The Wolf Boy

Deep In The Woods

There was a sound of cracking twigs, and the bushes split apart -
And a little black spaniel bustled onto the path and ran up to Gulf, barking and wagging its tail.
"Didi! called a woman's voice.
"Here!"
Then the woman walked up. She was old but she looked full of life.
"Good evening!" she said to Gulf.
"Hello!" Gulf squawked. He bent down to pat the spaniel, trying to cover up how scared he'd been.
"Oh, Didi - you like to make a fuss, don't you?" said the woman as she patted and stroked the spaniel. Then she turned to Gulf.
"Where's your dog, dear?" she asked.
Gulf didn't feel he could say he was just out for a walk on his own.
"He's run on ahead," he mumbled.
"Bless him! They do like these woods, don't they? Haven't seen you here before."
"I... er, no," mumbled Gulf.
"Mae.... she thinks it's not safe."
"Oh - that sounds just like my son!“ the woman said with a snort.
" He tells me not to come here on my own. But I tell him, I feel a lot safer here than I do in the centre of town! Anyway - must go on, dear. See you again, I expect." She walked on with a wave. Gulf felt a rush of relief and happiness now that he wasn't scared anymore. He went on, deeper into the woods. I had no idea the trees went on thid far, he thought. They're huge! After a while, he came to a second clearing. It was bigger than the first and the shape of an oval.
Gulf thought it was more beautiful somehow.
A large tree had fallen down in the middle of the clearing and it was lit by the low sun.
Lying next to the tree trunk, as if it was waiting for him, was the wolf with the crow perched on the tree trunk.
Gulf could swear it was the same crow which led him to the wolf yesterday. It had a flash of white on its neck - he’d noticed yesterday.
“Hi!” he shouted out from a safe distance.
“Want some pork?”
He took the tin foil packet out of his pocket and tossed it to the pair. The crow hopped off the tree trunk and started pecking the pork. The wolf watched the crow before it’s gold eyes looked back at Gulf who squirmed as he felt a thrill of fear. It felt like the wolf was judging him. Which was not normal because it was a wolf. Gulf slowly grabbed his backpack as the wolf slowly stood up as if it didn’t want to scare Gulf. This was Gulf’s wishful thinking.
“Ehhm,I have a Salmon sandwich…” Once again his mae had forgotten his dislike for raw food but this time he was thankful to have it with him. He slowly took out the sandwich and tossed  it at the wolf who stared at him before smelling the sandwich and eating it.
“At Least now I know that you eat Salmon...” Gulf watched the wolf finish his sandwich and lie back down, watching him. He sat himself against a tree trunk and started eating his Lay’s. A calm went over him watching the duo and not long after exhaustion kicked in and against his better judgement he fell asleep. Being asleep he missed witnessing the wolf coming closer and sniffing him before it returned to the tree trunk.
Gulf woke up with a startle and let out a gasp when he found a pair of golden eyes with a pair of beady black eyes still watching him from the tree trunk. Had the two been watching over him while he slept? He wiped his cheeks that felt damp as if he was licked by a dog and slowly stood up watching the duo, watching him.
“It’s already late, I need to go back.” He told the duo knowing he wouldn’t get an answer.
On the way back home, the crow followed him. As he tossed down the last bit of his Lay’s, it swooped down for it, then flapped past him and waited on the branches ahead for him to catch up.
When Gulf got home, his mae was standing in the open front door.
“Everything all right, love?” she asked.
“You’re so late!” Gulf could tell she was afraid he’d got into some trouble at going going-home time. That she thought Gulf had been bullied or something.
“I’m fine!” Gulf replied.
“I just hung out  for a bit, after school. With Mild, Boat, and everyone.”
Gulf’s mae smiled as if, all at once, the sun had come out in her face. She beamed at Gulf.
“How lovely! Well come on in...dinner’s ready!”
Suddenly Gulf felt his stomach grumble. Dinner was homemade pizza, with some dessert. Gulf didn’t want dessert, so the twins finished it all off.
The radio was on in the kitchen as Gulf helped clear up. He had heard a man talking about how clever some animals are. He had just said something about wolves. He was saying how they’d done some tests on different animals, and wolves came out top. They were even cleverer than chimps. Chimps could use tools - but wolves made them. Gulf stopped stacking the dishwasher to listen to how an injured wolf pup, that had been picked up by an old vet and had grown up with her, had returned after being set back into the woods to stay by the vet's side.
This is a sign, Gulf said to himself. It’s someone, somewhere...telling me something.
He looked up ‘wolf’ on the internet. There was an amazing set of poems by Run Kantheephop, a funky gothic film about werewolves, and some old Roman myths. They told of the wolves being Mars’ sacred animals and that they are guides and divine messengers. Then there was lots of info about real wolves being protective beings and how they made good companions.
Over the next few weeks, Gulf started going to the Kwaanjai Woods every day after school.
When he thought about his wolf and being with it, he didn’t feel so bad about the loneliness and misery of school each day.
He’d go straight to the oval-shaped clearing with a salmon sandwich and a bag of Lay’s to feed them. He loved the long walk in the woods and he loved the crow as it floated down to him to take him to his wolf. He still felt a slight thrill of fear as the crow swooped down to him but he equally loved it.
The crow was always there to guide him to the wolf. As soon as he entered the woods, the crow would circle him, cawing. Then it would escort him to the clearing, where his wolf was always waiting. If the crow for some reason wasn’t there when Gulf arrived, he’d call kaaa-kaaa-kaaa, copying its own harsh cries. It’d fly to meet him with its claws tucked underneath them like a plane’s landing wheels.
Gulf would sit against a tree trunk and tell the duo whichever story that came to his mind after giving them their food. Then he would get out his Lay’s and eat them. 
Afterwards, it’d perch beside him on the fallen tree trunk and keep him company. Then it would always escort him out of the woods again.
Going to the woods made Gulf feel so good that more and more he forgot to stop and buy Lay’s after school. And he was getting home late too, just in time for dinner. He was always hungry and he would eat all the vegetables the twins wouldn’t eat.
Gulf wasn’t aware of it, but walking in the woods and the change of diet were making him look a lot better.