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The Boy and the Cave

Toes tangled with earth itself, grass and dirt mixed together. The tall overgrown trees blocking the harsh light that peaks through small cracks. Broken branches lay peaceful, serving as little homes for the creatures that live here.

Dirt is thrown in the air as the girls feet hits the ground, her hair dancing with the wind. She runs forward into the place she knows well. Turning left and right, round in circles-then she halts.

A strange cave with vines hanging over the entrance, beautiful flowers blooming across them. She reaches forward timidly, for she'd never seen the cave. Her finger gently touches the pink petal, slidng across it. 

She hisses in pain and pulls back her hand. The beautiful pink of the petal turned into a dark purple as if mixing with an invisible drop of blood. The girl stood frozen, unsure what to do.

She was curious about the cave, but in order to go in she'd have to push past the flowers. The mystery of what lie inside scared her but her curiosity was stronger. The wind howled suddenly, as if a warning to stay away. The light growing darker with each second that past.

She was about to turn away until a boy came out. Her eyes widened as she watched him exit the flower filled vines, no cause of pain flashed on his face. Their eyes met. She stared longer then she should have, taking in what he looked like. 

The boy's mouth hung open slightly, confused as to who the girl was that stood at the entry of his cave. He watched as she regestered what was happening. His eyes falling down to her hand she was holding, a red mark evident on her fingers.

"You tried to touch the flowers, right?" He pointed at her hand.

She nodded slowly, looking at where the red mark was. He took a step foward and cautiously offered his hand. The girl didn't move, instead she froze up again.

"I'm not going to hurt you, I just want to help heal it," he said soothingly.

After a few moments of hesitation, the girl held her hand out for the strange boy. With a kind smile he grabbed a small vile from his pocket full of blue liquid and softly put some on her hand. The girl stood quietly observing the boy with the liquid. Her eyes wandered to the cave behind him then back. 

The boy looks back up to her with a smile as the red on her hand dissapeared. Yet the girl only tilted her head curiously at him. The boy furrowed his brows in soft confusion, not knowing how to react.

"It's all better now," he smiled kindy at her, "I must be on my way, I have to pick up some food. Want to join me?"

He held out his hand for the girl and she slowly took it. The boy smiled, a small blush painting it's way onto his and her cheeks. Then off they went, walking past trees and bushes and small forest creatures. They picked up small mushrooms and the many different types of berries. 

As time went on they smiled and laughed together until they'd gotten back to the cave. Just before they walked in the girl came to a halt. The boys hand squeezed hers gently.

"What's wrong?" He asked, aware of the fear in her eyes.

She shook her head, taking a step back, her feet crunching the dead leaves on the ground.

"It's okay, the flowers won't hurt you anymore. And there's nothing scary about what's inside either," the boy said with a cheerful smile.

But the girls feelings bubbled and clashed within her. This cave was never here before, nor were there any flowers and vines such as these in the forest. The girls head spun with confusion on what to do.

The boy let go of her hand and watched it fall to her side. For a moment, a frown had found it's way onto his face before being quickly wiped away.

"How about you come back tomorrow? We can go have fun in the forest again?" He smiled reasuringly at her.

The girl nodded back and went on her merry way. Yet as she walked away the boy watched her back. A mix of emotions rising in him but the most prominent one being sadness. He couldn't understand why the flowers hurt her or what there was to be afraid of.

The flowers have never hurt him before and inside the cave was the cosiest and warmest place inside the whole forest. He tried to remember the look on her face when he first come out, noting that it was as if she'd never seen the cave before. Still, he entered the cave and decided to keep trying.

Over the next few weeks they kept meeting. The scared and curous girl and the mysterious and kind boy. They'd gotten closer although the girl still refused to enter the cave. The boy still couldn't understand but neither did the girl.

When she tried to explain the words ran far away, out of reach. So instead she was left with nothing to give but silence. She didn't understand why it was so difficult for her to trust the boy and the cave. But it was. And with every day dream she had about entering the cave, it would quickly turn into a nightmare. 

"You really won't enter the cave?" The boy said, sadness etched into every part of his face.

The girl stood clueless of what to do. Tears of frustration welled in the corners of her eyes. 

After all she couldn't even understand her own mind.