Forest Deep

Prologue

~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~Prologue~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~

"Stay away from the forest Evelyn. Dangerous creatures lurked near the edge." Evelyn's mother, Wendy, said to her six year old daughter.

"Yes mama." Evelyn knew of the dangerous creatures. They lived in the forest, stalking and waiting for someone to stumble in. And when they did, the animals pounced. And that person, was never seen again.

"Good. Now go darling. Tell Miss Winter's i sent you for a cup full of sugar." Evelyn tighten the strings of the her red cloak as she stepped into the chilly spring day.

Evelyn walked near the edge of the forest. She skipped along the path, humming to a song, her grandmother used to sing.

Never stumble into a forest,

Or forever you will rest.

Never eat sweets,

Or the animals will come and sweep.

Careful dear Evelyn,

Or Evelyn, my sweet, you will rest.

At six years old, she didn't truly understand the meaning to the song, but loved when it was sang to her.

She reached Miss Winter's cottage and entered passed the curtain. Miss Winter was a widow in her mid-fourties, but the death of her husband never tore her down.

"Miss Winter, my mama would like a cup full of sugar." Evelyn said, at the table where Miss Winter was sitting. She looked up and smiled at her. Her yellow rotting teeth never made Evelyn cringe. Many growing people had that problem and Evelyn saw it almost every where.

"No problem. That is gonna be three coins." She said, extending out her wrinkly pale hand. Evelyn dropped three coins in her hand and she went to get the sugar. She came back quickly, with a surprise.

"Here is the cup of sugar and a sweet for you." Evelyn grinned at her.

"Thank you Miss Winter. Have a lovely day." Evelyn said, walking out of the cottage.

She opened the wrapper and smiled at the small piece of chocolate. She let the chocolate melt in my mouth. A snap of a twig took her attention away of the tasty chocolate.

"Hello?" Evelyn called out weakly. Nothing but the sounds of chirping birds called back. She shrugged and started walking again.

Growl

Evelyn's eyes widened at the noise. She looked around frantically. Nothing but trees and birds met her eyes. She sped up her walking speed. Evelyn stopped walking fast. She could see her small home from where she was standing.

Chirp. Chirp. Chirp.

A pretty blue jay landed at the feet of Evelyn's feet. She smiled and bended down. The blue jay hopped onto Evelyn's extended finger. Slowly, she raised it to eye level.

"Well aren't ya just a pretty little thing." Evelyn mumbled to the blue jay. Her breath made the blue jay fly away. "Oh no. Come back please." The blue jay stopped on a low branch on the edge of the forest. She ran to the bird, who flew more into the forest.

Evelyn knew not to go into the forest, but she was so close to home. She would not be gone for long.

She walked into the forest, slowly. Her eyes focused on the blue jay.

A snarl came from behind the bush. Evelyn gasped and ran back towards to edge of the forest. She tripped over her own two feet, dropping the cup full of sugar. Tears formed at the rim of her bright blue eyes as her knees started to burn and blood dripped from her knees.

"Shh, it'll be alright." Evelyn's eyes shut tight. She could feel herself being picked-up. In a seconds, she felt herself dose off, sleep was in her arms reach. And like that, Evelyn had slept, in the arms of an animal of the forest.

Never stumble into a forest,

Or forever you will rest.

Never eat sweets,

Or the animals will come and sweep.

Careful dear Evelyn,

Or Evelyn, my sweet, you will rest.

~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~

Dedicated to Katrocks247 because her story Imagining Frost, inspired me when I first started writing this.

So whatcha think?

Comment &

Vote

Xo