floriography [ stories five ]

elder shrub || the mystical bs version two

[ elder shrub - compassion, zealousness, end in the beginning, beginning in the end, fairy tree, witch's abode
song - sitting on a curb by anthony amorim (just bc that's what i'm listening to while i'm starting this)

⚠️ - same as the other one pretty much

y'all i'm so tired but i Love this concept tysm to logan for sending it to me

stay safe!
lew. ]

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On a scale of football player to weird emo kid, Lewis ranked worse than a weird emo kid.

His family lived in the middle of the woods, no one from the school had ever seen his parents, he always smelled like a weird mix of dirt and honeysuckle, and he always wore a weird jar necklace with a strange assortment of plants and possibly bones inside.

Rumors flew wildly about him and his family, each one more outlandish than the last.

"I heard his dad killed someone and is hiding in the woods from the police!"

"They're all witches and sacrifice kids every full moon."

"They're not human."

But Lewis seemed to ignore all those rumors, navigating the crowd that seemed to hate him with unusual ease. He often looked discontented with his surroundings, though.

That was another thing. He never smiled.

Yet, despite all that, there was one person that didn't seem to care, someone on the complete other end of the spectrum— a football player. The team's star player, a guy named Logan.

Logan constantly made an effort to talk to him. Lewis really didn't know why, but he felt overwhelmed by the attention, not sure how else to react. He wasn't allowed to make friends, on his father's orders. Even going to school had been a battle, won by his mother's gentle voice and the thinly-veiled threat of mistletoe berries hidden in his father's food.

One day in particular, Logan had insisted on following Lewis as he walked home, even though Lewis had probably only ever said a handful of words to the younger boy. It felt odd to have someone that dedicated to pestering you.

"You'll have to leave soon. My father doesn't like anyone else getting close to our house," Lewis told him, the unused but well-rehearsed lie slipping easily past his lips. "My mom is waiting on me, so I really need to go."

"What's the harm in stopping to talk?" Logan asked, hands in the pockets of his dark denim jeans. "It's not like you'll die if you're five minutes late."

Lewis breathed in deeply through his nose, eyes closing as he snapped, "If I'm not home on time, my father is gonna be pissed, and you're gonna be the one he's pissed off at. If you value your life at all, just stay the hell away from here!"

"Gods, dude, chill. I'll see you at school tomorrow," he said softly, almost as if Lewis' outburst startled him. He started to turn away, but Lewis sighed and grabbed his arm.

"Listen, I'm telling you this for your own good, and if you tell anyone else I will know, but... If you're in the woods and see a ring of rocks, don't step inside. Please. Not all of my people are as nice as I am."

"Your people? What—?"

"No questions. Get outta here."

As soon as Logan disappeared, Lewis took off running, reaching the edge of the circle right as his mother appeared on the other side. She breathed a sigh of relief, pulling him from an empty clearing into their front yard.

As soon as he passed through the circle, the house- well... more of a castle- shimmered into view. "Is he home?" Lewis asked, looking up at the structure.

"Not right now. You were almost late." Her tone was accusatory as she took his backpack and tucked it safely away in a hollow tree. His father didn't like reminders laying around of his son leaving their home. "Why?"

"Boy from school. Wouldn't leave me alone. I finally scared him off, though." Lewis took off the necklace he had to wear when he left, handing it to one of the many other fae scurrying around. Whoever he handed it to would make sure it stayed safe. "I wish I could make friends out there, mama."

"It's too dangerous. Humans have always been a nasty bunch, buttercup," she murmured, pulling her baby in for a hug. "Maybe one day your father will change his mind."

"That'll never happen."

———————

[ this is pretty short compared to what i've been posting but,,, tbh,,, i'm gonna be drunk later and hungover tomorrow so this is better than nothing.

part two will be obviously the other half of the plot, and then it just depends but i might do a part three as the ending just bc i can idk yet ]