Short Stories

The Boy In The Woods

The year was 2001, just at the turn of the century. White flakes fell from the heavens as children from around the small town went to the woods to go play. A few acres in was the house rumored to be run by a witch, hidden away from the rest of the world only to be found by unsuspecting passersby who happened to stumble upon the broken down cottage. Yet if they were to stay for a bit, they would see it wasn't just an old cottage, no. But a place where a small family of three lived, hidden from society. They lived as if it were a modern day fairytale, no electronic devices, no cars, power, lights. Everything was run as if they were back in the older days.
In this lonely little cottage, a Boy sat in the window, pressing his face up against the glass as he watches the children play and poke fun at one another, yet steering clear of the small opening in the woods that contained the house. He smiles, pressing his face against the glass, yearning to go outside but knowing it would never happen. A frown comes upon his face as he hops off of the bay window and walks through the room that was silent aside from the sound of his bare feet hitting the wooden floorboards. He makes his way down to the kitchen where two people had been talking. A Man and a Woman. His parents. He looks at the two as they look at him and then one another, a twisted grimace shared on either of their faces. It was growing late out and the other kids would go home. The young Boy wished to go out and play in the snow. He asks his parents, who nod their heads in response. He smiles and runs to his room, opening the trunk that sat at the foot of his head, pulling out a small cloak and draping it over his shoulders. He smiles, happier than ever to finally leave the house. He runs out, still barefoot as he looks around at the winter wonderland, racing into the woods as fast as his legs would carry him, laughing and playing by himself in the snow.

About half an hour passes before his feet were completely numb, turning a light shade of blue. He winces in pain and makes his way back to his house, following the footprints in the snow and making it back to his m front door. At this time, the wind had begun to pick up and the snow fell harder. The sky grew dark as the sun began to set. He knew he had to go in now. He grabs the doorknob and turns it, eyes wide as he quickly discovered that it was locked. He frowns and jiggles the knob a few more times hoping to get inside, yet it wouldn't budge. He knocks on the door, trying to peer in through the windows, yet he was too small to see overtop of the door. "M-Mom??" He calls out with a shiver as the wind blows his hood off. He whimpers and crosses his arms, trying to stay warm. He knew he had to get inside, and fast. He searches through the snow for a rock, hoping maybe he could break a window, yet the snow had compacted so much and was so deep that he could barely get a few inches deep without his fingers freezing. He looks up at the door as he shakily breathes into his hands. He didn't know what to do. He sits there on his knees and stares at the door, tears streaming down his cheeks. "MOM?? D-AD??" he yells, standing up and racing towards the door and banging as hard as he could on it, his sobs growing hysterical as his hands begin to bleed. He stumbles back a few steps and begins to hyperventilate from the sheer panic of being locked out in such weather. His panic continues to grow until he could barely breathe, the world slowly growing dark as he collapses on the ground.
He lay there on the ground unconscious, his heart rate slowing as the snow piled over him. This was the last time the Boy would be seen in this world as a human being. The last time he would be here at this cottage and with his Parents who so desperately wanted him dead. This was his last few moments on Earth.

His eyes snap open and he gasps for air, seeing what he assumed to be the "light at the end of the tunnel" that many people spoke of in reference to one's death. He felt like it was getting closer to him, but it took him a second to realize that he was falling. He shrieks and tries to find something to grab into as he tumbles head over heels down onto the soft ground. It felt as if it were made of silk or cotton or even just a mix of the softest materials known to man. He sits there as the ground somewhat rocks him back and forth as if he were sitting on a water bed. He stumbles to his feet, looking around for anything or anyone, taking a few steps forward and tripping a bit. He found it hard to walk since the ground seemed to have a mind of it's own. He frowns and stands up again and takes a few steps forward, determined on making some sort of progress, yet he collapses on the ground, falling to his stomach and gasping. A chuckle could be heard from behind and the Boy quickly turns to face it, seeing a man with a soft face that held a friendly smile and glowing blue eyes. He had Auburn colored hair that rest on his shoulders and was taller than the boy, but then again everyone was taller than him.
"And that's why we put our wings to use." The Angel says as he points to the two tiny wings on The Boy's back.
"H-uh? Wait... what is that?" The Boy asks in a soft voice as he tries to turn around and see the two wings that had seemed to sprout out from his back. He moves them back and forth, trying to lift himself up, hit they were far too tiny. "What...? Why do I have wings...?" He asks the Male curiously, looking up at him. The Other reaches out his hand, taking the Boy's and helping him up.
"You have them because you too are like us. You have sadly come to the end of your life. Your spirit managed to escape the grasp of the dark one, and now you're here in the Realm of Light." He says with a smile as he waves his hand over his head, a small halo appearing and hovering over his golden locks. "I go by Michael. I'm the head Angel. I watch over the realm and make sure that everything remains in order." His smile seemed to fade as he looked down at the Boy. "What's wrong, Dear?" The Smaller Angel looks up at him and shares the same facial expression, feeling rather upset as he looks around.
"I don't want to be here... I want to go back home..." he says with a sniffle, quickly wiping the tears from his eyes. "I want to be with my Mom and Dad..... I don't want them to worry.... I don't want them to think I'm dead...." Michael sighs and shakes his head.
"I don't think you should go back.... I don't think they will care if you went back...." this statement caused the younger angel to grow quite upset, ruffling his wings and looking up at him as he puffs up his cheeks.
"Don't say that!! They're my parents!! They would want me back, they don't want their son to be dead!!" He snaps. Michael looks at him in shock, sighing and sitting in the ground, lowering his head in mourning.
"I thought you would be better than this.... I thought you would see the world for how it is...." he looks up at him, his blue eyes glowing a light gold. "Turns out they only blinded you.... you too are just another Angel corrupted by mortal desires of love and affection." He blinks a few times, the glow disappearing as he stands up again. "Very well. If mortal affection is what you so desire.... you can return..... but you can never return here. You will be forced to wander the Mortal Realn forevermore until the end of time, whether it be by your doing or a far more powerful being. I do hope you make the right choice, Dear Angel...." he says as he holds out his hands, a small orb appearing over each one. His left held the realm of light and his right the mortal realm. The choice was now up to the little Angel. He stares at his hands, trying to figure out which one to choose, hovering over his left. He was about to grab it when he changes his mind, snatching up the contents of the left. He smiles and looks in his hands, seeing nothing and frowning. He looks back up, his surroundings slowly fading as his eyelids grow heavy. He collapses back down on the ground and falling asleep.

The Angel once more wakes up, his eyes fluttering open as the cool breeze nipped his cheeks and nose, leaving them a bright and rosy pink. He sits up, realizing he was back home. The sun was up and the cottage looked bright and happy. He laughs and stands up, running to the door and racing inside. He was happy that the door was open this time. He runs to his Parent's room and sees the two of them sleeping on their bed. He smiles and runs to his Mom, wrapping his arms around her and holding her tight as he sobs into her arms. He pulls away and smiles, seeing the shocked look on her face. She screams, waking up her Husband who jumps put of bed and faces the Boy. "What the hell....?" He says as he stares at him. The Boy smiles and wipes the tears from his eyes.
"I-I'm s-orry!! I was gone, but um back now!! I'm back, I'm back home!!" He says with a smile as the tears continue to flow, yet his Parent's seemed unamused. His Mother turns to face his Father, more pissed off then anything.
"I thought you said he was dead." She finally says.
"I did!! I checked for a pulse and found nothing!" His Afther yells in reply. "And what the Fuck is wrong with him? What is that on his head? And are those WINGS??" he storms over to the boy and grabs the Halo, trying to rip it off and grabbing him by the wings and lifting him up. Apparently when he made his choice that meant he kept the wings and halo to his dismay. He cried out in pain and tries to get away.
"Why didn't we get rid of this mistake when we had the chance??" His Mother says as she rests her hand in her face. "Its absolutely ridiculous that he is back.... I thought we finally did it....."
"M-om....? Finally did what....?" The Angel quietly asks, now scared out of his own mind.
"We thought we finally got rid of you." She says rather calmly as she lights a cigarette from the stash she kept on her end table, blowing the smoke towards him and causing him to cough. "Now.... you're back, and you're just a freak. That's all you were and all you ever will be." She dips the cigarette in the ashtray, flicking the butt at him as it was finished. He whimpers and tries to get down, not liking the pain he felt in his shoulder blades. He sobs and his voice begins to waver.
"S-o you guys didn't want m-me...?" He asks. The only response was a head shake. He whimpers again and kicks at his Dad who tosses him into the bed. He curls up, pulling his legs close to his chest and sobbing as his Father rolls his eyes.
"I don't want him here."
"Yeah, well neither do I. Just.... get him out of here." He was then grabbed by the ankle and forcefully dragged out of the house as kicking and screaming endured. He was tossed out into the snow, sitting there for what felt like forever as he sobs into his hands. It was too late to go back to the realm of light, and he wasn't allowed home..... so he would just have to wander the world. Just like Michael said. He musters up what little hope he had left and walks back to where he woke up, seeing his cloak where he laid. He picks it up and slings it over his shoulders to hide his wings, and drapes the hood over his head so as to hide the Halo he so very much despised. He was to hide himself from the world so nobody would see the freak he was. He takes a deep breath and sets off, his bare feet making a crunching sound in the snow with each step he took as he set out to wander the world for the rest of eternity.