Out of the Woods

Chapter 1: Todd's Story - Age 7

Okay, the perspectives of each chapter are going to alternate. The odd years will be from Phoenix's point of view while the even years will be from Ralph's. Excerpts of the poem will be at the beginning and end of the chapters as well as a little flash forward scene at the beginning of each chapter. This story was inspired by Disney's The Fox and the Hound but, it will not be close to the movie. Actually, the poem basically told you what was going to happen without telling you exactly. Please enjoy the first chapter and let me know what you think!

Chapter 1: Todd's Story - Age 7

This was the first time I ever brought a girl home. Lame, I know. I smiled as Rory looked through one of my childhood photo albums. There were a few people I was very grateful to have been a part of my life and the blonde sitting on my bed was one of them.

She giggled as she turned each page, commenting how adorable she thought I was when I was younger. She looked up at me with her bright blue eyes, "I didn't know you were a ginger when you were little."

I nodded. "Yeah, got it from my mom."

I was born with a darker hue of my mother's red hair which eventually just faded into a dark brown over time.

"Who's the boy next to you?" Rory asked as she pointed to one of the pictures.

I walked over to her and looked to where she was pointing her finger. Next to my miniature self was a blond kid who stood slightly shorter than me. His brown eyes were warm and innocent while mine were sharp and full of mischief. He was my childhood friend, Ralph Connan. That was probably one of the only pictures we took together and that was because our second grade teacher took it during some field trip our class went to. He was another person I was grateful to have in my life once upon a time.

"He was my best friend, back in the day."

She furrowed her brow, "You say that like he's ancient history."

I shrugged and turned the page. "We both took our separate paths," I said with a sigh, "it was for the best."

"If it was for the best then, why do you look so bothered by it?"

I looked at Rory and gave her a bittersweet smile, "If I knew the answer to that then, maybe I wouldn't be."

~ 7 ~

The fox and the hound

Naturally born foes

Hatred is bound

That's how the tale goes.

~ 7 ~

It didn't seem real. I watched as the people walked into the church, all dressed in black. Each walking up to the wooden beds, crying or praying or both. They didn't deserve to cry. They only came here to be nice. The only ones who deserved to feel sad were me and my family. We were the ones who would be missing them anyways. All these people will go back to their regular lives after this. I didn't even know half of these people.

I was sitting next to Grandma Libby, she was bawling her eyes out. Grandpa Randy was beside her with his arm around her, trying to comfort her while attempting to stay strong.

Uncle Jaime was talking to one of Mom's friends. He had cried before so that he wouldn't break down now.

Grandma D was the one who was accepting condolences out of all of us. They would go to her and offer up fake smiles or hopeful words.