Posted 4 years ago on August 13, 2019 00:01
The Forest laid to the east of the village. Or perhaps it was more accurate to say the village laid west of it. The Forest was there in a way the village wasn’t. A traveler passing by could miss the village and feel no lack, but no one who came near the Forest could ignore its sheer presence and life.
Everyone avoided going into the Forest if they could. Simply passing by it could be almost crushing with the weight of its presence so very aware of the tiny beings scurrying beneath it. Trips through it were rushed. Lingering would Change a person in ways not truly understood. And sometimes they didn’t come back out at all.
Jack went into the Forest and did not come back. The village had already begun to mourn him. Little Katelyn however refused. “He is my friend,” she told her grandmother, “and I am going to get him back.”
Her grandmother kissed her and held her, and helped Katelyn prepare for the journey. The Forest was not prone to returning what had been taken, but perhaps if she brought the right things an offering could be struck. Her grandmother gifted her a rich red cloak, bright and striking. Together they baked a basket of delicious biscuits, fresh and with some cream tucked in with it. And Katelyn headed out with a song on her lips to remind her of home and keep her on the path.
The Forest let her in easily enough. The path was simple and meandering, pleasant to wander upon. It would have been a shame to rush, but Katelyn did not let it detract from her quest.
The Forest pressed in on her. Branches caught on her clothes and rocks made her stumble. Katelyn did not turn back, her cloak protecting her from where it would tear at her.
A being of the Forest came out. "Little Katelyn," it said. "It is such a lovely day. Do you not feel the sun? Will you not enjoy the breeze? Take off your cloak."
"I will not give you my cloak." Katelyn looked firmly at the being. "I am here for my friend."
"He is part of the Forest. You can join him."
"I will not join him. I will go home to the village, and Jack will be with me."
The being laughed. "It is too late for that. Jack will not go back."
"Let me decide that for myself. Tell me where Jack is, and I will give you my cloak."
The being looked at the crisp red color and deep soft fabric. Its eyes gleamed with desire. "I will let you leave safely if you give me your cloak."
"No. Let me see Jack."
"It is not often you are guaranteed a chance to walk away," the being argued. "And Jack is too far gone."
"Let me see him."
"Very well."
Katelyn took off her cloak and gifted it to the being. It savored the cloak and wrapped it around itself, the red flashing through the forest as it became part of it. "Follow the path that way." The being gestured down a path that had been hidden until that moment. Katelyn curtsied in thanks and walked down.
At the end of the path was the Forest wearing Jack's face.
"You are not Jack," Katelyn said.
"Am I not?" the Forest replied. "Do I not have his eyes? His hair? His smile? Did he not enter me?"
"I have come to take him back," Katelyn told the Forest. "Look. I have fresh baked biscuits from just this morning, with cream. I will give this to you for Jack."
The Forest reached out and claimed the basket of goodies, but Jack did not come back.
"Let me have Jack," Katelyn pleaded. "I have a song from my village, sung from my days as a child, to give you in return."
Katelyn sang, her notes sweet and pure. The Forest stole the song from her lips, but Jack did not come back.
Her gifts gone Katelyn had nothing left to bargain but herself. She straightened and stared at the Forest, wild and boundless before her. "I will give Jack my heart if he will return to me."
The Forest wearing Jack reached forward greedily, eager for such a valuable prize. But her heart was not for it. Try as it might it could not grasp her heart, for Katelyn had bargained it directly to Jack. It tried and it tried, until with a great tear the Forest threw Jack back up.
Katelyn seized Jack's hand as he claimed her heart. Together they raced back to the village as the Forest screamed from the pain of having lost Jack. They slipped back out.
They are safe in the village now. Sometimes Jack's eyes are a little wild, a little strange, but Katelyn's touch can bring him back. She does not sing anymore.
The Forest is a dangerous place. Sometimes people do not come back. Sometimes, if they are lucky, they come back Changed.
Everyone avoided going into the Forest if they could. Simply passing by it could be almost crushing with the weight of its presence so very aware of the tiny beings scurrying beneath it. Trips through it were rushed. Lingering would Change a person in ways not truly understood. And sometimes they didn’t come back out at all.
Jack went into the Forest and did not come back. The village had already begun to mourn him. Little Katelyn however refused. “He is my friend,” she told her grandmother, “and I am going to get him back.”
Her grandmother kissed her and held her, and helped Katelyn prepare for the journey. The Forest was not prone to returning what had been taken, but perhaps if she brought the right things an offering could be struck. Her grandmother gifted her a rich red cloak, bright and striking. Together they baked a basket of delicious biscuits, fresh and with some cream tucked in with it. And Katelyn headed out with a song on her lips to remind her of home and keep her on the path.
The Forest let her in easily enough. The path was simple and meandering, pleasant to wander upon. It would have been a shame to rush, but Katelyn did not let it detract from her quest.
The Forest pressed in on her. Branches caught on her clothes and rocks made her stumble. Katelyn did not turn back, her cloak protecting her from where it would tear at her.
A being of the Forest came out. "Little Katelyn," it said. "It is such a lovely day. Do you not feel the sun? Will you not enjoy the breeze? Take off your cloak."
"I will not give you my cloak." Katelyn looked firmly at the being. "I am here for my friend."
"He is part of the Forest. You can join him."
"I will not join him. I will go home to the village, and Jack will be with me."
The being laughed. "It is too late for that. Jack will not go back."
"Let me decide that for myself. Tell me where Jack is, and I will give you my cloak."
The being looked at the crisp red color and deep soft fabric. Its eyes gleamed with desire. "I will let you leave safely if you give me your cloak."
"No. Let me see Jack."
"It is not often you are guaranteed a chance to walk away," the being argued. "And Jack is too far gone."
"Let me see him."
"Very well."
Katelyn took off her cloak and gifted it to the being. It savored the cloak and wrapped it around itself, the red flashing through the forest as it became part of it. "Follow the path that way." The being gestured down a path that had been hidden until that moment. Katelyn curtsied in thanks and walked down.
At the end of the path was the Forest wearing Jack's face.
"You are not Jack," Katelyn said.
"Am I not?" the Forest replied. "Do I not have his eyes? His hair? His smile? Did he not enter me?"
"I have come to take him back," Katelyn told the Forest. "Look. I have fresh baked biscuits from just this morning, with cream. I will give this to you for Jack."
The Forest reached out and claimed the basket of goodies, but Jack did not come back.
"Let me have Jack," Katelyn pleaded. "I have a song from my village, sung from my days as a child, to give you in return."
Katelyn sang, her notes sweet and pure. The Forest stole the song from her lips, but Jack did not come back.
Her gifts gone Katelyn had nothing left to bargain but herself. She straightened and stared at the Forest, wild and boundless before her. "I will give Jack my heart if he will return to me."
The Forest wearing Jack reached forward greedily, eager for such a valuable prize. But her heart was not for it. Try as it might it could not grasp her heart, for Katelyn had bargained it directly to Jack. It tried and it tried, until with a great tear the Forest threw Jack back up.
Katelyn seized Jack's hand as he claimed her heart. Together they raced back to the village as the Forest screamed from the pain of having lost Jack. They slipped back out.
They are safe in the village now. Sometimes Jack's eyes are a little wild, a little strange, but Katelyn's touch can bring him back. She does not sing anymore.
The Forest is a dangerous place. Sometimes people do not come back. Sometimes, if they are lucky, they come back Changed.
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Posted 4 years ago on August 13, 2019 00:19
holy cow, this is awesome. thankyou for sharing, I enjoyed te read :)
I have too many forum posts
I have too many forum posts
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Posted 4 years ago on August 13, 2019 00:19
holy cow, this is awesome. thankyou for sharing, I enjoyed te read :)
I have too many forum posts
I have too many forum posts
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Posted 4 years ago on August 14, 2019 19:49
This was great! I really enjoyed reading it. :D
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Posted 4 years ago on August 17, 2019 04:14
A lovely short tale! Thanks for sharing!
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Posted 4 years ago on August 26, 2019 04:05
Well written, with a good strong touch of wildness at its heart.
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