The twig snapped again, closer this time, jolting William from the paralysis that had gripped him since his abrupt arrival. He forced himself to move, scrambling backward away from the sound. As he did, his senses sharpened to everything around him. This wasn't just any forest, it was vastly different to any forests he had seen, even those in picturesque Instagram photos.

  The trees towered over him like lush green skyscrapers, their trunks thicker than he had ever seen. Leaves of luminous green formed a dense canopy overhead, filtering the light into an ethereal glow that painted the forest floor with shifting patterns of illumination. The air hummed with life, a palpable energy thrumming beneath his skin, as if the forest itself was alive and aware.

  William pushed through ferns taller than himself, their fronds unfurling to create a path. He was surrounded by flowers in colours he'd never encountered, delicate star-shaped blossoms, trumpets of blue and gold, and blooms pulsing with a every so slight soft internal glow, like tiny bioluminescent beacons. The splash of colour was breath-taking, it felt as if he had stepped into a dream.

  “Okay, William, let’s apply some logic here,” he said, shaking his head. “I might be living in a fantasy novel, but that doesn’t mean I should act like a clueless protagonist. In those stories, there’s usually some clear plot, some grand goal to achieve. Am I here to save a princess from an evil dragon? Or do they need a hero to save the world from impending doom? Why am I even in this bizarre place?”

  He paused, scanning the kaleidoscopic forest surrounding him. “None of this makes sense,” he murmured, feeling the absurdity of his situation press heavily upon him. “What pattern am I meant to decipher? What quest awaits?”

  With each breath, William felt more absurd. He was a data analyst, a brilliant one if he must say so himself, but he wasn’t a hero, not by a long stretch. Whatever pulled him here, had probably made a grave miscalculation. Yet, he couldn’t shake the nagging notion that this was more than mere coincidence. He felt a pull, an implication that some greater purpose lurked beneath the surface, waiting to be unveiled. Understanding the forest and its peculiarities was one thing, but understanding his role in it was another entirely. Where was the map, the guide, the clear-cut objective? Don’t the protagonist normally get some sort of special skill or a system to help guide them from the start?

  “That’s it, right? There’s always a reward for the hero’s struggle in these stories. Some promise of transformation or enlightenment.” He shook his head, dismissing his own thoughts. “But I’m no hero. Just a data analyst who has somehow become part of this twisted plot. If I truly am part of a grand tale, what does it mean for me? And why was I chosen?”

  His heart raced as he pondered these questions, each one leading him deeper into uncertainty. The woods seemed to chuckle at his confusion, every swirling shadow an echo of the tales he’d read, and he couldn’t help but feel that he was the only one without a script. “I need to figure this out,” he insisted, focusing back on the path ahead as a flicker of determination ignited within him.

  He pressed onward, the questions swirling in his mind like the chaotic patterns he had so often sought to decode in data sets.

  Suddenly, movement caught his eye. A rabbit burst from the underbrush, its large ears flopping wildly as it darted past him, a streak of fur and panic. William yelped, stumbling back in shock.

  “What the?!” His heart raced as adrenaline surged through him. “Scared by a rabbit? Bravo, Shard. That’s the pinnacle of incompetence. Next, I’ll let a butterfly scare me off a cliff!”

  Just then, the rabbit skidded to a halt and turned to face him, its black button eyes staring intently. William blinked in confusion as he processed the situation. The creature was unlike any rabbit he had ever seen. It was bigger but with smaller ears, it looked slightly muscular, much different to the cute and furry variant he was use to seeing in pet shops. The air around it shimmered, as it moved, perhaps caused by the strange lighting in the forest, or perhaps something else altogether.

  Reading on this site? This novel is published elsewhere. Support the author by seeking out the original.

  “Am I hallucinating? A buff and maybe magical rabbit?” he mused, trying to frame the encounter logically. “Is it a genetic anomaly specific to this world? Or perhaps it’s evolved to blend in with its vibrant environment? I need to catalogue this creature, if I ever get out of here.”

  Before he could act, the rabbit bounded towards a thicket, pause, then jumped back, seemingly beckoning him to follow.

  “Great,” he muttered. “A rabbit wants me to follow it into danger. Just what I need, a furry guide leading me to my doom.”

  But curiosity once again propelled him forward. As William followed the unusual rabbit through the underbrush, his analytical mind clicked into gear. He noted the rabbit's erratic movements and the shimmering air that seemed to distort around it. “If this creature is leading me somewhere, what might that say about its environment?” he wondered. “Is it fleeing from a predator, or simply exploring?” He began cataloguing his observations, the way the rabbit had stopped to sniff the air, the twitch of its nose, its powerful hind legs ready to leap. “If it can sense danger before I can, perhaps I can learn from its reactions,” he thought. Realizing the rabbit was a data point in this complex ecosystem, he steadied himself and focused, determining that if the rabbit trusted its instincts for safety, maybe he should too.

  The underbrush quivered suddenly, and William skidded to a halt. From the thick ferns emerged a creature far larger than the rabbit, a sleek, feline being with glowing eyes and fur that seemed to shimmer like liquid silver. Its gaze locked onto William, nostrils flaring, as it calculated its next move.

  “So, the magical rabbit leads me to a predator. Good call, William,” he whispered, forcing himself to stay calm. “Let’s think this through. Data-driven decision-making, right? This creature is part of the forest food chain, its likely hunting for its next meal. What are its potential behaviours? Maybe it’s more interested in the rabbit than in me… more logical choice given it’s an easier prey.”

  The feline crouched low, muscles tense. Just as it prepared to pounce, the rabbit darted between its legs and disappeared into a burrow.

  “Good job, bunny! How about a little help for me?” William blurted, clutching his makeshift weapon, a sturdy branch he had picked up earlier. It couldn’t compare to a long sharp sword, but it was better than nothing.

  He felt the presence of the creature as it turned its attention back to him, the predatory glint in its eyes just as sharp, ready to pounce at any time.

  “What’s a data analyst doing in a magical forest, armed with nothing but a stick?” William muttered darkly, trying to make sense of the surreal situation. In that instant, the instinct to survive kicked in, overwhelming his desire for reasoning. He took an assertive step toward the creature, brandishing the branch trying to wave it in a threatening manner.

  “Listen, whatever you are, I’m not dinner! I’m just a normal data person who’s had an exceptionally weird day!” He didn’t know if words would deter it, but desperation fuelled his courage.

  The creature paused, its head tilting slightly, as if discerning the threat level. William could almost hear his logical brain working through the data points. Was this creature sentient? Did it understand him? Or was it simply reacting to his presence?

  “Come on, there’s got to be a way out of this,” he pleaded, heart racing. “If I could just…”

  Before he could finish his thought, the feline lunged, but instead of attacking, it leaped past him, chasing after the rabbit.

  William exhaled, relief flooding him as the danger passed. “Well, that’s one way to avoid a confrontation, good job on going for the easier prey.” he sighed, feeling shaken but oddly exhilarated. The encounter had revealed an unexpected truth about this world, danger lurked in the shadows, but so did fleeting moments of wonder.

  “Alright, focus, William. Logic and reasoning,” he reminded himself, brushing off the leaves from his suit. He was in a strange land where even his understanding of nature was being rewritten. “Time to explore, gather data, and figure out how to get out of here—preferably in one piece.”

  Just as he was thinking that, a guttural cry sliced through the tranquillity, a sound that seemed to coil around him, somewhere between a shriek and a growl. It was close, and it was coming closer. Listening carefully, William could hear the footsteps approaching, one step at a time. Based on the footsteps, he determined that whatever was running toward him was smaller than he was but definitely headed his way.

  He froze, instincts kicking in as his heart raced. Based on the speed of the footsteps, he wasn't confident he could outrun it, so his best chance was to stand his ground and defend himself. He gripped a sturdy branch he'd picked up earlier, its weight a small comfort in his hand, and prepared to swing it at whatever jumped his way.

  “Okay, use the data available, William. You can figure this out,” he whispered to himself, steadying his breath as he tightened his grip on the makeshift weapon. “At least I hope my logic is sharper than whatever creature is out there.”

  As the growl grew louder, William’s heart pounded wildly. Whatever was lurking in the shadows seemed to be a creature born from the fabric of this strange world, and he was determined to face it, armed with nothing but his wits and a branch.