Her feet hit solid ground.
Angela froze, her breath catching mid-panic.
No chains.
No restraints.
No impact.
Just… stillness.
Slowly, she opened her eyes.
"…What…?"
They weren't in a cell.
They weren't even in a room.
They stood within a vast cavern, its ceiling lost to darkness far above.
The air here was different—cool, but not biting, heavy with something she couldn't quite name.
And in front of them—
something colossal.
"The… Tree of Knowledge."
The words left her in a breath.
It rose from the depths of the cavern, its trunk massive beyond comprehension, stretching upward until it disappeared into shadow.
Its roots spread outward like veins beneath their feet, twisting and layering over one another, as if the earth itself had tried—and failed—to contain it.
It didn't feel like a tree.
It felt alive… watching her.
Waiting for her.
As if it had been waiting all this time.
Something in her chest tightened.
A quiet pull, subtle but undeniable, urging her forward—closer, closer still.
Not forceful.
Not overwhelming.
Inviting.
Calling.
I guess…
Her fingers twitched faintly at her side.
I guess this is what they meant…
Her gaze lingered on the trunk, unmoving.
When they said the Tree calls to you.
That it urges you closer… that it makes you want to reach out… to embrace it.
A step.
She almost—
Angela stopped.
Her breath hitched, the thought snapping cleanly in half as something colder slipped in beneath the pull.
Because everyone knew what happened to those who gave in.
Those who touched the Tree did not walk away.
Knowledge did not come gently.
It flooded.
_________
Small Theater Play
Baby Angel and the Tree of Knowledge
Some time ago, in the area surrounding the Tree of Knowledge, the leaves shimmered in the sunlight, whispering secrets that only the brave or foolish might dare to seek.
Angel froze, her eyes locking on something just out of reach.
It was the Tree of Knowledge.
Little Angel, a teenager then, bolted toward it, her heart pounding, as if pulled by some invisible thread.
"Angel! Stop!"
Her mother's voice rang out, cutting through the rustling leaves. But Angel didn't listen. Not yet.
Before anyone else could react, her mother tackled her to the ground, pinning her small, determined body.
Angel laughed nervously, trying to wiggle free, but her mother's grip was firm.
The scariest part? Her mother's glare—sharp, unyielding, impossible to ignore.
Finally, her mother humored her, pulling her to her feet while keeping a careful hold to prevent her from running back toward the Tree of Knowledge.
"You will not go near the Tree of Knowledge without my supervision," her mother warned, voice low and strict. "Not until you can resist its pull."
Angel stumbled, still giggling nervously, glancing back once at the tree. Its leaves shimmered like a promise, whispering secrets she wasn't allowed to know… yet.
Her mind already turned, a goal forming: to one day find a way to access the knowledge it carried without facing any backlash.