Town Of Monsters

The Joyless

Hana is only sixteen, and she's lost the one person she's always had. Her true love, her best friend, her soulmate.

"Sixteen year old April Jane May went missing two weeks ago, and updates have now been released. She was last seen entering the local forest, commonly referred to by most as "The forever forest" for its dense greenery and seemingly never ending length. Police have made a statement, presuming the teen dead, I'm-"

Hana throws the remote at the tv, smashing the screen. She refuses to listen to anymore. April can't be dead, she wouldn't leave everything like that.

She is somewhere and Hana will find her. If it's the last thing she does, and she knows well it most likely will be.

Grabbing a peice of paper of her desk, she scribbles a note

"I've run away, don't look for me, I hate you all"

She throws it on her bed and slides into her boots, stomping down the steps and out the door. She lives almost fifteen minutes away from the woods, so she practically has all day to look for April.

Her parents won't look for her, and even if they did, She'll be far away by the time they see that note, she might even be dead by then, who knows really?

Entering the woods was the easy part, she realized as she searched through the dense fog and trees around her. She came with no real plan, no idea of the layout. The more she wanders, the more regret she has.

Noises then blast her ears. Conversations, laughter of children and adults alike, and so she runs towards it. This might be her only chance to not die here, knowing the legends surrounding this place.

"Hello? Is someone there?"
She calls out as she runs

"Over here! Follow my voice! There's a clearing if your lost!"

Hana stops. Pausing completely as the world around her seemingly ceases to exist. It dawns on her like a pound of brick was thrown right into her chest

That's April's voice.

Her breath quickens and she dashes towards the direction she heard it from

"APRIL??? APRIL IT'S HANA WHERE ARE YOU??"

"Hana? HANA OVER HERE!"

The fog drifts away as she nears the clearing, pushing the vines away, She's floored by what she sees

Creatures, human looking but so skinny. So, so skinny. She can see their ribs and their covered in Moss and vines. From their large antlers to each of their toes.

"Hana?"

One of the creatures smiles at her, walking slowly towards her. She looks just like April. Her eyes and smile, bright as ever.

"April? What...Are you okay?"

April let's out a small, soft laugh, a sad giggle

"Im better than okay Hana, look around you, everyone here is happy, I wish we could've found this together but I'm so glad you came looking for me"

Hana looks at the creatures around her, Their all smiling, some children playing with eachother, others, who look older, sitting on the grass lit by the sun, talking and cuddling, admiring the big blue sky and clouds shaped in different ways.

"I wanted to come get you but I didn't want to leave this behind, and I couldn't come back to town like this, we aren't welcome there, even when we all were humans."

"What are you now?"
She asks, voice trembling with a mixture of fear and admiration.

"The Joyless. That's what we're called. As humans, we were hated, shunned, disowned and hurt. Now we're together, we accept eachother, and nature accepts us. Come with us darling, please. I can't stand to be away from you like I was"

Hana's eyes water with tears that threaten to spill down her cheeks, April holds her teary face in her boney hands, wiping any stray drops that come from her.

"I don't know how I could..."

"Simple. Kiss me, Mi amor."

The simplest request lays on her shoulders, one that could change her entire life, way of life, but will connect her with her beloved.

So she does it, a gentle, loving kiss is spread between them, their souls intertwine as antlers grow from her head, covered in green, her heart thumping against her now exposed ribs, vines twist their way around her being, her heart and soul, and her vines connect themself to her other half, maybe not physically but it will always feel that way. Their antlers clank together making the most beautiful noise she's ever heard besides April's voice of course.

"Welcome home, My soulmate."

A promise. Over filling with love. A promise to cherish and protect. Until the sun explodes and all that is left is this forest. No death may tear these immortal beings apart.

"I love you."

"As do I, mi amor. May you forever feel joy in my presence."