The Woods (unfinished)

Prologue/Chapter 1

The dappled sunlight created unique, intricate patterns on the springy, rich green moss carpet of the woods. The trees towered above, but not at all threateningly, tall and proud, swaying gently.

Vivid coloured birds flitted about amongst the trees, swooping down to land elegantly on the berry trees, with glistening, ruby red berries bursting with magical flavour experienced only by the inhabitants of the wood.

There was no path to this wood, no straight line telling you where to go, what to do. You went by your own choice, followed your own path, weaving in and out of the dense clusters of trees. Some people traced their fingers over the rough patterns of bark on the trees, leaving their prints all over the gnarled cracks, people's stories embedded into the narrow wood crevices.

Each tree told a story, someones story, as they absent mindedly trailed their finger over the soothing bark, mind wandering, or gripped on for safety, for fear of breaking down, or adventurous children gripping on to the trees like monkeys, crawling up, tiny fingers catching on the crevices of bark.

This girl was the absent minded type, tracing her mud-smeared wandering fingers over the tree's skin. As she placed her fingerprints all over the old bark, her story poured out of the tiny gaps in her fingerprints, seeping deep into the bark, and the tree shuddered slightly. Her bare feet sank into the mossy carpet, leaving deep footprints, but somehow missing the little pink flowers that were dotted around the carpet. Her white, cotton dress swirled around in the air, her ragged red curls dancing down her back.

The little boy was the adventurous type, crawling up the tree, fingers fitting snugly in the gaps of the bark. Despite his grubby, unwashed face he had smooth skin and his face was lit up, shining with innocence, a hopeful smile planted on his face, his eyes sparkling, refecting the green haven below him.

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I opened my eyes with the sunlight on my face, filtering through my old, thin white curtains, throwing triangles of light across the room. I felt my blonde ringletts spread around my head, and smiled at the thought of this, imagining a halo around my head. I knew I wouldn't be able to sleep now I'd woken up, the filtered sunlight penetrating through me, right through to the tips of my toes, energising me.

I stepped out of bed, untangling myself from the dirty, thin sheets. I glanced aorund my bleak bedroom, with its dirty, blank walls, and again imagined a room, with turqoise walls, a four poster bed with  a soft silk cover, and my own mini fridge. My thoughts materialised as I drew my curtains and stared with disgust at our back yard, the broken beer bottles all over the floor.

I padded downstairs on the bare floorboards, avoiding hazardous nails. The house was empty - at least, I couldn't hear banging or shouting. They all went out last night. Didn't look like they came back. I checked the time; 10:45. How I loved the holidays. It was the second day in to the summer holidays, and already I was forgetting the harsh comments people fired at me daily. My stomach grumbled impatienty and I stepped across the grubby kitchen floor towards our tiny fridge and peered inside. Beer, bacon, and beer. I spotted an orange and snatched it, as though someone else would get it, and sank my teeth in it before realising I hadn't peeled it.

I went back upstairs and washed and dressed, pulling on some denim shorts and an oversized t-shirt. I racked my brain for something to do today, but nothing sprang to mind. It would be nice to meet up with friends, gossip, sunbathe, that is, if I had any. People at school regarded me as 'trampy' or 'scummy'. Yes, I knew my parents didn't work, they're alcoholic, and two of my brothers had ASBO's. But I was so not like them. I enjoyed walking, writing and reading. My teachers liked me - it was just the kids that didn't. Again I glanced out of the window, this time looking past the backstreet and the shabby houses, and peered over at the forest, the vivid green enthralling me. I decided to go to the woods. 

    I looked in my full length mirror, a birthday present years ago that had cracks running through it - not down to me. My unbrushed hair fell down to my elbows, wispy blonde ringletts bobbing around. I was quite tanned, although I'd never been on holiday, my face thankfully spot free and golden brown. My eyes, big and blue, shiny, like flying saucers, but never looking happy, as I never had the pleasure of someones cocmpany to make me actually feel useful in this world.

Leaping downstairs, I paused for a second to glance at our empty calender. The only reason we had one is because I won it at a school fair. I was the only one who ever wrote significant dates down - if ever - like peoples birthdays (rarely acknowledged). Surprisingly, there was some black, scrawled writing on today's date. I leaned in closer. Social worker Wendy visit 12:30. I considered this. No one would be in except me. If I stayed in. But there's no point. She didn't do anything. No one did. They sit on the edge of our cigarette stained  chair and peer around at the mess nervously. They decline the offer of tea, note that you're on your own and then leave, claiming everything is fine. Pointless. If they did do something I would probably be having a cooked breakfast around an oak table with a cheerful family right now, or tapping away on a posh laptop, sprawled on my four poster bed, gossiping with my sister or best friend, or even on a Summer holiday, reading on a beach, ice cream in hand, looking forward to showing off my tan back  at school, like everyone at my school does after coming back from an exotic Summer holiday.

I grabbed another orange from the fridge, and a bag of crisps, snatched a notebook and pen and left the house, into the bright summer sun, warming my back as I walked in the direction of the woods. 

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First chapter :) hope you like it, if so, please vote/comment, it would be so kind:)

The video, well, I love Taylor Swift, and the song! Please watch the video, I never usually do, but it kind of connects with the chapter, even though these woods look diferent!