Those Were the Days... (Let Me Series Short Stories)

Niall

*Niall's Story*

Mullingar, Ireland

1846

I looked up to the dark looking forest, infamously known as black forest, with a feeling of terror. It was rumoured of being haunted and people who entered never came out, but with the fammine going on it was a risk I was willing to take. My family and I were starving and we needed food. I took a deep breath and bravely walked to the darkness hoping to find something to eat.

As I entered the darkness became very difficult to walk. When people called it dark and dreary they weren't kidding. As I stumbled through I stopped, noticing a few mushrooms sitting by a tall tree. My stomach growled pushing me to go forward and eat the mushrooms. Skepticism made me think twice but my stomach made me go forth and eat them up in a second.

I continued to walk through the forest feeling fine, then minutes later I felt hallucinations start creeping on me. I sighed, I shouldn't of ate those mushrooms. When I looked up at the sky I realized it was already late. How did it get so late so fast. 

"Aw damn, better get home."I muttered

I began to walk some way that I think is home, but then I soon realize I am lost. I go in circles hoping to find some way out, but I end up passing the same tree. Frustration builds up inside of me. I sigh as I sit at a bottom of the tree that I kept passing to calm myself down. A chilling  breeze picks up on me causing me to grasp my ragged coat and shiver. I balled up and soon began to fall asleep.

***

The piercing keen of howls woke me suddenly. This particular howl sounded wolf like, but it was much more terrifying. My heartbeat accelerated giving me energy to jump up and climb the tree I was sitting at. I was very agile with these kind of things so it was no difficulty climbing up. The howls get closer, as I climb on a branch sturdy enough for me. At the bottom appeared three wolves, too big to even be normal may I add.

They seemed far too intelligent to be simple wolves. I could've sworn one was smirking at me. I freaked out hoping to god it was only the hallucinations I was having. A sound then came from a nearby bush causing the wolves to look that way. They growl deeply and retreat.

I looked to where the bush was, and see a boy with curly hair staring at me. His eyes were bright green and he as about my age, but looked a lot more cleaner than me. He must of not been suffering from the potato famine.

"You having trouble there?" The boy asks. His accent  was definitely not Irish. It was a more rougher British accent. I wondered what he was even doing in Ireland.

"I'm... fine thankss," I uncontrollably slur "Ayy.. where'd ye come fromm?"

"I am a traveler I really don't have a specific location."He said simply. 

"Oh," I mumble. I then feel a bunch of drowsiness weigh me down. At this point I felt as I was safe so I decided I needed to get off this tree. I begin to try to get off the branch that I am sitting on, but. it takes a bit of an effort than I anticipated.

"You look a little out of it, are you alright?"The boy asks noticing my struggle.

"I said I'm fine!" I snap at him frustrated at the fact I couldn't move the right way. When I finally get to where I can get off I roughly stumble off of the tree and begin to walk in a random direction, not even sure where I was going. Soon I realize I am not alright, I begin losing my balance. Color streaks zoomed past me and everything pop out. I suddenly trip and fall flat on my back. I groaned and just laid there. I place my hands on my face.

"Man, you need help," The boy said worryingly. I drop my hands to the side of me and I was about to snap at him again but a sharp pain went through my stomach.