Forever Forest

Chapter 1

A red haired man and his red haired daughter stood before a stone grey school.

She looked back at her father's worn and weary face. He motioned her to walk on.

There were no fairies here, however she could have sworn they were lingering in her stomach as she walked towards the brick building.

There were many children like her as she entered the school however these children were screaming and shouting in the hall.

And so, down that hall she went, getting bumped and shoved as though she were see through.

She walked into her new classroom holding the hand of her new teacher and received her new name.

"The new girl."

She ignored those whispers and introduced herself to the class.

"My name is Terra, I'm friends with fairies."

The smiles Terra got in return made her feel rather funny. Her teacher seemed not to notice them, as she was too busy studying her dry and peeling hands. Terra remembered the strong scent as her teacher layered lavender lotion upon her fingertips. She hated that smell.

Terra couldn't be bothered to remember her teacher's real name. So, she called her Ms. Lavender. That first class, Ms. Lavender asked the students to gather around a glass container for science and write notes on a beautiful blue butterfly that had just recently come out of its chrysalis.

Terra wondered if the creature felt trapped sitting in that cage all day.

Terra silently wanted to save it but had no classmate friends to discuss her plans with.

Recess shortly followed and Terra crouched in front of a small cave that was formed on a hillside behind the playground. 'The cave,' it was called by the children. She found the name boring. The children told her it was off bounds and if you were caught trying to go in, the school teachers would throw you into detention. Terra didn't know what detention was and decided she couldn't be bothered to ask. Pressing her head against the ground to peer inside was far more important. Terra decided she could perhaps crawl in if she tried her hardest.

"Looking for something?"

Terra turned around and there was Evan. The tall thin brown haired boy watched her stumble to her feet.

"Whats in there? Have you ever been inside?" She questioned them, wondering if the boys would be her new friends.

Evan exchanged looks with his friends, mouth quirked to the side. "You said you like fairies didn't you?"

She nodded, raising a wrist to rub dirt off her cheek, only succeeding in smudging it further- she didn't particularly care.

"Want to help me find them?"

"Oh, I've already seen them." His eyes glittered.

Terra was amazed. She wondered why Evan hadn't said so earlier.

"In the cave?" She took a step closer to him.

He took step away from her. He raised his pointer finger to his mouth and gave her a long and soft shushing. She grinned delighted they would share a secret.

"I went in one day, spoke to the fairies, and heard the advice I needed the most." His friends grin behind him as they watched her.

She smiled too, thrilled and in awe of Evan's story.

"We'll watch your back for teachers. If you go in now they might still be there." He added with a wink.

She looked between the tunnel and the boys.