Hollywood

"It was an ethereal realm, one of mists and forests and enchanted trees. Many came along there, but no one stayed long, as the rasps and rumors of the forest were too strong to bear. There was an inkling, a glinting danger of the forest, that no one could ignore. It was the men, the men who stayed in the forest, who bewitched and slanted anyone who came near it. These were the men, the men of Hollywood.

Many an angel came near, listening to their whispers and sighs as the men drew them in closer. Fabulous hair, well sculpted bodies, the most audacious and voluptuous masculinity anyone could bear to offer. The women adored them, threw their lives upon them, cursed all other men who were not of their name. The women disappeared into this forest, lost and bewildered, utterly taken by the shining trees and golden leaves, and the vivacious pomp of the lovely men of the woods.

No one knew how to fix this remedy. Daughters, cousins, mothers, lovers, all who were lost and abandoned to the realm of Hollywood. The women would walk by this forest, see it from a distance, even hear it from a friend. And soon, they too would approach the glistening woods. And surely, by fathom alone, they would encounter none other than a Hollywood man.

Or group of them. Looking seductive, sulking, doing everything in their fathoming to achieve power over the woman. And surely, that woman too would disappear into the enchanted forest, never to be seen again. Their families cast astray, their lives long forgotten, as they fell into the pomp and splendor of the men of the forest.

Jessica caught her hair neatly, as she swished it around her head and gave her father a haughty look. 'Today's the big day.' She winked neatly at him and continued packing her bag for her trip to an enchanted forest. Her father shook his head and sighed, numbly coming to grips with the fact that his only daughter was being swayed by the rumors of Hollywood. 'Hon, you can't mean this. This is a senseless trip. There's something wrong with that forest. People disappear there. Those men are insane.'

Jessica rolled her eyes cutely, not hindered for a minute in her pursuit of a luscious, glowing, tantalizing life in Hollywood. Imagine the attention she would get, being one of those famous, handsome men's beautiful woman. She sighed to herself, then sat down neatly. 'Father, you worry too much. I'm not leaving for a couple of hours. Let's just sit here and enjoy ourselves.'

The hours passed, and Jessica was on her way. A few hours in a carriage, followed by a few miles of walking, and she would be there. The famous, glorious land of Hollywood. She wondered which man she would pick, and how famous she would be with him, as her head bobbed up and down on the bumpy carriage ride toward the famous enchanted land.

The carriage had arrived at a signpost, and she had taken her bag and headed off up the trail. She had a little money, enough to start a new life in an enchanted land, so she thought. The midday sun was almost up, and she made time towards the enchanted realm. After a few minutes, she saw it. A horizon, filled with gold and sparkle, glistening trees and beautiful light filled her eyes. She gasped, started laughing, and ran towards the beautiful vision with lightness in her heart.

Jessica took a deep breath. She had entered the golden woods, casually passing under breathtaking leaves and branches, and started looking around. 'Hello?' She called out in a singsong voice, trying to catch the attention of one of Hollywood's famous men. She walked on the well beaten path, continuing along in the direction the arrows and signs pointed her.

Jessica heard a noise behind her. Leaves rustling, a bush shaking, something seemed to be going on just off the path she was walking. 'Hello? Is anyone there?' She looked around mystified, still trying to be happy about her impromptu trip to this famous forest. Golden lights and mystical trees. Blech. Where was the fame, the parties, the beautiful men and the women they'd taken into Hollywood?

A young man popped his head out of the woods and held his hand up. His hair was glowing and fine and his form was fit, strong, and unique. He smiled and winked, as Jessica let out a squeal of admiration and ran up to hug the young man. 'Oh my god! Hello, hi, I've been here waiting for you!' Jessica threw herself at the young man and wrapped her arms around his neck. The young man rolled his eyes, smiled again, and started a conversation. He offered to show her around Hollywood, let her meet his friends, and maybe go with her to a party later. She took his arm and they walked off, Jessica thinking maybe this wasn't such a nightmare after all.

She walked along with the young man, whose had introduced himself as Justin along the way, and started to notice a few strange things. The arm she was holding seemed to feel like rubber, his beautiful, flowing hair didn't seem to match his face, and his voice seemed overly deepened and stern. Such a beautiful look, or so she thought, but the signs of dishonesty, and his brutal attitude and demeanor, were making her scared. Very scared.

Don't. Stop. Running. Jessica heaved breathlessly, trying to find the path again, to follow the arrows and signs backwards and get out of there. She had inquired...

Just a brush of his hair. A pinch of his shoulder. And a little question at the end about his voice. He had snapped on her, his wig brushing to the side, his false muscle drooping as she had picked at it. The voice, once stern, deep, and masculine, had gone eerily high pitch and threatened her with death and violence. She dashed through the forest, as she had been able to get away from him so far with a slight kick to his shin.

As she ran through a clearing, strange stones that looked like a cemetery caught her attention. Her stomach knotted. She paused for a second, guessing she was out of sight, and examined the stones one by one. She gasped and recoiled in horror. Every one of them. Every last one of them. Female names.

These weren't men at all. They were whores, trolls, high-pitched little fairies that trapped women here and murdered them. From the look of the devices and a watery trench in the graveyard, very badly indeed. She heard high, feminine, angry men's voices in the distance and hid behind a stone. All she wished for was her life back, to be with her father again, to be somewhere safe, somewhere loved, and somewhere happy. She prayed for her father's soul, as an ominous, angry fairy hand fell on her weeping shoulder."