Backstory: I wasn't always a deer. I used to be a human that lived by a mysterious forest. The old people of my town would warn the young children "Don't go into the forest! For once you enter, you shall never return!" There were many legends of the forest, ranging from creepy ghost stories to tales of carefree majestic creatures similar to centaurs. Never-the-less all of these folktales warned the children to steer clear of the forest. I guess the warning never really worked on me.

It was a cool summer's evening and I was walking back home from school. At school I was bullied by students and teachers alike, and at home I was bullied by my auntie (my parents vanished and were assumed to be dead when I was three). The forest in the distance almost begged me to explore it. Being 18 I had since outgrown the fairytales of my childhood. "What could possibly happen?" I told myself as I started toward the lush forest. As I reached the forest's edge I surveyed the area, making sure no-one was watching. The leaves on the tall old trees shivered as the wind rustled them. One more glance behind me and I began my journey into the forest.

I had been walking for about ten minutes and just as I expected nothing out of the ordinary had happened. As the sun began to set I thought it would be a good idea to head back. I turned around and began to walk back. The sun was setting considerably fast so I quickened my stride. Trees creaked and the grass waved about as my quickened stride became a light jog. Pretty soon I noticed something strange.

"Why have I not reached the end of the forest yet??!!" I panicked. The sun had set and the twilight cast a silvery glow on the forest. I began running. I felt dizzy. Confused. Scared. Were the legends true? As twilight descended into night it became clear. I was trapped here. Then suddenly... A faint glow in the distance!

Hopeful that this was another person or even better the end of the forest, I ran toward it. "What?!" As I reached the glow I discovered it was some kind of odd orb, gold in colour and with a strange symbol in its centre. I approached it with caution. It peacefully bobbed up and down as I reached out... and touched it. The entire forest was engulfed in a bright flash of light! I passed out.

When I came to it was late afternoon. The warm sun’s light danced around me as the trees swayed around in the pleasant breeze. “Huh? Trees?!!!” It hadn’t been just a dream. I was still in the forest. I tried to get up but it was as if my body wouldn’t let me. I observed myself. “Whaaa- ?!!” I had become a deer. "How could such a thing even be possible?!" I thought. My sudden shock soon melted away and I took in the serene beauty of this paradise. There were other deer too. Other deer that were once human. Two deer approached me, something about them struck me as familiar...

It was my parents.