Deep In The Woods

6.

The boy ran back to his little hut he called home. Scouring through the part of the hut he made his bedroom, he searched for a sack. He needed to bring food with him on his journey as well as a book to keep him from boredom during the nights.

Along with his food and book he found a lantern, extra lamp oil, a potato sack he stuffed with wool for a pillow, and a warm blanket he took from his bed. He sat on his bed. Looking in the side table he saw a drawing of his parents. His heart skipped a beat at the memory of them.

He lost his parents to a fire when he was 11. They were in their house when it happened. His parents were well off and could afford a home with two bedrooms, a kitchen, and a living room. All separate. To the boy it felt like a castle and he appreciated everything he was given. But most of all he appreciated his parents.

His parents instilled kindness and love into the boy. They made sure he always felt love in his heart and acted kindly towards other. The boy wanted to give this to the young witch. To know she's not alone. He will be there for her.

A tear ran down his cheek as a surge of loneliness filled his body. He missed his parents but being alone all the time was getting too much to bear again.

He shook his head snapping himself out of the feeling. He had work to do. A mission to complete. He was to embark on the biggest journey of his life.

He grabbed his sac and set off to the forest.

***
The boy had been walking for what seemed like hours but was only thirty minutes. He sat down by an old oak tree to eat his sandwich. Upon sitting down he set his hand on the bark.

The ground began to shake and tremble. He jumped from his spot and watched in curiosity and horror as the tree opened up its trunk to reveal a hidden trail. He scratched his head and pondered on whether to journey into the trunk or to keep going forward the way he planned on in the beginning. Shrugging he decided to go through the trunk. After all he had nothing to lose anymore. His world had already been taken away four years ago.

When inside the trunk he looked around. The world seemed normal and familiar. As if he'd been here before but knew he never was. Of course who would forget about journeying into the middle of a tree trunk?

The boy walked further into the trail. Trees, broken branches, waterfalls, bees, anything you could imagine was surrounding him at this moment. He wished he took his sketch pad so he could document this sight but he knew he would never forget the sight anyways. It was too marvellous to be forgotten, even by accident.

Then he saw it. His gut turned and he knew he was in the right spot.

Sitting down the trail on a cobble walk way covered by trees sat a small cottage. To him the cottage was spectacular and a sight he's never seen before. The sight of peacefulness distilled in a home. He took in this sight letting it soak into not only his body but his soul.

He walked up the walkway as the stones crumbled beneath his every step. The birds in the trees were singing their song and butterflies were soaring over the flowers in the garden adjacent to the home. He felt peaceful.

Approaching the cottage he brought his hand up and laying it in the door knocker, he pulled the knocker up and let it go. The sound was faint but hopefully noticeable to whomever was home. If anyone was home.

The door opened and a small light cultivated from a candle could be seen. He peered in through the crack to see the young witch.