Rohan ran through the cold night air,
his breath sharp,
his heart pounding harder than the footsteps hitting the ground.
Behind him,
his bedroom door stood half-open…
and something unseen
was silently watching him leave.
But one thing was clear:
If he stayed inside the house,
the orchard's presence would break in.
The only place he could go was
the orchard itself.
The place calling him.
At the Orchard Gate
Rohan reached the old rusted fence,
the same one he passed every day.
But tonight,
the orchard felt different.
Alive.
Awake.
Waiting.
Mist rolled across the ground
like fog with purpose.
Like it knew he was coming.
Rohan gripped the fence,
pulling in a shaky breath.
"What do you want from me…?"
Silence.
Then—
a pressure in his chest.
A silent whisper pushing into his mind:
"…come inside…"
Rohan froze.
The same voice he felt before.
Cold.
Ancient.
Empty.
He stepped back.
"No.
Why should I come?"
The whisper tightened:
"…because you already opened the path…"
Rohan's breath stopped.
"The seed?
Is this because of the seed!?"
No answer—
but the seed in his pocket
burned with a faint, pulsing warmth.
He pulled it out.
The black seed glowed dimly,
almost like it recognized the orchard
as its home.
Rohan whispered:
"What are you…?"
The orchard answered
without a sound:
"…you are the keeper now…"
Rohan's legs nearly gave out.
"Keeper?
Keeper of what!?"
The mist shifted,
curling upward like rising smoke.
It formed shapes—
vague silhouettes
of people.
Standing between the trees.
Watching.
Rohan stepped back.
"No.
I'm not one of you.
I'm still alive."
The whisper pressed harder:
"…not for long…
if you don't enter."
Rohan froze.
"Are you threatening me?"
Silence.
Then—
a new message, calmer:
"…without answers,
the seed will consume you…"
Rohan grabbed the seed tightly.
It pulsed once—
sharply.
Almost like it agreed.
A chill slid down his spine.
He looked into the orchard—
dark trees,
red mist,
shadows waiting.
"Is this…
my only choice?"
The orchard didn't speak.
It didn't need to.
The silence itself
pulled him forward.
Rohan climbed over the fence
and stepped into the orchard.
The moment he entered—
all sounds vanished completely.
His footsteps made no noise.
The wind stopped.
Even the insects were gone.
The world went perfectly,
unnaturally silent.
And then—
from deep within the orchard,
between the trees…
A faint red glow appeared.
Growing.
Shifting.
Shruti.
Her silhouette formed slowly,
the mist trembling around her.
She lifted her hand—
not in warning this time.
But in urgency.
A heavy silent message hit Rohan's mind:
"…you shouldn't have come alone…"
Rohan whispered,
voice shaky:
"You told me that last time too.
What am I supposed to do!?"
Shruti's silhouette trembled violently,
as if the orchard itself
was pulling her back.
Her final message arrived broken,
but strong enough to freeze his blood:
"…the heart tree knows you're here…"
The red glow vanished.
The orchard grew darker.
And somewhere deep inside—
a heartbeat echoed.
Not the seed's.
Not Rohan's.
Something massive.
Slow.
Old.
THUMP.
(Then silence)
THUMP.
The orchard was waking up.
Because Rohan had arrived.