Hello, my forest friends! 

The chill air hung heavily in the ivory night as she stepped out from the Henderson Oaks Apartments. Her worn purple sneakers exited first, dipped in moonlight, bits of leftover dust teetering on its laces getting shrugged off as she took a stride forward from her door. It was convenient that the park stood right across the road from her apartment, she thought, running a hand through her hair that was tied up in a tight ponytail, it made savouring night walks more conducive to knowing she could just take a detour back home if she felt like it.

Chloe crossed the dead street, hearing the sounds of the buzzing crickets as she made it to the entrance of the park. Glancing up into the starry night, she was greeted by the luminous moon amidst churlish looking clouds. It might rain soon, she noted, hurrying down the cobbled pavement, hoping to make it around the park before the raindrops touched the ground.

There was a mournful cry of a cat that echoed through the vault-still silence of the park as she quickened her pace. She found herself counting the number of benches that lay barren, a vastly different atmosphere from her morning race to the bus stop. During the day, there would often be an elderly couple that sat, side by side, feeding the pigeons with small pieces of their morning toast. At night where the stars shine like sugar spilt over marble, the desolate benches looked devoid of any comfort, almost haunting even.

A chill went down her spine but she continued her brisk pace. She promised herself she would at least take a walk around the park if she was too weary for a jog. Halfway through, she slowed down her march and observed the still pond in the middle of the park. There was a small ripple or two as she watched the reflection of the silhouetted trees that decorated the city’s only man-made forest.

All of a sudden, a streak of lightning flashed against the pond’s mirror-like surface and in that second, there was something else.

Something else loomed behind the shadows of the trees.

Chloe paused for a moment, slowing down to a halt.

Did she see something or was she imagining things? She kept her eyes glued onto the now still pond as she started her tread forward, a sudden urgency to move swiftly. Without warning, there was a loud snap to her left - as if someone or something stepped onto a simple twig. It became the focus of Chloe’s attention as she whipped her head in the direction of the noise.

Nothing.

A creeping fear of unease began growing in Chloe’s chest. Something wasn’t right. The sounds of the park has ceased and it had fallen completely silent. Trusting her gut, she took off hurriedly, the fear like a knife in her stomach twisting as she scurried around the bend, an unusual but pungent wafting scent filling her nostrils.

She breathed a sigh of relief when she saw the entrance to the park gate, hastening her pace. When her purple sneakers finally exited the gates, she took a last burst of energy, barreling down the street to her apartment block.

The yellow lamp-light of the street illuminated her as she made her way up the steps to her apartment building, breathing heavily under the black night sky. She had made it to the front entrance when something compelled her to turn around. Curiosity? Fear? A feeling that she was being watched? Chloe did not know, but she found herself spinning on her toes and facing the park once more.

Her blood ran cold.

In the darkness of the park, a distant grotesque figure stood, watching. It was unusually alpine and lank, an exaggerated outline of a cervid on its two legs - but Chloe immediately knew what it was. The antlers that stood against the glint of the moon were gnarled as if a poetic salute to the sky.

It lifted its head, exposing its skeletal face.

Chloe froze, unable to move as she heard the loud ‘click’ and ‘clack’s of bones breaking and forming. At first, she did not understand what it was for the creature was not moving - then it hit her.

The hideous-looking deer was arranging its face.

It was smiling at her.

1. You should immediately self-isolate from other household members in a separate room for 72 hours, preferably with an attached bathroom. Do not interact with anyone.

While we have come quite far in terms of the LGBTQA+ movement in our little red dot, there is still much more to learn and more people to educate. Our community still faces discrimination from different groups of people. While we now make a more conscious effort to include the LGBTQA+ in our conversations, there are a majority of people who still view homosexuality/transsexuality in a negative light, and there are some who still remain conservative and resistant to change.