Chapter 16 Start Over
“Are you sure you want to do this?” Dom asked, like the first time they were here. Allen looked at Dom with a smile before giggling like a schoolgirl.
“You asked the same question before, you know? Hehehe,” giggled Allen, which annoyed Dom. This time, he did not whine because his friend worried about him that he was still alive today. He answered Dom nicely, “And yes, I’m very sure. How about you? Are you sure you want to do this?”
“Hah! Don’t repeat my question!” Dom grunted. He crossed his arms and said, “I just want to make sure. It’s not too late to change your mind.”
Allen retorted and shook his head. ‘Exactly like that day,’ he thought. And just like the day he went into the forest for the first time, he walked closer to Dom slowly and gave him three pats on the back. “Dom, Dom. I’ll be fine. Now, where’s the fucking Kris?”
Dom took a few steps back which Allen was expecting. “Shit Allen. You’re standing too close,” Dom complained. Allen giggled again. He looked at his watch and turned his attention to the entrance of the parking lot. “It’s about time.”
Before Dom could ask anything, a silver BMW arrived and parked near the entrance of the parking lot. Kris, dressed in a full hiking suit, came out of the car and quickly ran toward Dom and Allen. “I’m sorry. I’m sorry. Hope you didn’t wait long.”
“It’s ok. We just arrived too,” said Allen. Not wanting to waste time or hear more questions from Kris and Dom, Allen immediately took his backpack and got ready. “Let’s go now!”
“Wait, Allen, wait,” Kris cut-off. Allen signed with a little disappointment. “You not going to ask a break-up-questions, are you?”

“Eh? What?” Kris was confused. “Ah, no. No. I’m not going to ask anything,” denied Kris. He bit his lips before continuing, “I-I think it’s better if you don’t go.”
Allen glared at Dom but Dom pretending looked around like he did not see that. He agreed with Kris and he secretly hoped Allen would listen to Kris’s advice since he was not very good at talking ‘nicely’ to other people. “I’m not heart-broken or anything like that, Kris. I’m good.”
“If you think heart-broken people are the only people who should stay away from the forest, then you are wrong,” answered Kris, seriously. After everything that happened to Allen, there was no way he would let Allen go into the forest so freely. “People in-love too, should stay away from the forest.”
“What?” Allen and Dom shouted in unison which made Kris jump back a little. Allen covered his mouth as he thought he sounded too loud. While Dom eying Kris up and down with disbelief. To think about it, there was a logic in Kris’s words. ‘Who would go to the creepy-deadly forest for a date or honeymoon?’ thought Dom.
“People tend not to think straight when they are in love,” Kris tried to explain but Allen immediately raised his hand to Kris’s face to stop him from talking any further. “I got it. I got in. I’m not in love, ok? I’m not heart-broken too. I’m good, ok? It just. . .”
“It's just what?” Kris snapped. There was a sense of danger in those words. Allen took a quick look at Kris and then at Dom. A bit regret saying that but he could not take his words back, so, better he just be honest with Kris. He took a deep breath and said, “Have you ever felt like suddenly there’s a hole in your heart? You don’t know what happened or why, but suddenly you feel that way. Like you are missing something, but you don’t know what it is. And you can’t let it go no matter what you do or how long it’s been.”
Kris and Dom just stared at Allen. There was no sign either they understood what Allen said or not. They just blinked their eyes a few times. “I should be over it, but I’m not,” Allen continued. “It still haunts me every day.”
“That sounds so dangerous, Allen,” Kris responded. He crossed his arms and stared at Allen with a serious face. “And that’s a good reason for you to stay away from the forest.”
Allen narrowed his eyes and yelled, “But I’m not in love or heartbroken!”
“What Kris is trying to say is…” snapped Dom. “Whoever has a strong feeling attached to his heart should stay away from the forest. It doesn’t matter if it is a positive or negative feeling.” He looked at the forest with strange looks, “I don’t want to believe it, but something in the forest will use the feeling to mess up your mind. You have a huge desire to find those strange mushrooms and win the competition, right?”