Forest of the Forbidden

by W. J. May

  When she opened her eyes her head throbbed and she swayed back. “Oh no, not again.” She held onto Ryan tightly, trying to steady her balance. This time it was more intense. Her head wobbled around like a bobble head doll and the floor moved fast under her feet.

  “Are you okay? What’s wrong?” He held onto her, making sure she didn’t fall back.

  “Ummm, I don’t know.” A surge of heat rushed to her cheeks and her body turned hot with fever. “I need to sit down.”

  He guided her to the table. “Do you want some water?”

  “Yeah.” Natalie nodded.

  “Is everything okay?” Sean asked when Natalie sat down.

  “She got dizzy. Is there any water?” Ryan looked around the table.

  “Paul went to the bar to get some for us. Here he comes now, with a waitress right behind him. I’ll find an empty glass.” Sean got up.

  “Here’s one.” Katie, one of the interns from the lab, handed Sean a glass. “She doesn’t look so good. Maybe you should take her outside or something.”

  Natalie turned to Katie. “I’ll be fine. I think I got overheated wearing this heavy dress.” She picked up a napkin and wiped the sweat from her forehead.

  “I need water please.” Sean gave the glass to the waitress, urging her to fill it.

  Paul, who also interned in Marketing with Lise and Ryan, looked at them with confusion. “What’s going on? What’s wrong?”

  Sean handed the water to Ryan and then turned to Paul. “She got overheated or something.”

  “Sip it slowly.” Ryan handed her the glass of ice water.

  She took a sip and then held onto the cold glass of water. The coldness felt good against her hot, sweaty hand.

  Paul took a seat next to her. “My mom’s a nurse, may I?” He held up his hand.

  She nodded. “I think it’s this darn corset. I can’t breathe.”

  He placed his hand on her forehead. “My God child, you are burning up. You’re definitely overheated.” Paul sighed, fanning himself. “You’re making me hot just sitting next to you. And I don’t mean hot like that.” He rolled his eyes and loosened the bow tie around his neck.

  “I hope not.” Sean narrowed his eyes at Paul.

  Natalie wanted to laugh but didn’t have the breath to. It was all crystal clear to her now. Paul and Sean had a thing for one another. How did she miss that? She felt like a complete fool for thinking Sean liked her. At least she didn’t have to worry about that any more.

  Ryan pressed his lips together and his eyes narrowed. He leaned closer to her. “You’ve been having these dizzy spells off and on since we met. Have you gone to the doctor?”

  “No.” Natalie’s head dropped. This was not like her to avoid a potential serious problem.

  He took a deep breath and sighed heavily. “Why not?” Ryan had never gotten mad at her but she knew he wasn’t happy with her.

  “I don’t know. Maybe because it hasn’t been consistent. It’s only happened a few times.” Natalie picked up a program lying on the table and fanned herself.

  “I think you need to go see your doctor first thing Monday or go to the university health center.” He brushed her hair back away from her face and his voice softened. “Natalie, please don’t ignore your health. What if this is something serious?”

  “I know. I promise I’ll call first thing Monday. She closed her eyes and swallowed hard. “Oh no, I feel sick,” she muttered under her breath.

  “What’s wrong?” Ryan leaned his ear closer to her.

  “I have to go to the bathroom. I think I’m going to throw up.” She eased her way up and grabbed her purse.

  “I hope you feel better,” Sean said.

  “Let us know if you need anything, Ryan,” Paul added.

  “Thanks guys.” Ryan guided Natalie through the crowd to the nearest bathroom. Luckily, a waitress directed them to a single bathroom where she could have some privacy.

  He tried to follow her into the bathroom but she turned and said, “Please, I need to be by myself.”

  He stepped back hesitantly. “Okay. I’ll be right outside if ya need me.”

  She nodded and shut the door. Immediately, she fell down to her knees, shaking and sweating profusely. She burned with fever and couldn’t seem to catch her breath. She wanted to rip the tapestry dress off of her body. She reached up behind her and managed to loosen up the lacing. She took a deep breath and lay face down on the cold marble floor, praying for the nausea to stop.

  “Oh my God,” she shrieked when a piercing pain struck her entire body. She curled up into a fetal position. Every part of her hurt and ached to the point it felt like she was dying. She moaned and cried out in desperation for the pain to stop.

  “Natalie, are you okay?” Ryan asked through the heavy wood door.

  She managed to speak. “Yeah, I’ll be okay. I need to lie here for a while. Please... go away.”

  “Are you sure?”

  “Go away,” she moaned.

  “I’m going to stay right here, in case you need me.”

  “No, I’ll be okay.” She cried out, unable to hide the tears of pain.

  “Alright, I’ll be back to check on you.”

  The pain, like nothing she had ever felt before, penetrated through every muscle and joint in her body. She bit down on her lip to keep from moaning out loud, but the intense pain made it impossible to keep silent.

  Heat rose from her feet and traveled up her body to her lungs. Thick and hot, it extinguished all her air until she gasped for her breath. Her body jerked and shook, convulsing out of control. Sweat poured out of her pores in puddles and her eyes burned with fever.

  Slowly, she raised her hand up to wipe the mascara and sweat burning her eyes. She blinked a few times, struggling to focus on her hand quivering in front of her face. It glowed red and orange with fire.

  “Natalie, are you okay?” Lise tapped on the door.

  It took a second for Natalie to comprehend what her eyes were seeing.

  “Natalie?” Lise continued to call for her.

  “Natalie, can Lise come in and check on you?” Ryan spoke through the door.

  She tried to talk but nothing came out. She tried again. “I’m okay,” she croaked.

  That was far from the truth. She wasn’t okay. Something was definitely wrong with her.

  “Are you sure? Can I come in?” Lise tried to open the door.

  When Natalie heard the doorknob turn, she rushed to the door. She couldn’t remember if she locked it. She turned the knob slowly and sighed when it refused to move.

  “Damn, that’s hot!” Lise shrieked.

  “What? What’s wrong?” Natalie could hear Ryan asking Lise.

  Immediately, Natalie let go of the doorknob. She turned and rotated her hand, studying both sides. Had she caused the knob to turn hot? She looked into the mirror. Flames spread underneath her transparent skin, igniting her entire body into a burning inferno.

  On my God, I’m on fire! My body’s on freakin’ fire! Her eyes gravitated down, checking out the rest of her body. Her clothes had disappeared along with her shoes. Where had they gone? She ran her hands up and down her body. It felt like her body except her skin had turned into an energy field with a fiery blaze brewing underneath. Her female anatomy resembled that of a Barbie doll; curves and mounds with no other distinct physical features. Even the hair on her head had turned a deep bright red, billowing all around her.

  “Natalie, open up,” Ryan demanded, pounding on the door.

  The beating grabbed her attention. “Ummmm...everything’s fine.” She tried to clear her throat but her voice crackled like burning embers. She looked back at the heavy brass doorknob, now a few shades lighter orange than before. Her instincts told her to cool it down before Ryan tried to open it. She didn’t want him to burn his hand too.

  Grabbing the doorknob with both hands, she watched in awe as water flowed from her hands and surrounded the knob. The original worn dark color resurfaced, telling h
er the knob had cooled down.

  “Oh my God, how did I do that?” she whispered under her breath. She had the ability to contain water within the palms of her hands. How was that possible? Before she could come to terms with what she had done, her entire body transformed into a body of water.

  “Natalie, are you sure you’re okay?” Lise sounded worried and scared. “Why won’t she open the door?” She heard Lise ask Ryan.

  “I don’t know, but I’m about to break down this damn door.” Ryan jiggled the doorknob.

  She didn’t know what to do. Her heart drummed in her ears and it felt like the walls were closing in around her. She turned around in a circle, searching for an escape. There was no window or second door. They couldn’t see her this way. They’d freak out. She had to convince them she was okay so they would leave her alone.

  “I’m okay. I just need to be alone. Ryan, I’ll uhhmmm... text you when I’m ready to leave,” she stammered out.

  The doorknob stopped turning. “Okay sorry, we’ll leave you alone. I’ll be waiting at the table and take you home whenever you’re ready.”

  “You poor thing. Let us know if we can help you,” Lise said.

  “Okay, thanks.” Natalie sighed in relief as she heard them leave. She turned back to the mirror, stunned at her pristine blue transformation. Waves of water flowed freely all over her body. She touched her brilliant blue hair. It looked exactly like ocean water from the Caribbean. How was this possible?

  Then reality hit and she went into complete hysteria. “Oh my God! Oh my God! What is wrong with me?” She backed away from the mirror until she hit the wall. She slumped down to the floor. What was she going to do?

  Her mind lingered on the edge of a full panic attack. I will be okay. Just stay calm. She hugged herself, rocking back and forth trying to soothe the fear within her. Her mind raced with a million thoughts. She closed her eyes and buried her head against her knees. Maybe she was dreaming and this really wasn’t happening. She rocked herself for several minutes, willing the ordeal to end.

  She lifted her head and opened her eyes, praying she would wake up in her bed. When she opened her eyes, nothing had changed. She was still a small body of flowing water sitting on the floor in the bathroom at the mansion. Why was this happening? When she raised her hands to cover her face she noticed her composition changing once again.

  She watched her arms, legs, and feet turn darker, transforming into a vibrant evergreen color. Her hands shook and her entire body shuttered. How was this possible? She rose to her feet and paced back and forth, telling herself it was her imagination. She held her hands up in front of her, completely awestruck at what she had become. Why was she green? She looked like a toxic waste dump. What was she going to do? How would she get home?

  She continued pacing around the bathroom, trying to figure out what to do. She clinched her fist and gritted her teeth. She would get out of there. It took a few seconds for her to calm down. She focused on her breathing, concentrating on the wheezing and rattling sound of the air as it entered her nose and filled her lungs. Inch by inch, the air consumed her to the point it rose up through her throat and moved over her face. Her body became lighter and lighter until she lifted up off the floor.

  “What in the world? Help! Somebody help me!” She moved her arms and legs as though struggling to stay afloat in water. After a few seconds she stopped moving, realizing her body hovered just beneath the ceiling. She glanced over at the mirror. She was as clear as the air she breathed. Her nearly invisible body floated effortlessly. How had she turned into a body of air?

  This by far had to be the most insane, delirious, and freakish thing she had ever experienced. One thing was for certain, she had to get out of there. She thought hard, analyzing every possible solution. She had to escape without being seen. A thought emerged and she imagined herself flying through the air and out of the mansion. It was possible, right? She repeated the words over and over in her head. I can fly. To her disappointment, it didn’t work. She hadn’t moved an inch.

  She sighed; feeling frustrated but determined to get out. The small bathroom made it nearly impossible to move. Once more, she closed her eyes and focused on making her body fly. She felt her body gradually drifting through the air.

  Her eyes popped open when she touched the mirror. “Yes! I can do this!”

  She reached down and picked up her purse off the counter and inched her way to the door. Before she opened it, she listened carefully, making sure she didn’t hear anyone coming.

  Slowly, she cracked the door open and peeked outside. Her eyes narrowed and she took a deep breath, concentrating on what she wanted her body to do. All of sudden something deep inside of her emerged; a forceful, yet instinctive power coming from the pit of her stomach. She darted forward, gliding down the long dark hallway. She had done it. She was flying!

  She stopped before the common area, hovering behind a pillar, determining which way to go. The main area and front doors were too risky. Her eyes scoped out a path right next to the library leading out to the veranda. Even though people filled the room, this was her only hope of escaping.

  She waited for the right moment and sprang forward, zipping through the room and out a set of double doors into the night. She had escaped and now she was flying! She couldn’t believe she was actually flying like a bird. It had to be the most exhilarating thing she had ever felt before in her life. It was mind-blowing and scary at the same time. She soared through the hot, muggy air and past the Austin skyline. She knew she was born to fly.

  Δ

  * * *

  Chapter 8: Inevitable

  In the faint distance, Natalie heard people chattering. The indistinct voices told her it had to be the television or the radio. She woke gradually, the black behind her eyes lids turning lighter, to the point that she had to squint from the sun’s bright rays.

  “Is she okay?” a male voice asked.

  “I don’t know. I think she’s breathing,” a female voice replied.

  “Hey, wake up.” Natalie felt a nudge on her arm. When she moved, every muscle and joint ached. Sleep and tiredness weighed her down. It felt like her eyes were coated with lead.

  “Maybe we should get a cop. She probably partied too hard last night. I mean look at the way she’s dressed,” the female commented.

  Partied too hard...what?

  “Yeah, you’re probably right. Are you okay?”

  Natalie felt someone touch her face and shake her head. Her eyes popped open and instinctively she grabbed the hand in front of her face and twisted it, pulling it away.

  “Hey, let go,” the guy yelled. A dog next to her barked several times and he ordered it to stop.

  She released the guy’s hand and jumped to her feet. “Leave me alone. What do you want?” Her vision blurred and her eyes burned from the light.

  The dog barked a few more times and then sniffed her, licking her foot. The wet, sandpaper stroke from the dog’s tongue caught her attention. Why did she only have one shoe on?

  “Hey, take it easy.” The guy backed up, pulling his dog with him.

  “Yeah, we’re trying to help you.” The woman got up quickly and took a few steps back.

  Natalie looked around for a moment, blinking her eyes rapidly. Where in the world was she?

  “Do you need us to call someone for you?” The woman pulled out her cell phone from the band around her arm.

  She stared at her for a second. Did she know her? The woman had to be a few years older than her, say early-twenties. She wore a tank top, shorts, and running shoes. Maybe she knew her from the gym.

  Natalie took a deep breath and ran her hand across her forehead. She had the most excruciating headache ever. Once her vision stabilized she recognized her surroundings. She was on The Drag, the main strip along the edge of the UT campus, in front of an empty building. How did she end up here?

  “Do you need our help or not?” the guy probed one more time.

  “Oh, ummm.... I th
ink I’m fine. I fell asleep, that’s all.” She brushed the hair away from her face and noticed her wristlet, dangling from her hand. “I’ve got my phone.” She opened her purse and took it out.

  The woman and guy looked at each other. Natalie knew what they were thinking. They probably thought she got drunk at a party and passed out. How embarrassing.

  “Okay.” The woman shot her a sardonic look and then slid her phone back into her arm band.

  The guy shrugged his shoulders and yanked on the dog’s leash, instructing him to follow. The dog sniffed her foot one more time and then turned to follow his owner and the lady.

  “Thanks.” Natalie blurted out, feeling bad for the way she acted. They didn’t bother to acknowledge her gratitude and kept walking down the street.

  She checked her phone wondering what time it was. It showed 8:42 a.m. Saturday morning. A list of several missed calls flashed on her screen, all from Ryan and Lise. What would she tell them? She started to dial Ryan’s number, but stopped. She had to figure out what happened before she called him. However, the throbbing in her head made it nearly impossible to think.

  A horn sounded and startled her. “Hey there baby? How much?”

  She looked up and saw a car passing by with a guy hanging out the window yelling. She turned around, wondering who he was screaming at when she realized it was her. She wanted to run and hide. To make matters worse, a few people walked by her, staring at her and making sly comments under their breath. She had to get off The Drag and out of this dress.

  She knew she couldn’t go back to the dorm. Lise would have too many questions for her. The safest place was the condo.

  She limped her way down the sidewalk, stopping midway to remove the one shoe she had on. Going barefoot would be easier and her feet ached from wearing the stacked heels. She flagged the next taxi cab passing by and got into the car.

  “Where to ma’am?” the driver asked.

  “Ummm, 300 Bowie Street.” It took her a minute to remember her aunt’s address. Everything seemed so foggy and faint in her mind. She leaned her head back against the headrest and closed her eyes. Images flashed through her mind, recalling how she changed and transformed. She opened her eyes and looked at her hands. Did all that really happen?