As the rain poured harder, the mist thickened. I could barely see beyond the peacock-feather glow in the sky. Suddenly, through the fog, I spotted a figure holding an umbrella made of shimmering feathers, standing silently in the middle of the road.

My heart raced was it real or just the forest playing tricks?

I slowed the car, wiping the fog from the window, as the figure turned toward me, their eyes reflecting the same colors as a peacock's feather.....

The rain fell harder now, tiny rivers running down the road like silver threads. I kept my eyes on the figure with the peacock-feather umbrella, standing perfectly still, as if waiting for me.

As I rolled the window down slightly, the cold misty air rushed in, carrying a faint scent of Jasmine and rain-soaked earth. The figure slowly raised their hand and pointed towards the forest into the thick fog and high trees.

"If you wish to know the truth," they said, their voice soft but echoing in the emptiness, "you must follow the rain."

Before I could ask what they meant, a flash of lightning lit up the sky, and in that split second - the figure was gone

I stared at the empty road, heart pounding. The only thing left behind was a single peacock feather, glistening with raindrops, lying on the wet road.

Clutching the feather in my hand, I took a deep breath and turned the car toward the path they had pointed to a small dirt road leading deep into the jungle.

As I drove slowly, the rain tapping like whispers on the windshield, I felt like the forest was alive, watching, waiting...

And somewhere, beyond the fog, I thought I heard the faint sound of bells ringing... or was it the wind?

The rain had slowed into a gentle drizzle, and as I sat on the creaky wooden chair, watching droplets slide down the window, I felt strangely calm like the forest had wrapped me in its arms.

The porridge was warm and soft, and the peanut soup had this earthy flavor that somehow matched the smell of rain outside. For a moment, I forgot about the figure on the road, the peacock feather now resting on the table, glimmering in the dim light.

But as the evening set in, and the mist crept closer to the house, something stirred in the air. The wind picked up, whistling through the cracks of the old wooden walls. I wrapped a shawl around myself, sitting near a small fire I lit to keep warm.

Suddenly, a soft knock echoed through the silence.

At first, I thought it was just the wind but then it came again... a slow, deliberate knock on the door.

I hesitated, glancing at the peacock feather. It seemed to shimmer brighter now, almost like it was glowing in the dark.

Gathering my courage, I walked to the door and slowly opened it.

Outside stood a young girl, soaked in rain, her eyes wide and shimmering like glass. In her hand, she held a small wooden box, carved with peacock feathers and serpent shapes.

She looked at me and whispered,

"The forest chose you. It's time to remember."

Before I could ask what she meant, she placed the box in my hands and disappeared into the mist just like the figure on the road.

The box was warm, pulsing slightly like a heartbeat. And as I held it, I knew... this was only the beginning of something much bigger.