Min-Jee stumbled across the dense swampland, keeping her hands to her chest. She couldn’t tell how long it had been since she had separated from her parents and the rest of the tour group- she didn’t even know where she was, just that it wasn’t anything like the spirit wilds she was supposed to be in. She guessed she was in the Spirit World like the tour guide had described, but she wasn’t sure. Min-Jee had been drawn to the golden-yellow light of the portal and had been greeted with a beautiful flower field when she entered it, but the terrain had changed and she had no idea where she was. The whole place seemed alive, not only the plants and fauna but the fog surrounding her and the earth below her feet. There was so much that she couldn’t think, she curled into a ball and started crying, her whimpers echoing against the trees.

In front of her, Min-Jee could see a light coming from behind the trees, from a high point. She recoiled back, worried that it would be some kind of monster out to get her. As the figure came closer and closer it became more visible until Min-Jee could figure out what it was- a woman, about the same age as her mama. She was incredibly tall, taller than anyone she had met before, and wore dark green robes and her long dark hair in a braid The light came from a singular lantern dangling on the woman’s staff, casting golden light across the clearing. A trio of glowing, almost translucent newts sat on her shoulder.

“Hey.” The woman bent down to Min-Jee’s height. Her voice was deep and gravelly, like sand. “I’m Hang, who’re you?”

“I-I’m Min-Jee.” The small girl whimpered, keeping her distance from Hang.

“Aw, I’m not gonna hurt you!” Hang smiled and sat down on the wet floor. “How’d you get to the Spirit World, Min-Jee?”

“I- I came through the portal. The yellow one.” Min-Jee relaxed as the woman sat down. She seemed trustworthy and kind, like her mama. “Wh- what about you?” Hang was nothing like anything Min-Jee had seen in the Spirit World so far.

Hang sighed and rested her head on her palm. “That’s a really long story. How old are ya, by the way?”

“Five and a half.” Min-Jee stated proudly.

“Cool.” Hang looked at the sky, then at her newts. “You wanna go home now? You’ve probably been here for…. Few hours I’d say.”

Min-Jee nodded, unsure how Hang knew how long she had been here. Hang smiled a wide, goofy smile and stood up, returning to her normal, almost intimidating height. “You want me to carry you?” She asked, Min-Jee nodded as Hang picked her up and helped her ride on Hang’s back.

“You’re really tall.” Min-Jee stated as they made their way through the swamp. Hang seemed to know exactly where to go.

“I get that a lot.” The woman chuckled. “I’m taller than a lot of people.”

“When I grow up, I hope I’m as tall as you.”

“Really? You won’t be able to fit in any doors- I know from experience.”

Min-Jee laughed, noticing that they had left the swamp and were now traveling over more pleasant marshland. “Where do you live?”

Hang laughed. “Here, I guess..” Min-Jee didn’t understand how someone could live in the Spirit World. Hang continued, “Though before that I lived in a beautiful swamp, much prettier than the one back there. It was gorgeous, plants and animals and life everywhere.”

“Can we go there?”

“Nah, not right now. We gotta get you back to your family, remember?”