Records of the Forest (Completed)

Sometimes It's Not For the Best

Ashes.

That's all that was there.

The entire area was black and charred. Stone walkways in elaborate patterns were the only hint that something might have been here. Everything else was burned or smashed or... gone. Something wasn't right. And where was that chiming coming from?

Rowan ran up to Haider. "What happened?" She whispered. "Are we close?"

But he just stood, jaw slack, unable to form a complete thought. "The shadows... Zasdow, i-it's..."

He looked around hopelessly; it sudden sunk in. This was Zasdow. Feeling a pit sink in her stomach, Rowan also looked around. All the trees were felled and cackled and burned and all the plants in the area were smoldering. Jack stood a distance off, tracing his hand along a stone shell darkly. Anne was running around, stomping out remaining sparks. Haider gently patted Rowan's shoulder and moved off in Jack's direction. Who would of done this? This looked like such a huge place. Who could have gotten everyone here? Rowan forced herself to focus. First they needed to keep the remaining fires from spreading. She started heading in Anne's direction.

Crunch!

Rowan felt something snap under her foot. Bending down, she slowly moved and picked up a tiny, torn off arm. Like from a baby doll. She searched the ground, half hoping to find nothing. But with every burnt branch she moved she saw another limb, another button, another fake eye and cracked skin. And all of a sudden she felt hot tears burning in her eyes.

"Rowan?" Anne came up. "What's wrong?"

"They killed them," she began to cry. She couldn't stop it. It would be enough if these were just toys but these... these were alive. "They're all dead."

"You-" she blinked a couple times. "You can't be upset about that. We... we need you to be strong. They're just toys, you can't be childish about it."

Rowan looked up at Anne in shock. She didn't seem upset about this at all. These were lives, people, with thoughts and dreams. And they had been killed. Just hours, if not minutes before. They're not just toys. Rage welled up in her chest, but she bit her lip to keep it down. Rowan had always been told she was childish, hoarding toys and making sure each and every one of them was comfortable. Toys, even before she knew they were alive, were Rowan's friends Anne shouldn't be expected to feel this pain. But neither should Rowan. And she knew that. But all the same she felt the pain of loss. No one else should have to suffer for that. Offering a little prayer, Rowan dropped the arm and instead picked up something shining in the dirt: a large, bronze key.

"What's that for?" Anne leaned over Rowan's shoulder.

"If we're going to pretend to have a key, might as well have one... Even if it is a fake."

"Good idea, actually... What happened?" Anne asked, her voice shifting. Rowan realized she was addressing someone behind them. She turned and Haider shook his head at the both of them.

"The ringing... it was the chimes mourning," he sighed sadly. "We found them over the hill. They told us what happened."

"What did?" Rowan asked, standing, still clutching the small arm in her fist.

"The shadows," he answered. "They sent some of the creatures on their side here. They tore the entire place up, killing anyone they could catch."