Grandmother would always warn me about the wild boys. If you're bad the wild boys and girls will come get you. She tells me this so often that even before she opens her mouth I know that she will say it, I already know, they will come get me if I'm bad.
"They come from the darkest parts of the woods" She tells me, as her eyes narrrow at me because I am not paying attention. I've heard this story a thousand times. And she grumbles and continues glaring at me with those narrow eyes until I look up at her and listen. I know they come from the darkest part in the woods and that they are witch girls and wild boys. I know that they dance in circles beaneath the dead trees and howl at the moon. Sometimes they become wolves or deer or rabbits. Sometimes they make magic spells and charms and sing to the stars, always looking to catch more bad girls, like me, as my Grandmother points out. They always watch from the edge the woods to snatch up a bad girl or boy. They hide in the shadows, underneath the trees to take away a girl and make her into a witch girl or for a boy to make into a wild boy.
"Becareful of them" Grandmother tells me for the hundredth time. "Don't be bad.. Be good"
But..she doesn't know i watch for the witch girls and the wild boys. I know it's just a old story passed down to her..but i still watch for them with their lush, dark hair, their black clothing and pointed teeth. I want to see their red mouths howling and their dark eyes reflecting the stars.They are wild and powerful and fierce. And lovely..I think.
I am not bad. I may get my skirt a little muddy or daydream, or be slow at feeding the cows or I don't pick the lettuce fast enought before the rabbits can eat it but I'm not bad. But whenever Grandmother talks about them, I get this little jolt of thrill and excitement in my stomach.
I'm late feeding the cows again..really late. But the moon is so beautiful so i take my time feeding them. And then I see a shadow move in the woods nearby. Their are trees everywhere and I'm use to the shadows of animals, they are easy to learn, posum, squirrel, deer, but this shadow is not like any animal I have ever seen. On the edge of the trees near the shed, he crouches. He's ducked into the shadows but I can still make out his outline. His frayed black clothing cling to his body,the mass of dark locks sweep over his face. He watches me, his head tilted to the side, his mouth red and grinning. He is beautiful just as ravens and crows are beautiful, in sharp, shiny, curved ways. I trip and gasp and he's gone with out a sound. But i know, for a fact I saw him.
A wild witch boy.
When I walk in, Grandmother scolds me for staying out so late and that they will come and get me and my heart leaps. I want to see him again. I want to be taken.
I just finished pulling up weeds and wipe my hands on my dress and look up and he's staring at me. Beneath the trees, the wild boy is watching me. He tilts his and grins, motioning for me to come but he's gone before I can take a step.
That night Grandmother warns me of them again "The witch girls and boys are wild. They spin charms and dance and do not obey anybodys rule but their own"
I want to be a witch girl.. I almost say it out loud but I don't.
I've finsihed folding Grandmothers clothes and carry them to her room. I open her trunk and neatly put all her clothing into it, softly humming to myself when I notice a garment made from dark lace. I pull it out and look at this beautiful fabric in my hands. It's a black skirt, just like the ones the witch girls wear. I tiptoe past Grandmother and run outside. It's not as dark due to a full moon and sure enough, there is my wild boy. I slowly walk over to him, afraid he'll disappear like before but he doesn't. He watches me, with a half smile, chin tilted.
"Hello.." I tell him and my voice is shakey and small. He says nothing in return, just watches me and I take a careful step forward. With a grin he steps forward too, then reaches down till his face is towards mine until his chest touched mine and his lips brush my ear.
"Come find me.." Is what he whispers and then like smoke and dreams, he's gone.
Witch boys are wild boys, untamed boys, are strong and powerful boys.
Breathing heavy, I turn and run back into the house, upstairs into my room and kick off my brown, ironed dress. I let it fall to a heap on the floor. Then I step into the tattered black dress I found in Grandmother's chest. It flows around my legs and hugs my hips.
I don't think. I run down the stairs, across the garden, through the cattle and beneath the trees isn't my wild boy but Grandmother.
"We can't hide what we are.." She tells me, and kisses my cheek. I can tell she's been crying. "Wild girls are wild girls and I thought and hoped I could save you from the wild.."
"We can't hide what we are." I repeat her words to her and she sighs, nods and lets me go. I lean forward and kiss her cheek too, then i walk into the woods.
I find him.
In a circle they dance beneath the dark trees, hand in hand, laughing, charming, conjuring spells. My wild boy stands apart from the others, his smile luminous under the full moon, and he holds out his hands for me.
I kiss his red, grinning mouth.
Wild.
