It was a normal day, the same as any other. They had waited all day, watching the clocks until school let out, that was when they were free. They were free to go to safe haven, free from scorn or insult, free from religion and moral. Everything here is perfect. Rushing out of classrooms, they speed down the hallways to the back doors, waiting on their respective person or people. The group of three boys met up, the eldest giving a nod and small smirk of recognition to the youngest boy who was bounding towards him, the boy's older brother, still being younger than the former, followed soon behind with a lazy smile. The three heading off, now, to their destination. The next, was a short blonde, bouncing on her toes as she looked out the window, waiting until she heard the familiar chirp of her lover's voice, looking up and running to hug her before dragging her off out the door. Last was a small, lithe child, they would wait on no one and no one would wait on them, not at this point in time anyway. They'll walk off, pained that they had no one to conversate with but happy to move at their own pace as they let their headphones blast soothing words into their ears.
They followed the paved path that led outside of the school grounds, down a few side streets, and then make the final turn into a park that led to a large wooded area. A small path peaked out of the brush, a small dirt track that wasn't very appealing to the eye in the small teen's opinion. They sighed as they took off their headphones, always feeling too uneasy at this part of the journey to not be listening. They would walk a ways down the path and look for a tree marked with a small symbol, the symbol of their group. Here they would take a turn and follow the markers until they reach an opening, a small tunnel of brush that you have to crouch to walk through. Upon reaching the other side, they stepped into a clearing, there was a central rock, sitting closest to the sky and a small stream below that, large and deep enough to use the rock as a diving board in the summer. Along the bank they saw the eldest blonde, laying with his arms wrapped around the two brothers who lay on either side of him as they all three chatted. The youngest was lying on his side using his chest as a pillow, a limp hand rested on his chest and one leg wrapped around the leg closest to him, the eldest boy's grip being protective and affectionate. The elder brother was sitting prostrate, head also rested on his chest but his arms crossed over his own and an amused smile spread across his face.
The lone teen sighed and looked up at the rock, then around the clearing again, their leader leaned up against a stump while holding her lover. The couple were sitting together, talking and laughing, theirs arms wrapped around each other as the talked. The teen smiled at them and couldn't help but be happy for them, the leader looked up and upon seeing him waved a hello, the teen waved back with a wider smile before the girl's attention was turned back to the girl in her arms. Turning away to the rock, they climbed up to the top, standing there for a moment and breathing in the cooler air, eyes closed while enjoying the breeze. Opening them, they lowered themself onto the cold, smooth surface, allowing their legs to dangle over the side, they let out a sigh of content and looked up at the sky. Throwing on their headphones and turning them on high. Laying down to better look at the sky, they started to think about how large the universe is, how large this world is, and how the probability of them being them was a complete chance. They wondered what a better version of themself would be like, maybe they would be manlier, possibly they could like girls, and even the crazy thought that they could have a woman they loved and wanted to marry and parents who were there at their wedding, who cared about who they loved and cared about them. They closed their eyes and breathed in slowly.
In.
1.2.3.
Out.
1.2.3.
In.
1.2...
Their eyes opened halfway, sighing and finally sitting up, looking curiously at the water below them and then the odd lover's laying on the bank, paying closer attention to the older two and sighing again. The water below looked alluring as if it held a siren that was singing just to them, begging them to jump, to be swallowed by the inky pool below them. They smiled at the thought, a beautiful siren. They tried to think of a girl but they knew they would never jump if it were the case, instead in the water there was a beautiful man, swimming playfully at the bottom, his head popping up so he could lean on the shore as he looked up to the teen and sang them a melody, one so sweet that they felt themself slowly inching closer. A smile spread across their face as they continued to listen to the alluring creature.
SPLASH!
They panicked as they slid off the rock, hitting the water awkwardly as they tried to find purchase. None was found before their body was surrounded in that inky blue, gasping for air that they hadn't had the oppurtunity of grabbing before the plunge. Their lungs burned as the liquid pour into their mouth, they thrashed to find the surface, their feet hit the ground instead which they used to push off and to the surface. Lights hit their eyes, becoming painfully bright as they choked and gasped for air, they waded and looked to find the three boys who had been peacefully laying by the pond standing up. The brothers looked to be nothing but concerned while the eldest looked angrily in their direction. The girls were on the other side and they heard the small blonde call out to them, turning in their position to see her, when she came into view they saw her sigh in relief. The kid in the water gave her a thumbs up, still paddling to stay afloat before swimming to the shore. Hoisting their upper body as their legs scrambled on the walls of the pond, dirtying the water with mud and gunk but not caring enough right now as they flopped onto the ground, rolling onto their back and continuing to cough and gasp for proper breath, their body beginning to tighten and shake with the cold. Looking back at the pond they saw that damned siren smirking down at them, knowing what he did and finding amusement in it.
"Thanks..." was all the teen muttered before laying back down.
YOU ARE READING
The Clearing in the Woods
Teen Fiction"They had waited all day, watching the clocks until school let out, that was when they were free. They were free to go to safe haven, free from scorn or insult, free from religion and moral. Everything here is perfect." = A group of 6 kids finds a s...
