who am I?

Finding my feet

Hi, my name's Aleo, I am a girl if the the name doesn't already give it away and I live in the middle of the forest. I don't believe in myself a lot stuff like I'm not smart enough to get a well paid job or I'm not pretty enough to get the boys attention.

My father passed away last year and now I live with my mother who is ill, I'm scared I really am as I would be sent to the city and live in a care home and face reality alone ...out here in the forest there isn't many sad times it's all fun and games out here because everyone's friends and money isn't used out here I don't think that I've ever seen a coin in my whole life. I've seen a twenty pound note as I found it flying in the sky. When it landed I asked mother to keep it but she said that I shouldn't learn about money at this age.

There seems to be an illness created by the forest which is sending my village down. My friend who lived here as well, had to go into care as her mum was attacked by a wild boar and her father became unwell. Children don't catch the illness as they aren't fully grown although they can catch it when they're older that's another reason why we have to go to the cities.

Apart from that I love it here...

Everyone in my village live in small ,handmade huts they aren't big enough really not even for two some squeeze three in.
"Aleo,Aleo help me, help me!"

I rush through to my mother's bedroom following her piercing screams to find her lying on the floor helpless, her body bleeding with dark red blood. I scream for help as there are no telephones here....yet .There are villagers running towards me shouting "Is it your mother Aleo," "Yes, yes please help her." We weaved through the meandering corridors opened the door wide and she had gone, dissapeared.

"Vanished completely," a farmer whispered cautiously. "I will write to social services and ask for their opinions, I'm sorry Aleo ,it's the law stay with me in the meantime." He reached out for my hand expecting me to grab it however I pulled away and headed for his well crafted mud hut.

He lead me to a small damp corner where he placed a mud stained pillow and blanket and offered me a sip of water to calm down.

Later that night I couldn't get to sleep so I had some spare thinking time ahead of me.

In the morning I was awoken by the farmer who was telling me to get up quickly and to pack my things. I was confused but I knew it wouldn't end well. He pulled me and my things into his van and drove in the direction of the city...

Nobody still here has ever stepped foot in the city so I could be the first but that would mean I'm not coming back. I covered my eyes and scrunched up in a ball not wanting to look out of the window. I had a few sneaky peeks and all I saw was fields which meant we weren't there yet. I whispered all the way, not saying a word.

I felt the van come to a hault suddenly. I gazed up at the towering buildings above me, it was beautiful nothing like mother explained. Mother used to tell me stories about life in the city and how horrible it was but it didn't make any sense.