Dryad

Meeting

I stared at the pool of water as the light came through the forest again after two days of rain, forcing me to stay in the safety of trees instead of going down into the village. Only now I could clearly see that I still have dark spots on my neck, scars made by the rope. I do not like that. Maybe it was a mistake what I did, but it was a special feeling, to finally be free, to make my own decisions, even if it was the last decision I would make in my life.

I wanted to go down to the village, but I left that decision for another day. I had to at least try to talk to my father again. Although he was never directly present in my daily life, I still miss him. He's the only family I've ever had. I came down from my forest and walked towards the house with the most beautiful property on the hill. I wasn't sure that father would be at home, he was always busy, too busy to be a father even to his only child, but I could wait for him. I spent my entire short life waiting for his appearance, which I saw so rarely. I passed under the window of my room - I spent so much time hanging from that window and regretted that I couldn't go out, and now I can't go in anymore.

I was lucky for I didn't have to wait for his arrival. Father wasn't taken by his work - he was sitting alone on the porch as if he was waiting for me. I was scared, the last time didn't go well, but I got this far. I watched him as he looked thoughtfully into the distance and at first he didn't notice me, but my clumsiness betrayed me. He looked down at me – it was the same distrustful look.

I climbed over the fence onto the porch and tried to get close to him hoping that I might get a hug or some kind of positive reaction even though his hugs were always cold, but I hoped in vain. I felt a pain in my throat, whether it was from being upset or persistently trying to speak, but it hurts so much:

-You are dead.-he spoke in his old tired voice:

-They found you hanging, and we couldn't even bury you. The body disappeared before we could put it down.-for a moment, sincere regret was heard in his words.

I wanted to hug him so much, I just wanted him to know that it was really me, that he wasn't seeing things and didn't go insane, and that I was even more sorry that this couldn't have been solved in a different way, but then I heard someone coming and got scared that they would see me. I jumped over the fence and ran away before anyone could catch me.