The Boy In The Woods

2

        I stared aimlessly out of the taxi driver's window and into the trees. I wasn't looking at anything particular, just thinking. I had to face the fact that I was an orphan now. I had no parents. It was just me.
       
        I was on my way to Miss Jay's Orphanage in the heart of Dartbridge, England. I was being sent to live with kids like me. Their parents are dead, or they just plain abandoned them. I'm going to live with broken people. Because of the government.

       The bright green leaves on the tall oak trees strangely gave me slight hope for my future. The taxi driver slowed, and in the trees, I thought I saw the bird boy from the funeral, but when the car went over a sudden bump, he was gone.
 
       I looked down at my belongings on my lap. On the very bottom was a large notebook my parents gave to me for my eleventh birthday because I was obsessed with writing and drawing. On top of that was a small book I read when I'm nervous, which I would read right now is I wasn't so tired. And on top of all that was that simple, long robin's feather. I don't know why I kept it. I just did.

        Maybe I was going crazy. Senile. Maybe I imagined the whole entire thing. I shook my head and closed my eyes trying to fall asleep. Trying to get away from my wandering mind.

∆∆∆

       "We are here Miss Maryweather." The Mr.Smith announced to me before the car slowed to a slow stop.

      I slowly and carefully opened my eyes till they were fully open. I stared in awe at the huge mansion in front of me. I probably looked like ant to anyone who looked down from the third floor.

       "Thank you Mr.Smith." She mumbled groggily.

       "Anytime Ellie. And if anything bad happens, just give me a call, and I'll take you anywhere you want to go." He chirped cheerfully.

        Dave Smith was an old friend that went to church with my mother and father. He often drove me to places around town. He only worked as a taxi driver on weekends though, during the week days he's a farmer with his own wheat farm and horses. I once rode his young gelding, I fell off and broke my right arm. Guess I'm not very much of a horse person.

       "Thanks Dave." I whispered while looking down at my belongings on my lap, then over at my one suitcase on the set next to me before sparking a question, "Why would anything bad happen?"

        "Oh!" He exclaimed with an old country accent before turning back to face me, "There be bandits in these woods around the corners watching. Some people see em' some don't. They live in these woods in a hidden town some say, though no one can ever see it, everyone believes it's there. They wear all black and masks to protect their identity."

       "But why do they stay hidden? Why do they live in the woods? Why are they watching people? Why do they want to protect their identity-" I stopped myself, I needed to ask a million more questions. I wanted to tell him about the robin feather boy and how he had attacked me. But I best keep that a secret for now.

       Dave let out a chuckle that sounded more like a motorcycle sputtering out, "You better ask them yourself Miss Maryweather." He grinned cheekily.
I gave him a fake smile and nodded. Saying thank you and goodbye once more I opened the taxi door and walked out, up towards the front door.

        I thought about what he had said. That's exactly what I'm going to do. I'm going to talk the feather bandit boy.

∆∆∆

       "And this is your room!" The headmistress of the orphanage bellowed in a high pitched voice.
I walked in slowly and carefully as if choosing where to place my feet each step. I looked around blankly, it was an ordinary medium sized room.