1 The Enigma in the Forest

Thunder roared. Lightning sprinted across the sky, startling the birds resting high up on the branches. 

The night was filled with the scent of blood. Something dreadful was happening in the mystical forest in the centre of the village. 

"Help! No!" screamed a man, who was blindfolded in the dark, not knowing what was around him. He was struggling, trying to escape, only to realise that he couldn't. He fought hard. "It hurts, get it off me!" he mourned with the ominous feeling of death. 

However, no one was coming for the rescue. And the life of him finally faded away under the several fierce thundering. 

"Hey Darwin," cheered a girl while running towards him. It was a delightful morning filled with freshness of air after the stormy night. The light green on the meadow pictured the liveliness of the village. The flower was blossoming with different colours on the meadow, making it so beautiful and peaceful. 

The girl with red hair was Rachel Swift, she had long and curly hair, green eyes and a sense of confidence. She was mature and discipline, always trying her very best to keep Darwin and Matthew out of trouble. 

Darwin Moore, to who she cheered, was the adventurous boy, always finding the excuse to explore into the forest in the centre of the village, though hadn't succeeded yet. He was trimming the bushes with a pair of scissor to make them look lively. The flowers on the bushes were sending off fragrance. 

"Good morning, Rachel." he addressed her. "Did you hear what had happened last night?" asked Rachel curiously. "Yes, I heard, a body was found near the forest," Darwin showed a concerned look. "It was the third body this month." 

"I think it is time I pay a little visit to the forest itself, see what skulduggery is hiding in there," Darwin smiled at Rachel, who showed sign of disbelief. "Come on, Darwin, you don't mean that," Rachel disagreed. 

"Why not, Rachel, we have been discussing about the trip into it for quite a while now. Don't you get it, something is very wmatthewg in it, we need to get to the bottom of it." 

"Did you not hear what our parents said? We are not allowed to enter it under any circumstances," rebutted Rachel with the fierce look in her eyes. 

"It doesn't matter what they said, bodies keep turning up, what do you suppose we are going to do?" Darwin replied indignantly. "Are you saying we are just gonna ignore the bodies?" 

"Darwin, that is something for the adults to do, not us teenagers," replied Rachel. 

 "Am I missing something here?" here came Matthew Johnsons, with the shovel on his hand, apparently just finished planting the seeds in the meadow.

He had brown hair, thin, a little bit shorter than Darwin, but slightly higher than Rachel, full of bravery spirit, wanted to go on an adventurous trip since he was a kid.

"Darwin is suggesting to go into the forest. Again."

Excitement came across Matthew's face, he looked in the direction of the forest, eagerness shown in his eyes.

"I am on his side, Rachel, what happened to those bodies needs to be revealed," Matthew moved towards Darwin, ignoring Rachel's anger.

"You have got to be kidding me," Rachel couldn't believe it, as if she wanted to punch Matthew in the face.

"We are going in with or without you, Rachel. So are you coming?" said Darwin, with defiant tone, he knew that Rachel would definitely go with them, because she always looked after them like a sister.

"Alright then, someone has got to look after you two," Rachel shrugged her shoulder.

"There we go," said Matthew, exchanging smile with Darwin.

Without any hesitation, Darwin and Matthew walked down the road in the direction of the forest, heads up with enthusiastic look in their eyes, while Rachel followed them, pouting like it was really just a waste of time.