, cushioning me.

Everything felt surreal. This situation didn’t make sense.

There was only one logical explanation.

“Oh, I’m dreaming!”

That was it. Could it be anything else?

The last thing I remembered was losing consciousness as the subway arrived. I must be dreaming now. It can’t be that I fell onto the track. I must have fainted.

I denied the possibility that I may have died. It couldn’t be. Even if it was true, there was nothing I could do about it now.

This was a dream. It must be a dream. It had to be a dream.

However, I didn’t wake up from it.

I thought I should at least explore. There were no clear paths, so I walked carefully around sharp rocks and tree stumps. It was a good thing I was wearing a pair of sturdy sneakers.

I can’t remember how long I walked. Soon, the darkness arrived. I could see the moon rising. A full moon. It provided enough light for me to continue walking. I stayed up all night. I had nothing to eat or drink all day and night.

As the sun came up, I wondered.

Why do I feel so tired if this was only a dream? Was I supposed to feel hunger and thirst while dreaming? I tried to remember how I felt while dreaming in the past, but I couldn’t remember.

Despite my fatigue, I continued to move. I was afraid I may die if I stop moving. My brain was not working, but my feet continued leading me.

Then suddenly, I heard it.

“Bang!”

The entire forest shook.

Something hit the ground near me. Dirt and leaves flew everywhere. I screamed as I fell backward.

“Ahh!”

“…!!!”

“Woof woof!”

I felt dizzy and nauseous. The sky spun above me. Someone ran towards me hurriedly. I could hear shouting.

Was it because I was confused? I couldn’t understand a word.

I was so tired.

I felt like it would be better to die right here, right now. I lost consciousness again.

***

Now, here I am.

What I heard was a gunshot. A hunting dog. Someone must have shot me, thinking I was an animal. When that person realized the mistake, I must have been brought back to this castle.

I checked my body again. I wasn’t hurt.

A few scratches on my arms and legs, but nothing bad.

I felt relieved.

I finally made a decision.

It was hard to believe, but I had to accept it. I organized my thoughts.

First, I got hit by a subway on the day of the SAT.

Second, I don’t know how, but somehow, I fell into a forest with a strange castle.

Lastly, someone found me and brought me to this castle. Probably someone who lived in this castle.