I had a great life. My whole life I was popular at school, I had a lot of friends and a caring family. My life wasn't perfect, of course, but I was happy and really appreciated everything I had.
One day I was in a great mood; everything felt perfect. I woke up energized and went to school where we had a pretty good day and didin't do much work. After school I went to the movies with my friends. When we finished, I came home and went bike riding with my mom Madaline, my dad Oscar and my sister Mary to the park where we had a picnic and everything felt right. I went to bed happy that night thinking about how amazing life is, not knowing that the next day would be the day that changed my whole life.
I woke up the next day, extremely cold. When I opened my eyes, it was pitch black which made me really confused. I tried to turn on my lamp, but couldn't find it. I got out of the bed and tried to find the light switch; I was feeling the things in the room with my hands, but something didin't feel right. I couldn't find my desk, my wardrobe, my sofa, my rug or anything. I got really scared, I thought I maybe wandered of somewhere in the middle of the night. I bumped into a table that I felt a flashlight on. I turned on the flashlight and was terrified when I saw that I was standing in the middle of a small, old-looking room. I panicked, where am I and how did I get here. The room had a dusty bed and a small, rusty sink in the corner, a big table in the middle and scratched doors; the walls were stained and there were no windows. This must be a dream, I thought, but it didin't feel like one; it felt completely real. I was looking around the room trying to find something that would give me a clue on how I got here when I saw a bag under the bed. When I opened it, I saw a note that read:
Hello Alice Hower, we are the forest society, and you have been selected to participate in The Snow Experiment that we have created ourselves. We decited to randomly pick someone, and you were the one chosen. This experiment is to see if a person can survive a creature that we call "Poisonors". We created these creatures in our laboratory and put them in this area where snow streches for miles. Throughout this experiment, you will be given certain clues about how to escape Poisonors and survive. Your goal is to not get caught by them. If it catches you, it will immediately poison you and you will pass away just minutes after. In this bag, you will find a key that unlocks the doors to the cabin that you are currently in. Your first clue is hidden deep in the snow, 3 meters from the cabin's front door. And remember, X marks the spot.
I couldn't believe what I was seeing, is this real. I was scared for my life and was hoping that someone was just playing a sick joke on me. I was inside the cabin for days because I was too scared to go outside. I had no food and could only drink the water from the rusty sink. I decided that I must get out or I would die from hunger.
When I unlocked the door, I saw a forest that was completely covered in snow. It was not long until I found a big X on the ground. When I dug into the snow like the note said, I found a box with a map in it that marked all the places where Poisonors live, on the map it was written that Poisonors dont come out of these places unless they hear or see someone, there were also marked the "safe spots" where these creatures couldn't get you because the creators of the experiment hid special leaves around these spots, that Poisonors hate the smell of. The map had a path drawn on it and some red dots marking some places. I figured that I have to follow the path and go to these marked places. On the first marked spot, I found a pair of gloves, a green, glowing ball and a note that said:
This is one out of three radioactive balls that you must find. Put on these gloves and only then you can pick them up. DO NOT TOUCH THEM WITHOUT GLOVES!
The next day, I picked up the second one, I saw that it was smaller than the first, but I was scared to get the last one because the marked spot was right next to the place where one of the creatures lived. I planned on how to get the ball. First, I would quietly get to the spot and when I get it, I would run as fast as I could to the nearest safe spot. I decided to spend the next couple of days trying to find food so I could have the energy to get the last ball. After a few days, I went to go get the last ball. I walked for miles through the forest and when I got close, I saw a cave where the Poisonor lived and next to it, the last ball. When I finally got the courage, I quietly tried to get past the cave when I heard a loud growl and realized that the Poisonor saw me. My heart dropped, I quickly grabbed the ball and started sprinting to the safe spot. I could hear the Poisonor fastly running behind me, but I managed to get to the safe spot. When I turned around, I saw it. It looked straight from a horror movie; it was huge and hairy, its arms were long, but its legs were short, it had red eyes and a big nose, its mouth was full of sharp teeth, and it had a poisonous thorn on its chin. I almost passed out. When I calmed down, I saw a note attached to the last ball that read:
Congratulations on finding all three balls. You are now moving on to the hardest step where you will have to go to one of the caves where a Poisonor lives. You can do that by dropping the special leaves into its cave that are buried under the biggest tree in the forest. In each cave there is a board where you must assemble all the balls on. You must put it from largest to smallest, and when you do, secret signs will appear on the board with a message.
After everything, now I also have to go into their cave.
I spent months trying to find the leaves. I dug under so many trees, but I guess that it was never the biggest one. I found a barn in the forest that had a lot of supplies for hunting and lighting a fire. I learned to hunt animals and cook them, so I survived by hunting and drinking dirty sink water.
One day I finally found the leaves and planned strategies on how to do the next step. I went to the nearest cave, dropped the leaves in and ran as fast as I could to the safe spot. My heart was pounding as I heard the Poisonor angerly growling and chasing me, I tried to get away but it caught me. I was fighting for my life while it was trying to stab me with its thorn, so I reached into my pocket and took the knife from the barn. I swung the knife and cut its face. It screamed and let me go so I quickly ran to the safe spot. I waited for the Poisonor to go away so I could get to its cave; its cave has now become a safe spot. When I got to the cave, I saw the board, so I quickly assembled all the balls on it and saw signs appear with a message on the bottom.
These signs are old Hiberian letters that read out a curse that kills the Poisonors. You just have to pronounce them right and in right order, from left to right. The old cabin holds secrets.
Another riddle that would take me long. I went back to the cabin and searched but I found nothing. I searched everywhere for days when I finally found a drawing of the cabin upside down and I instantly got it. What if I had to dig under the cabin and that's what the picture showed. I dug for a long time until I found the box. In the box there were a lot of letters that were written hundreds of years ago by a woman that used to live here. She wrote about seeing terrifying creatures because of her illness. She made a curse out of Hiberian letters and right before she died, she wrote the last letter saying that the curse that she wrote must be buried with her, so it keeps her safe from the creatures.
These sick people made her hallucinations come to life and picked an innocent person to participate in their experiment. I loved my life before they kidnapped me and forced me to survive their creatures. I was so angry and just wanted to go home. I knew everyone thought I was dead, because I've been missing for so long.
The last letter had the curse and instructions on how to pronounce it.
"Otto rigi sano de linop" was the pronunciation.
I ran in front of the cabin and yelled out the curse. A few seconds after I heard painful screams from all around the forest. The Poisonors died. But nothing happened, I was still there. I waited for someone to get me out of here, but no one came. I was confused and just went to bed.
The next day I woke up in the middle of the forest, but it wasn't the snowy forest where the Poisonors used to live, it was the forest that was right next to my house. I was finally back. I ran to my house; I couldn't wait to see my family again. I knocked on the door, but it wasn't my family that answered the door; it was some strangers.
They asked who I am and did I need help; I didin't know what was going on. I explained that I live here but they said that they just bought this house. I was devastated when I realized that my family had moved away and sold our house. I asked all around the town if anyone knew where my family moved but all I found out was that they thought I was kidnapped and passed away so they couldn't take living here anymore, they sold the house and dissapeared. I didin't tell anyone what happened after I came back because I knew that they would think I was insane.
I tried for years to get in contact with my family, but no one knew where they went. I was put into foster care and my life was never the same.
When I grew up, I became a psychiatrist and helped people with mental illnesses. I guess that The Snow Experiment encouraged me to help people like that poor woman that saw the creatures.
I was still trying to reach my family but never succeeded. One day I decided to try one number for the last time. I wasn't expecting anything when I heard:
"Hello, this is Madaline Hower."
THE END