Prologue: What's Seen, What's Really There?
As children everyone sees things, right? They see things and tell, but parents always tell us it's imaginary. I don't think it is, as a matter of fact I know it's not! We see what's there and adults pretend not to notice. This is a story about a land hidden from human eyes, a place of real magic and the purest of life's wonders.
I'm Anna, age 17. I'm thin and lanky. I'm a little shorter than Aaron, my twin brother. I have blonde hair with dark green eyes, whereas he's got black hair with bright blue eyes. We go on expositions together; hikes, mountain climbing, whatever we feel like doing that day! He's a great adventure partner, but an even better brother.
We live in New York, not the immediately thought of big city. We live in the real New York, the beautiful state around that bustling tourist trap. We live in Catskills, funny enough name, right? It's mountainy and beautiful. Weather is good, people are nice, and strange things that are hardly noticeable happen. Booyeah! Go, Catskills! Anyhow, we live in this beautiful mountainous area. And we see things out of the corners of our eyes quite often. So, I never would've imagined the day I'd have ahead of me that day in late July.
Chapter One: At the Beginning
I walked out of the house, barefoot as usual. Aaron ran after me holding two pairs of sneakers, "Anna, wait!" I looked at him, kind of shocked, "Why do you have our shoes? Aren't we just gonna sit out here and toss around the baseball?" He laughed, "Anna, when do we ever 'just sit,' honestly?"
I sat down on the porch and took my shoes, "alright Columbus, what's the plan?" Aaron loudly plopped down on the step below me. "Alright, so I saw something really funky out my window this morning!" I thought to myself, "Oh God, he's gone insane…" He continued with a mischievous smile, "I wanna know what it was! It almost looked like a little person...like a gnome or leprechaun or something like that!" We sat there in silence, he smiling like a victorious football star and me looking at him as if he was mental.
After a few minutes Aaron frowned, "You don't believe me. Well, fine. I don't need you! I'll figure it out myself!" He started at a jog toward the small forest area at the edge of the property. I finished tying my shoes and sprinted to catch up with him. "Aaron, don't be stupid! Of course I'm coming, you're not only my best friend and brother," I grabbed at his hand as he turned towards me, "You're my partner in crime and adventure partner!" I smiled still slightly panting. He pulled me by the wrist, and towards the woodsy area we headed.
As we reached the edge of the woods he turned towards me. Very seriously he grabbed my shoulders and started, "Anna, you're my baby sister-" "Umm, Aaron I was born 54 minutes before you," "Shush! Anyways, I feel I should go in there first. I want to keep you safe, so you follow me, okay?" He shook me slightly, still really serious, "Okay, Anna?" I nodded and he...hugged me? He had pulled me into a hug; then seemingly on a queue he let go and headed into the dark shadows of the trees.