Modern humans do not respect the forest enough.

Humanity has conquered the world, laid bare all natural processes -- or so it seems. It is easy, too easy, to forget the time, even a few centuries ago, when we knew the world was mysterious. When a strange light far away would be a warning, rather than an invitation. Easy enough that a car of four friends blundered into a trap any pre-industrial peasant child would be wise enough to avoid.

[NOTE: this fic died before it really got anywhere.]

Modern humans do not respect the forest enough.

Humanity has conquered the world, laid bare all natural processes -- or so it seems. It is easy, too easy, to forget the time, even a few centuries ago, when we knew the world was mysterious. When a strange light far away would be a warning, rather than an invitation. Easy enough that a car of four friends blundered into a trap any pre-industrial peasant child would be wise enough to avoid.