The Endless Hollow

Just east outside of town there is a boundary line we call “the Boundary of Echoes”. Going past it is forbidden. Anyone who does is never seen again. They’re swallowed up by whatever lies beyond the boundary.

There are plenty of stories about the people who have disappeared into the Endless Hollow, the deep forest past the boundary, but I don’t know if I believe any of them. This town likes to scare people into obedience.

People tend to look down their noses at me because of my “uniqueness”. That’s what my mother calls my oddities. I don’t consider myself unique or odd. Give me a good, scary story or let me wander to the west to the hunting grounds, since we’re not allowed to go east, and I’m fine.

Those two things alone are enough to make me ‘odd’ in their eyes. My mother says it’s because I am a girl, but the boys don’t even like scary stories. I know she’s just trying to spare my feelings, and I love her for it, but her efforts are fruitless. The kids mock me every chance they get, and the adults either look at me condescendingly, or talk to me patronizingly.

I've gotten good at ignoring it all. Deep down, though, I wish there was a way out of this forsaken town. I’ve dreamed more than once of running away. I’ve even thought of running into the Endless Hollow. Sometimes I think I’d rather endure whatever waits beneath the deep green of the trees than stay here with these people.

Wishful thoughts are all I have, though. Or so I thought.

I woke up this morning after a restless sleep. The dark of the night had gnawed at me like it was trying to steal me. This wasn’t the first time. A few months ago, one of the other girls, Marrowyn, disappeared in the dead of night without a trace.

There were no signs of her leaving. No signs of anyone taking her. If there was ever a situation where something vanished out of thin air, this would’ve been it. The hair on my arms still stand on end at the thought of that horrible night.

It broke my heart when I heard she’d disappeared. Marrowyn was my friend. With no siblings of my own, I’d always looked at her like a little sister. Her parents never really approved of us spending time together, so we weren’t allowed to hang out much. But since I was her only real friend, they overlooked it every so often.

Ever since she vanished, the restless nights have returned again and again. At first, they came weeks apart. Now the amount of time between them has been getting less and less. I let the unease settle in my chest for a moment, like I do every morning after nights like these, and I force myself to shake it off. Then I stretch and start my day like nothing is wrong.

I walk over to my closet and grab some clothes. Today’s chores involve feeding the chickens and cleaning out the pens. So, I begrudgingly opt for my more raggedy clothes. Chore days come with extra stares and whispers from the townspeople. It’s more annoying than anything else.

Once dressed, I head to the kitchen for some oatmeal and toast. The closer I get, the more I can hear the melody dancing from the kitchen. My mother always sings in the morning while getting her day started. I did not inherit that trait; I can’t sing to save my life.

“Good morning, Mother,” I say softly, making noise with my feet that way I do not startle her as I enter the kitchen.

“Good morning, Elowen,” my mother replies with a smile.

My breakfast is already waiting for me on our barn-style round kitchen table. I keep trying to tell my mother that I can make my own, but she insists she likes doing it. She says it’s one of the few things she can still do for me now that I’m nearly grown.

As we eat, we talk about the day ahead and our plans. I tell her that after chores I plan on going down by the creek. I pause when I see my mother’s expression.

My mother takes the pause as a chance to lecture and says, “You know I don’t like you that close to the Boundary of Echoes.”

I roll my eyes and reply, “I know, but I never go close enough for anything to happen. It’s not like something is going to reach out and grab me. I’m never close enough to even get a glimpse into the Endless Hollow.”

“You say it like you want to know what lies in those ill-fated woods.”

I think about telling her she’s exactly right. It has taken so many people, including my friend. Of course I want to know what lies there. Why people go in and never come out and what is taking them to begin with? I know, however, that’ll just lead to an argument and then my plans for the creek today will probably falter. So, instead I shrug and tell her I never really thought about it.

I can see she wants to say she knows me better than that, which she does, but luckily, she drops it and reminds me again to stay away from the Endless Hollow. I take the last bite of my breakfast, agree to staying away from the boundary, and that I am going to start my chores.

Outside, I hurry through my chores. Slowing down long enough to make sure I say hi to Honey and Hazel, my favorite chicken and cow. When we first got them, I would argue with my mom, stomping my feet, saying how we couldn’t sell or eat neither of them. They were my friends. When I was younger, she agreed, but as I’ve grown, she has been gently reminding me that we’ll eventually need the food or money. I know I’ll have to let them go in time, but not today. I will hold on as long as I can.

Once I say my good morning hellos to my best farm friends and finish my chores, I head to the creek. With eagerness rattling inside me, I don’t even bother changing my clothes.

Along the way, I get the usual disdainful looks. One boy mentions the grunginess of my clothes, saying it matches my personality. I give all of them dirty looks and continue on my way.

Once I reach the creek, I can feel the peacefulness wash over me. I look at all the different shades of green the trees have, the vibrant reds, oranges, purples, blues, and yellows of the wildflowers, and I close my eyes. I hear the rustling leaves in the wind and the creek water moving around me. Then I hear a faint but deafening scream.

My eyes snap open and I look in the direction of the sound. It’s coming from the Endless Hollow. My heart begins to race with fear and excitement. I hesitate for a second, then start walking toward the Boundary of Echoes.

With each step, my heart thuds faster and faster.

As I approach the Boundary of Echoes something catches my eye just past the edge of the Endless Hollow. I see a pair of bright yellow eyes with green specks staring at me. I freeze mid-step. My mind spins. I know I should turn back but the intrigued side can't help to look closer, longing to know what those eyes are.

I keep inching closer. The eyes welcoming me with each step. Before I know it, I’m standing in front of the Boundary of Echoes. A couple more steps and I’ll be at the edge of the Endless Hollow. I can faintly hear voices of others from within the woods. They are captivating. I begin to get chills all over my body. Before I know it, a hand reaches for my wrist and squeezes tight. I don’t have a chance to process anything before it pulls me into the Endless Hollow.

Seconds go by, and I feel as though I was pulled through a portal.

Looking around, I take everything in. The colors of everything stand out first. They are breathtakingly beautiful. They’re so vibrant, making my home look dull and dreary. The Endless Hollow’s sounds are enchanting. Next, unbelievably, I notice pixies everywhere.

I snap back to reality when I feel jagged claws dig into my wrist. I pry my eyes away from the fascinating view in front of me to look down at my hand. That’s when I see, not a who, but rather a what. My eyes widen at the sight of the goblin, who loosens his grip slightly as he sees my fear. As my foot moves slightly, he digs his claws a touch more, like he’s daring me to run. I look from the goblin to my wrist a few times. My gaze meets the woods again as I being to contemplate what I’ll do.

Even if I wanted to run, I couldn’t. I feel stuck to the ground, like its own hands on my feet. I look down, and my heart begins beating faster than ever. I see my feet sinking into thick, dark mud. Panic sears through me. I flail my arms, trying to loosen my feet.

In a snarling voice, I hear the goblin say, “Once the thought of running leaves your mind, you’ll stop sinking.”

I look at the goblin, confused and frightened. How was I supposed to get my mind to choose not to run? Which is what I asked.

The reply I receive is, “In your heart, you agree, this place is now a part of you.”

More confusion washes over me. His words, ‘This place is now a part of you’, turns over in my mind.

“How am I supposed to agree that this place is a part of me? I don’t even know what this place is,” I utter.

“But you do know this place. Look within and you will see,” the goblin replied.

I feel like this goblin keeps talking in riddles. Not the best riddles, but enough for me to not understand what he means.

“I really have no idea. I have never been here. People who end up here never come out!” I exclaim.

“The things you’ve heard, they are untrue. Look within, see who you are.”

More riddles. More confusion.

I stay silent, not knowing what to say or do.

Before either of us speaks again, another figure appears in the distance. I can’t see who or what it is. But everything in the Endless Hollow seems to bow to it, even the trees.

The closer it gets, the clearer I see it’s a woman. A beautiful woman in a flowing teal dress with a calla lily pendant hanging low off her neck so it sits at her stomach. Her hair is golden brown and almost sparkles. Her eyes glow a brown-green color. As she approaches, her eyes twinkle with the smile that spreads across her face.

“Elowen,” she said.

My jaw drops. “How do you know my name?” I ask, astonished.

“There is time for all that. For now, why don’t we take a walk?” she replied softly.

“A walk where?” I ask hesitantly.

The reply I get is a hand gesture toward the opening of the woods she came from. Conflict hits me. I shouldn’t have even gone as far as I have. My mother will be devastated. Yet, part of me feels right being here. It’s as if I know nothing is going to hurt me.

I compromise with myself. I’ve come this far, a little farther won’t hurt. As I make this decision, the ground loosens around my feet. It’s in that moment I realize what the goblin meant. I slowly move in the direction the woman is pointing me.

We walk in silence for a time. We come to a magnificent bridge. It arches across the flowing waters. Deep-green vines scatter across the sides and up around it, creating an enclosure. A smile spreads across my face. This place makes me happy. A sense of familiarity fills me.

As we enter the woods just off the bridge, I see an enormous cottage. I chuckle at the contradiction of itself. It looks like a cottage, but the size could make it a castle. Moss fills the sides, along with more of the vines we saw on the bridge.

“Is this your house?” I ask in awe.

“It is,” the woman replies.

“May we go in so I can look?” I ask courageously.

“Absolutely,” the woman says.

I look around me as we walk to the door of the cottage. I don’t know how it’s possible, but this part of the woods feels more magical than the last. The door to the cottage is inviting, welcoming me through it. It’s like it knows me. As I step through the doorway, faint memories flood my mind. I try to grab them, to remember, but I can’t. I know I have been here before, though. But it feels so long ago, though.

I stop mid-step, trying to reach for the memory. I feel the woman’s hand on my shoulder; I turn to see her smiling. She knew what was happening to me. She gestured for me to continue in. Instead of exploring the rest of the cottage, we sit down at the table in the kitchen. Warm tea is already waiting there for us. I sit with frustration on my face.

“Why do I know this place?” I ask.

“You were so young. This place is part of you though, which is why it never let go,” she says.

“What does that even mean?” I ask.

“I don’t want to overwhelm you. But I have a feeling that you won’t just sit with your feelings for a while. The way you have blossomed into a young woman is marvelous,” she says, not answering my question.

I stare at her with no reply.

She seems to understand me and replies, “Okay, would you rather start from the beginning or just get to it?”

“Just tell me why I know this place. We’ll start there,” I tell her.

“To put it simply, you're the daughter of the Endless Hollow,” she says.

“I still don’t know what that means,” I reply in frustration. Everyone here so far talks in riddles and it’s beginning to get under my skin.

“You were born from here, the Endless Hollow. You were born from its roots. Meaning you can control it, shape it, make it do as you wish. You are its daughter and I am its mother,” she replies with a softness to her tone.

I sit in shock, letting her words rattle inside my mind. I try to piece it all together to make sense, or at the least trigger a memory. She can see me pondering everything. She suggests for us to go outside and she will show me. Hesitation stalls me for only a moment before I get up and follow her out.

The first thing she does is show me the magic within her. How she controls the woods around us, darkening the trees, brightening the sky, gathering the creatures closer. I am in awe. No wonder this place is so beautiful.

“Your turn,” she says.

“I can’t do that,” I say in certainty.

“You can. You have to feel it deep down. The easiest way is to imagine what you want and let it happen. Start small, with this flower. Think of what you want for it and let it happen,” she explains.

I shrug, not expecting much from trying. I look at the tiny flower, a small calla lily. These are my favorite flowers. I close my eyes, put my hand over the flower, imagine it growing two feet tall, and turning bright orange with yellow spots. I continue until I hear the woman tell me to open my eyes.

I do as she says and gasp when I see the flower exactly as I was picturing it. I was in disbelief. I can’t believe I did it. I look at her with astonishment.

She smiles and says, “You are the daughter of the Endless Hollow”. She pauses briefly, seeming to try to find the right words and continues, “You belong here. This is your home, if you choose to stay.”

“I have a choice? I can go back if I want?” I ask.

“Yes, you can. I will be honest though, without you this place will fall,” she says.

I think of everything I will be leaving behind; the woman who raised me, how she would feel. What I have known to be my home. I didn’t know how to feel or what to do.

Without much hesitation, I say I will stay. The words were shocking to me but felt right. This place was home, where I belong. I fit in here. Here, I wasn’t odd. I was truly a part of this place.

I was home.