thoughts. Blinking rapidly, I struggled to see who had woken me.
“Follow me,” the voice said happily.
Lowering my hands, I, once again, attempted to see who was calling me. The
light softened, no longer blinding me with its brightness, and I could see Starten
Forest surrounding me. Luscious green trees held heavy branches. Their trunks
were covered with a dark green moss that spread down and across the ground.
Unexpectedly, a blue orb bounced around me. Giggling, the glow
transformed into a young woman, who stood as tall as I did. I instantly was mesmerized by her sparkling silver eyes. Suddenly, the girl spun, around and around, whipping her long, blue hair and blue dress.
I stepped back to avoid being knocked over. My toes squished into the soft
moss.
“Don't you recognize me?” The girl twirled again, and her dress sparkled like
a thousand fireflies in the night sky.
“Bay?” I questioned as I continued to stare at her. “This can't be real. I have
to be dreaming.”
In response to my doubt, she reached out and pinched my upper arm roughly.
“Ouch!” I cried out loud, swatting at her. “That really hurt.”
“Ha! It can't be a dream. You don't feel pain when you are sleeping!” Bay
laughed and began to shape-shift. She transformed from the young woman back to a blue bouncing light, and then into the small dollish form that was familiar to
me.
As I stared wide-eyed at her, she returned to the young woman who had just
pinched me.
“Stop wasting time and come with me.” Bay grabbed my hand and quickly
ran through the forest, dragging me behind her.
Before I could protest, images of trees and forest creatures flashed around me as we moved at lightning speed. Abruptly, she stopped, and I crashed into her.
“You came at the best time!” Bay exclaimed before disappearing into a large
oak.
Dumbfounded, I circled the tree to find an entrance.
Bay poked her head out of the solid trunk. “Tonight is the Gealach Nua. Our
celebration of the coming new moon. We'll have so much fun."
Once again, she disappeared.
“Wait!” I pounded on the trunk. “I can't go through a tree. I'm human.”
“You are always the doubter, Mara. Stop believing everything you see,”
Bay's hollow voice called to me.
I can't walk through solid objects, I thought bitterly.
I stared at the spot where the girl had vanished. A strange sensation of
familiarity overcame me. I felt as though I had been here before. Pushing away
my thoughts, I closed my eyes and stepped into the tree.
Bu-dum. Bu-dum. Bu-dum.
The sound of my blood pumping filled my ears. An electric pulse flowed
through me and into the inky void. My head told me to panic, but a soft voice inside reminded me to connect with my feelings. Listening to my instinct, I continued forward. Abruptly, strong hands grasped my wrists, and I was jerked
