One afternoon, Lina’s little brother, Sam, disappeared. Sam was only nine years old and loved to explore. That day, he told Lina he wanted to find wild berries near the forest’s edge. The village had plenty of berry bushes there. But hours passed, and Sam did not return. The sun began to set, painting the sky orange and pink. The village grew quiet and worried.
Lina was seventeen. She had long brown hair that often fell over her bright green eyes. She was kind and brave, but sometimes she felt shy around new people. She lived in a small village at the edge of a great forest. Everyone in the village talked about the forest with fear. They said it was dark and dangerous, full of strange noises and shadows. Some even said that people who went inside never came back. But Lina always felt something different — a quiet magic in the air, a secret waiting to be found.
She looked toward the forest, holding a torch in her hand. The trees stood tall and dark, like giant shadows. The wind whispered through the leaves. Lina felt a chill run down her spine, but she knew she had to be brave.
As Lina stepped toward the forest, she called Sam’s name softly, then louder, “Sam! Sam!” Her voice echoed between the trees. But the forest only answered with silence.
Suddenly, a cold wind blew, and Lina heard a strange sound — a soft cry, almost like a whisper. She stopped. “Sam?” she whispered, her heart racing. The trees seemed to close in around her. The light dimmed. She felt a shadow move just beyond the bushes. Was it Sam? Or something else?
Lina held her breath. She stepped closer to the bushes, holding the torch high. “Sam?” she called again, her voice shaking a little.
The leaves moved. A small shape jumped out.
“Ah!” Lina stepped back.
It was not Sam. It was a rabbit. Its fur was white, and its eyes were big and dark. It looked at her for a second, then ran away into the trees.
Lina gave a small laugh. “Just a rabbit,” she whispered, trying to calm her heart.
But then she heard something else — a soft voice. “Lina…”
She turned fast. “Who said that?” she asked.
The voice came again, very gentle, almost like wind. “Lina… help…”
It was not Sam. It sounded older. But it knew her name.
Lina looked around, and then she saw it — a tiny light, like a firefly, floating in the air. It moved slowly, then stopped and waited.
Lina followed it.
The light floated between the trees, over roots, past rocks, and deeper into the forest. The trees grew taller, and the air felt cooler. Her torch flickered, but the tiny light stayed bright.
After a few minutes, the light stopped in front of a large tree. Its trunk was wide and twisted. There was a hole in it, big enough to crawl through.
Lina stepped closer.
Suddenly, a soft voice came again — from inside the tree.
“Help me…”
She dropped to her knees and looked inside.
“Sam?” she asked.
There was a soft sound — a cry.
“I’m stuck!” the voice said. This time, it was Sam. She knew it was him.
“I’m coming!” Lina said.
She pushed her bag inside and crawled into the tree. It was dark and tight. Her torch barely lit the space. She moved forward on her hands and knees.
Then she saw him — Sam, sitting on the ground, his leg stuck between two roots.
His face lit up. “Lina!”
She ran to him and hugged him tight. “You’re okay!” she said. “I was so scared!”
“I fell,” Sam said. “And then… someone helped me.”
“Who?” Lina asked.
Sam pointed behind her.
Lina turned and gasped.
There, standing in the tree’s shadow, was a small creature with wings — a forest fairy. Her dress looked like leaves, and her eyes sparkled like stars.
“I found him,” the fairy said. “But I could not pull him free. Only you could do that.”
Lina stared, eyes wide. “You… You’re real.”
The fairy smiled. “The forest hides many secrets. But you are kind and brave. So the forest showed you the way.”
Lina helped Sam free his leg. It was a little hurt, but he could walk.
“Thank you,” Lina said to the fairy.
“Go now,” the fairy said. “The forest grows darker. But remember — it is not always what it seems.”
Lina took Sam’s hand. Together, they crawled out of the tree. The forest was quiet again.
When they reached the edge, the moon was high in the sky. The village lights shone far ahead.
“We’re almost home,” Lina said.
“Lina,” Sam whispered, “Do you think the fairy will remember us?”
Lina smiled. “I think the forest will.”
And with that, they walked home — tired, amazed, and forever changed.
