The World of The Voice.

The lady creature stopped sobbing when she heard a faint whisper in her ear. Her other must have heard it too, because he cocked his head to the side as if he were listening carefully. There it was: THE VOICE!

She could not understand what words it spoke, but she felt a sense in her hand, and a force then, literally pulling her to her feet. She felt as if there were a being, another creature, standing right in front of her that reached down and helped her up, but there was no creature to be seen, except her other and her small creatures, but they all were beside her.

As soon as the lady creature was standing, another force was felt. This time, as if there was an arm, comforting, draped across her shoulder. After a moment, the arm seemed to push her forward and she allowed her body to walk where she felt led.

Again, a whisper, but slightly more audible this time. "I am here," said The Voice. "Come with me."

The force around her grew stronger and she began to walk at first, then jog, then run. Running this time was different though. She was no longer running from the Forest of Displeasement, but was running to something, something unknown. She simply knew that this something was wonderful though.

Her small creatures and her other ran with her. She was uncertain if they felt the force or had heart The Voice, but they stayed with her nonetheless. After running for quite some time, the forest began to thin out. The trees were farther apart and there were pebbles mixed amongst the slugs. The ash flooring had sparse bits of grass poking through. The female creature approached an open area where a large rock sat.

The force was suddenly lifted and The Voice told her, "Sit. Rest." So she did. She sat on the rock and her small creatures sat around her on the slugs and pebbles. Her other kneeled next to her.

"Why do you run?" he asked.

Excitedly, she told him all about The Voice and the feelings she had felt. She described her hope and her sense and her happiness at the prospect of leaving the forest. But, her other did not hear The Voice or feel anything. As she spoke, he grew silent.

Finally, she noticed his discomfort and asked him, "What is wrong?"

"I do not want to leave the forest. It is ugly and scary here, but it is where we are. We have made our life here, our small creatures were born here. We do not know what is out there, outside of this forest. I did not hear The Voice or feel it. I do not want to run. I like the slugs, because I know we will not starve. I like the trees, because I know we are never alone. Why leave this place? We are comfortable here! And for what? The Voice?!"

She trembled in fear. The female creature did not know what to say. She understood the feelings of the other, but she knew deep inside that she wanted to leave. She did not know if leaving the Forest of Displeasement would mean starvation or loneliness, but she wanted to follow The Voice. She also wanted to be with her other, the male creature that she had made her life with, but he did not hear or feel The Voice, and she couldn't make The Voice real to her other.

Again, she began to cry.

Her other creature walked away, headed back into the depths of the forest from which they had ran.

Her small creatures were uncertain of what was happening. Some of them ran after her other, some quickly hugged on her, others began to sob themselves. One small creature sat, quietly, watching the situation unfold. The small creature didn't cry or move. Then, after a few moments, after the other was just a shadow in the distance, the small creature spoke.

"I heard The Voice too..."

The lady creature stopped crying and was silent. The other small creatures all were quiet too, watching and listening to the small creature who spoke.

"I heard The Voice. And it said to go, to leave the Forest of Displeasement. To trust it...and...it said that it loves me. That it loves us. And that we will be okay."

The lady creature stood up. She gathered all of her small creatures around her. She kissed each one atop the head and spoke to them. "My small creatures. I love you. I love my other. But there is something bigger and more important than us," she said. "The Voice is very mighty and very powerful. The Voice is kind and loving, but also judging and full of justice. We had left The Voice, but now, we are going to follow it. There is a better place, but it is inside of us. We may be hungry. We may be cold. We may be dirty and scared. But The Voice will take care of us. We must go with The Voice and leave the forest."

Each small creature looked scared but agreed to follow the lady creature out of the Forest of Displeasement. The lady creature called out into the open air to The Voice and asked for help. Immediately, she heard a rustling sound at the edge of the clearing. Her other stood among the trees, watching her and the small creatures.

"I heard The Voice," he said. "It told me to come back and lead you. That you are my other and that I should care for you and my small creatures." He held up a small sachel. "The Voice took my hand and led me to a tree where this bag hung." He opened the bag and poured its contents into his palm. There lie four items: a small book, a sharp piece of rock, a wire in shape of a circle, and a folded piece of paper.

The other explained, "I grabbed this bag and did not understand what is inside. The Voice told me what to do with each item and told me to use it to keep our family together. First, is this," and he held up the paper. "It's a map." He unfolded it and the lady creature looked at the image. In one corner, there was the clearing where they stood. The forest surrounded them and the map showed the path to take to lead out of the forest. The edge of the map, however, was the edge of the forest. The map took them out of the darkness, but did not explain where to go afterwards.

"Next, is this. This is called 'V'," he held up the book. "It is a guide to The Voice. We are to live by it and everything in it. The V will tell us what to do when we leave the forest."

"Then, there is this." He held up the sharp rock. "The Voice has given us this to protect ourselves. The Forest of Displeasement is filled with bad things that do not want us to follow The Voice. If we are found, we may never be able to leave. The Voice gave us this as protection and as a reminder that it is with us always, but that we have many battles ahead of us."

Finally, he held up the circular wire. "This is for us," he told the lady creature. "I never want to leave you again. The Voice has reminded me that I chose to be with you forever." He slipped the wire onto the finger of the lady creature. "This will remind us of each other, and to dedicate to one another. This will also remind us that as long as we follow The Voice, we will be able to do anything together."

Her other put the book back into the sachel and tied it on his belt. He handed the map to the oldest small creature and tucked the sharp rock into his pocket. He grabbed the hand of his other, now adorned with a wire, and they began to follow the path that the map told them to take. And they both felt the force of The Voice, gently guiding their way.

They were still uncertain of the future, scared of what battles they faced, but they knew that if they focused on The Voice, it would end well.