"W-where am I?" Anya's voice was a bit hoarse. She looked down at herself and saw ragged clothes barely covering her. She felt freezing even though the air felt hot and humid.
"This isn't right." She stood up, not knowing where to go. But something inside her, deep down, made her start walking, like the jungle itself was whispering the way.
A few minutes later, Anya saw it: a huge, rusty fence, and behind it stood a giant, old mansion. It was dark, eerie, and looked absolutely abandoned.
She pushed through the gate, her legs aching. The moment she stepped inside the house, she saw it -- a dusty, half-length mirror above the fireplace.
Anya stared at her reflection. "Who are you?" she whispered, a million questions racing through her mind.
Her eyes were the color of a summer sky, her cheeks rosy, her lips a perfect curve. Her hair, though, wasn't the usual dark brown. It was silver, shimmering like moonlight.
"Am I … Snow White?" she wondered, but the mirror told her no.
She knew she wasn't in her world anymore. This was something else – a fantasy world, an escape from everything she'd ever known.
Anya went upstairs, looking for some clothes. All she found were men's clothes, but she didn't care. Anything was better than what she was wearing.
"At least I've got clothes," she mumbled, settling on an old, dusty bed. "Is this the 'famous isekai' everyone talks about? Or am I just… lost?"
She closed her eyes, hoping the memories of this new body would come back; but all she felt was a strange emptiness, a void where her past should be.
"What's going on?" she sighed, feeling completely alone. She needed food.
She stumbled to the window and saw a small orchard outside. Apples, glistening with morning dew, hung from the branches.
"Sweet!" Anya grinned, a hint of hope in her voice. Maybe she wasn't so unlucky after all.
She ran outside, eager to find more food. Not only apples, but whole rows of fresh vegetables were growing there, too!
Anya devoured the apples, stuffing a few into her satchel for later. She was tempted to clean up this huge house and make herself comfortable — except, what if someone found her? What if she was arrested for trespassing?
In the end, she decided to just clean the main room, the kitchen, and the bathroom. She found some old blankets and cushions stored in a chest, so at least she could rest. Exhausted, Anya drifted to sleep… but woke up moments later.
"A-aaww, what the hell!" Anya groaned. She was back in the jungle! And this time, she was naked.
"Was I sleepwalking?" she thought, confused. She didn't know how she got back to this place, but a strange pull, an instinct, told her to keep moving.
Only steps away, she heard something—a creak, a rustle. It made her blood run cold.
"What's that?" she whispered, flattening herself against a tree. She could smell them, two men, strong and sweaty, their scent heavy with the musk of the forest.
"This is clearly strange. We haven't even hunted any animals yet!" She heard one of them say.
"This is not good! I only hunted a rabbit yesterday. It seems like the animals are scared," the other one said.
Anya's fear was rising. What would happen if they saw her? What if she was a burden?
A small squirrel scrambled up a tree in front of her, trying to steal nuts. She wanted to shoo it away, but she didn't know if it would draw attention to her.
"Sh*t!" she whispered, panic setting in. She was totally unprepared for this!
The men were getting closer. "Whose there?!"
"Sh*t! What do I do now?" Anya thought, her heart hammering in her chest. She couldn't bear to be seen naked, helpless, and afraid. A wave of horror washed over her.
Right then, a young boy with golden hair and fiery eyes stepped between the men and the tree she was hiding behind.
"Young Master!" the men said, saluting.
"What are you doing?" the boy asked.
"Nothing, sir. We thought we heard something. It might have been just a small animal," one of the men stammered.
"Stop dilly-dallying! If you haven't hunted any animals, let's leave, and head for the market. I need to meet my brother soon, or else the gates might be closed," the boy said, his voice impatient.
The men saluted and left without looking back.
Anya took her chance, running as fast as she could, disappearing into the dense jungle. As she ran, she could feel those golden eyes on her back but Anya just tried to ignore it as that would be embarrassing and it might just be her feelings.
The young master squinted, his gaze lingering on the spot where she vanished. He seemed to know something-- a secret.