For weeks, the soldier’s story buzzed around in Zarek’s head, the way a catchy song does after hearing it for the first time. He was eager to talk about it to someone, but there was no one to talk to. Everyone in Gammot would call him crazy and tell him to “run along and be a good lad.”
As he remained silent, a bursting feeling swelled inside of him, trying to force the words out. He finally blurted it out while having dinner with his family one night.
“Dad, have you ever heard of an enchanted forest?”

The question seemed to take him off gaurd, and he frowned slightly. “Where did you hear of such a thing?”
Zarek instantly felt regret for his impatience, hearing the disapproval in his father’s voice. “A soldier from the recently-passed platoon… He told me amazing stories about a magic forest, and a city too!”
His father shook his head, “Those are fools’ stories, son. No better than the dirt under your feet. Keep your head out of the clouds, boy.”
And he did, for a while….