Beyond the river .

The grass is always greener on the other side.

"mummy!" I screamed at the top of my lungs, it was then followed by some coughing and choking on my tears. " mummy!" I cried for help one last time but I knew no one would come. I whipped my noes with the end on my yellow knitted sweater that I got for Christmas from my Nan ,who knitted it her self , whipped my eyes with the sleeves of the sweater that were much to long for me and so my hands sunk into the holes making it seem like I had no hands at all. I looked around with my misty eyes but as much as I looked I was still in panic mode and couldn't see anything, my heart was racing and every now and then I would cough , Springing up water from the river that I had almost drowned in . I was screaming and gurgling on my tears that were slowly crawling into my mouth . I sniffed my noes and watched my hands as they pooled up with water from my eyes, " mummy " I coughed out " help!" As much as I screamed no one came . I bit my bottom lip and tucked it in with my eyes and head now burning . I pulled myself up from the ground and stared at the river that was moving at the speed of sound, dragging everything away with just a touch . Never to be seen again, the ground that I was now standing in was slowly sinking into the river and making my brand new shoes muddy .

'Mummy will be mad if I get them muddy on my first day of wearing them.'

I thought , taking a small step back from horror and watching as s small stick with a plain small leaf got dragged into the river and instantly got taken away . I looked down at my small pail legs that were now covered in mud and dirt with a few small twigs hanging by a three on my sweater , I couldn't see my shorts from how long the sweater was so the sweater looked like a super small dress. I pulled my sweater up to look at my brown shorts with lots of pockets in them , big pockets , small pockets . They went to just above my knees. I let down my over sized sweater and carefully pulled up the sleeves so I could see my hands again , but one by one the material speed out and covered my hands again . "Mummy! Help! Mummy!" I screamed once more , my voice breaking and falling apart like a missing puzzle piece. " mummy I'm stuck!" I screamed again knowing no one could hear me "mum-" I was interrupted by coughing and then the horror shock me . There was blood on the ground , did it come from me ? Was I dying? I coughed again covering my mouth with my tiny hands that I had quickly pulled out of my sweater .

" blood..." I was in horror , my throat was burning and I felt like a black hole was inside my stomach , I had just coughed up blood . The tears started screaming down my face , the only sound I could hear was the deadly river that stood beside me casually growing taller . "Mummy!" I screamed once more falling to the muddy surface in shock .

'I'm dying . I'm dying . I'm dying. I'm dying.'

The same two words started banging in my head . I was only 5 and now I was going to die . I was coughing up blood , no 5 year old does that !

I could hardly breath anymore , it was like I was strangling myself mind and heart beating like a drum in a parade. "Mum-"

" hello?"

My head spun round to stare at the unseen voice .

" oh, sh- are you okay?" About from the shadows stepped out from the bushes behind me , he was much older and taller than me . He had white hair and pail white skin with a baggy red t-shirt and some blue ripped jeans on . His eyes were dark red which made him seem scary but he looked about the same age as my older brother - 15. He held out his hand and I placed my small one on top , his hand was much bigger than mine and I couldn't hold onto it probably, so I held his finger tightly instead. He smiled as I picked myself up and clung behind him , hiding from the monsters.

" what's your name?" He smiled turning his head to the side and looking at me with a slight smile .

" Mari " I picked up the end of my sweater and whipped my noes again .

" well, Mari , what are you doing so deep in the forest?"

" I was playing truth or dare with my friends- I got dare . T-that's how I'm here . B-but someone pushed me ! I fell into that river!" I shouted pointing to my could-have-been death. " I was going to die !"

He patted me o my head and messed up my already-messed up hair that was now wet too, my hair went up to just under my ears and my fringe covered my eyes so that I didn't have to look at someone in the eyes, I was afraid of people and eye contacted because it made me feel under pressure and scared.

" okay , your very brave," he smiled down at me making me feel proud of myself , " but how do we get you on the other side of the river to get back home?"

" aren't you scared?" I looked up at the boy

" why would I be Mari?"

" because all my friends and family say I should never go in this part of the woods because there's demons and ghost and scary monsters -"

" but yet you still came in all because of a game?" He laughed

" shhh!" I shouted getting annoyed at him

" sorry, sorry , continue " he smiled waving his hand to signal I could continue

" yeah... But you where in the forest deeper than me ! But weren't you acres that the horrible monster would eat you up , like in the story's my auntie talks about."

"No , I wouldn't be worried , those are just old folks tales." He began to walk and I ran along side him to continue our conversation.

" what are old folks tales?"

" they are like old story's , you get it ?"

" nope !" I shock my head making my self dizzy , he laughed and continued walking

" if I remember correctly, there is a bridge down here , you can walk over the bridge and go home "

" and what about you , mister?"

" I'll stay ."

" why?" I giggled to my self kicking a stone into the deadly river .

" because why is a very long tale " he said picking me up

" is it like an old folks tale?" He laughed resting me on his hip as we continued to walk

" exactly!" He smiled touching the to this of my small noes and we both laughed.

" mister, what's your name?" I said resting my head on his shoulder

" my name ? What do you think my name is?"

" I don't know " I giggled to myself " is it monkey?"

" no" he smiled looking at me that back at the path

" boy?"

" no" he mixed in with a small laugh" my names snow."

" no way! Your Snow White? But I thought Snow White was a girl!"

" no , I'm not Snow White , my name is Snow Frau . Just call me Snow."

" okay mister Snow !" I smiled then looked at the path " thank you mister Snow !" I closed my eyes and rested my head back on his shoulder .

-

" Mari , wake up , Mari?" I slowly opened my eyes to see Jowee , my older brother staring at me with a worried expression, I looked to my side to see an old bridge that looked like it could brake at any moment, and I was at the edge of it . I looked back to see a more familiar face , Jowee. His dark hair was messed up like he had been running for hours and his blue eyes looked frustrated and worried , he was wearing a plain black t shirt with blue pains and was bent down looking at me , my head was resting on his arm and one of my legs were bent while the other one was stretched out.

" oh thank God!" Shouted Jowee as he hugged me . " I found her ! Mum , dad , got her!" He screamed lifting me up and walking away from the old bridge with me . I stared back at the bridge and the deadly river with the different colours of green in the other side , it looked so magical.

It's true what they say , the grass is always greener on the other side.