The Forest Elf

Back To School

Callum ate his breakfast then headed off to school. Mind still full of the weekend and as soon as he started talking to his friends about the weekend he was met with laughter. Callum was getting stressed out with his friends who just thought he was pulling another prank. Meanwhile his dad has just picked up the photos and took them back to the farm after his trip to the bank. Sarai opened the envelope and looked carefully through the photos.

"Oh my god, Harrow look at these pictures!" Harrow took the envelope of photos and plain as day saw the lilac eyed elven girl with her arm around Callum posing for silly photos.

"Harrow we have to hide these photos, just tell Callum they didn't turn out."

Harrow nodded and he took the envelope and put them on top of the high kitchen cabinet. The last thing they wanted was for the photos to get in the wrong hands and cause a stir in town.

That day at school a new girl started in Callum's class, her family had moved up from the South as her father was setting up a new dental practice. She was in school last week for a few days but this was the first time he shared a lesson with her. Callum looked over at her sat in the corner, just looking at her made him wish Rayla could be in his class. Though he'd never heard of an elf being at school, or existing for that matter. Callum didn't have much time to talk to the new girl as his friends who were very loud took up pretty much all of his time when he wasn't in class trying to study.

For Callum his mind struggled to concentrate on school work and he always had something more interesting to think about. It's not that he couldn't do the work, his mind would tire quickly and he would instead be thinking about of elves in the woods again or fixing the old motor bike in the garage with his dad. The days at school were long and the sun had barely poked through the clouds at all that day. Callum had a few miles to walk home and because of the farm being quite isolated, usually it was a solitary journey until,

"Hey, wait up!"

Callum spun round to see the new girl trotting up behind him.

"Hi, you're Callum aren't you?"

Callum smiled, "yeah and your Tia, right!"

She nodded, "Yeah we've just moved into that old house on the edge of the woods, near to that farm. You live there don't you, that makes us neighbours."

Callum grinned, finally he had a neighbour and maybe even another new friend. Callum then wondered if Rayla would like Tia.

"Tia, do you like the forest? Cos I go out there most days hunting for elves, you could come with me if you like."

Tia looked at Callum with an unsure expression on her face, "Yeah, sure. Have you ever seen an elf, I've heard they eat people."

Callum stopped in his tracks, "Everyone says that, but it's not true. I met an elf girl 'Rayla' the other day and she was just like you. Normal and friendly, she even ate half my peanut choc bar!"

Tia just grinned, "The other kids at school said you had a good imagination and great at telling stories. I see what they mean now."

Callum looked a bit crest fallen, "Ok I guess you don't believe me, later after tea I'll stop by and you'll see for yourself, if Rayla's about that is."

Tia giggled and walked down the drive to her new house. It was a large timber framed house. Her mum and dad were outside the front doing repairs to the woodwork.

Tia shouted to her parents, "Hi, I'm home!"

Her mum looked round and smiled warmly, "So how was your first day?"

Tia screwed her nose up and replied, "It's ok I guess, I met the boy who lives in the farm down the road. He wants us to meet after tea and go looking for elves."

Tia giggled and her dad looked up from the saw table. "Well I guess it's good you're making friends, don't go staying out too late though. I don't think he'll find any elves."

He looked at his wife and they both laughed. Callum headed back to his house on the farm. He walked in to the kitchen as he always did looking expectantly for a full plate at the kitchen table. His mum and dad were both sat down waiting for him. His dad looked across and dealt him an unfortunate blow,

"Sorry about your photos, they didn't turn out, I'll check your camera out for you later. Could be the film was faulty."

Callum looked disappointed, "Ok dad, there was definitely an elf girl, I wasn't joking this time."

Callum's mum and dad shot each other a glance but said nothing. He ate his tea quickly and said just before leaving,

"Oh I've met a new girl at school called Tia, we're going to see Rayla again, bye!"

Harrow looked at Sarai, "Well he's got no shortage of girlfriends."

They both laughed and Sarai added, "Yeah, he doesn't take after his dad."

Harrow frowned, "I was hot stuff at school, what do you mean?"

Sarai nearly spat her drink across the kitchen, "I think you're forgetting, I actually went to school with you. I remember things a lot different to you."

Harrow carried on his fake hurt routine, "Well you found me irresistible!"

Sarai laughed, "I took pity on you yes, I must have a mothering complex!"

They both laughed and Harrow scooped his wife up in a tight hug, "Well your stuck with me now!"

She turned round and hugged him tightly back, "Yeah, I don't mind, your alright."