With the curiosity of any healthy eight year old boy, I climbed up the rocky slopes of the large mountain that lay ahead of me. 'Never return? Ha! I'll show them...' I grinned to myself. The things I could tell my friends!
My...friends...
Like Liz the butterfly and Bob the house plant. I don't even know where Liz is anymore... It's been two weeks...
I shook those thoughts away. I could tell my parents about it, and then I'll tell some other kids about it, and I'll have lots of actual human friends!
I dodged a miniature rock slide as I finished the thought. The slope was dry and hard, like the skin of a calloused hand. Sometimes, the rocks under my foot wouldn't be stable, and I would fall painfully on the sharp rocks. Bruised and bleeding, I stayed determined, and simply slapped a bandage on a particularly nasty cut on my face when a sharp branch trailed across it.
My blue and purple sweatshirt was soaked in sweat and blood, but I didn't notice. The sun was beating it's harsh rays on my back, and my forehead was slick with sweat. My breath came in pained gasps and my thighs burned with extreme exhaustion. My raw hands that were often cut by branches and thorns of bushes were throbbing in pain, and I was queasy and light-headed, eyes half lidded as I continued on my painstaking journey up the mountain.

By the time I reached the top, I was so tired I stumbled a few steps, and wiped the sweat from my brow. I felt a cool air hit my face, and I sighed in bliss. It felt good to have a gust of wind after such a treacherous hike.
I whooped in delight. I made it to the top of the mountain! My voice echoed all around me, as if they were agreeing and mirroring my exhilaration.
The wind seemed to be getting stronger for some reason, and the air seemed to be getting damper. The area I was in suddenly felt very small and constricted. My wounds burned in agony as the harsh wind brushed it's cruel fingers on them mercilessly. My hair was all over my face, but as I opened my eyes, I knew exactly what was happening.
I was falling in a large hole.

I wouldn't lie. I screamed, from the terror, the pain, and the unknown. I realized that coming here was a very bad idea.
The last thing I saw was a small circle of freedom above me, then everything else turned black.

"Are you alright?"

A voice faded in and out of my consciousness.

"What's your name?"

I barely managed to choke out the five letters of my name.

"Frisk? That's a nice name."

I barely heard the voice, but I was flattered anyway.

"My name is . . ."

My mind shut down and my grasp on reality slipped.

I blinked. The world around me was blurry, dark and unfamiliar, but I somehow sensed another presence beside me. Rolling to my side, I let out a whimper as I felt my side erupt in flames.
Well, at least it felt like it.
A warm hand fell on my forehead and I closed my eyes, submitting to the inky darkness.
When I opened my eyes again, I felt much better. I was less groggy, and my vision cleared. I heard the birds overhead singing, I felt the sun shine on my face and the cool, velvety touch of petals brushing my bruised face.
I tried to move my legs. My left one moved perfectly well, but when I tried to lift the other one...
"Ouch!"
"I suggest you not do that. I'm afraid your leg has been broken. But I'm sure you'll recover quickly."
I snapped my head to the side to see my mysterious hero,
Or heroine.
She was a girl who looked about my age, but something about her told me she was way older than what meets the eye. Her eyes were a pale pink, and she had slightly curled brunette hair which stopped right above her shoulders. She wore a green and yellow striped sweater, and black tights. Her presence made me feel safe, and at home.

"You got bruised pretty badly from the fall. Don't you watch where you're going? If not for these flowers, you'd be dead."
I suddenly felt a lot more grateful for the flowers that surrounded me.
"I-I thought..."
"Sh... You are still recovering. I'll tell you more about this place later. But for now, rest."
"But..."
"Rest."