The Magic of the Forest

four

Emerson catches sight of the stump a couple feet away and walks over. The stars are slowly winking out one by one, as the sun's rays begin poking through the distant mountain peaks. Mornings are Em's favorite time of day, unlike most teenagers. Ever since childhood, he's adored the poetry of it all; the morning dew sparkling as the weather slowly becomes warmer, the hues of the sky flowing seamlessly from the deepest purple of midnight to the baby pink of sunrise, the clouds like brushstrokes across a fresh canvas each day. He sits on the stump, coffee thermos in hand, marveling at this morning's masterpiece, when he hears a rustle from a tree nearby. He walks one tree left from the stump and looks up to see a mother bird, the most electric blue he's ever seen, feeding her three hatchlings who are equally blue.

"Wow," Em wonders aloud, with a grin from ear to ear. He loves every animal individually and equally, but his favorite animal is the grizzly bear. He's smart enough to know they're dangerous, but he sees the beauty in them as well. He loves thinking about how grizzly bears play in trees, climbing up and down over and over. 

Sometimes, Em wishes he could be a bear, too. Maybe there has been a mistake, that Em the human boy has been put into the wrong world. He doesn't tell his mother any of this, he knows it'll break her heart. Despite his father's passing, his childhood was generally happy and he's a well-balanced teen, but his physical body feels wrong, like someone made a mistake that can't be fixed. If he thinks about it for too long, he starts to spiral down into a deep pit, so he pulls out his phone, plugs in his headphones, and submerges his uncomfortable thoughts with some indie rock music, his favorite genre. The sun's rays touch every tree trunk and blade of grass in the forest, and Em stands up from his stump and turns to walk home. Once he gets closer, however, he suddenly stops when he sees an unfamiliar car in his driveway. A strange woman around mom's height steps out from the driver's side and goes to ring the doorbell. Em, knowing Adeline hates visitors, walks over and starts to say they're not interested in whatever she's selling but stops in his tracks when the door opens before the stranger's hand reaches the bell. The two women stand awkwardly still and silent until Adeline invites the woman in. Em, thoroughly confused, walks back home faster than any morning before.

When Emerson finally reaches the door, his hand gripping the doorknob, his chest starts to hurt and he realizes he hasn't taken a full breath yet. "I must be more nervous than I thought."  He closes his eyes and inhales deep through his nose, holds his breath until he feels dizzy, then exhales. "Gotta do it eventually, Emmy. Come on, now." Inhaling again, he walks in before he loses his courage. It's almost silent inside, save for the sound of brewing coffee and hushed voices. Tip-toeing towards the kitchen, the voices suddenly stop and Em can't help feeling like he's intruding in his own house. "Maybe this is none of my business." He turns to walk away but his mother's cool hand on his sun-warmed arm makes him stop. 

"Emmy, I have someone you might like to meet," Adeline says with a forgiving smile. Em knew she probably wanted privacy, since this meeting took place while he was supposed to be gone, but now there's no going around it. He swallowed the lump in his throat, and put on the friendliest smile he could muster. As they reach the kitchen counter, the coffee's done brewing and Adeline pulls out three mugs. The stranger smiles kindly, and Em notices that her eyes glisten like his mom's, and their smiles both curve up to the left. "Emmy, this is my sister, Iris. She's going to be staying with us for a little while, if that's okay with you." 

    Em can't think of anything to say, completely aware of the dumbfounded look on his face. "Y-your sister?" He sputters out with great difficulty. She nods warmly, forgiving him for completely ignoring their new houseguest. He realizes this, and turns to Iris. "It's really nice to meet you, Iris. My name is Emerson, but I prefer being called Em or Emmy." He stuck his hand out awkwardly, and she took it. "It's very nice to meet you, as well, Em. You seem like such a nice boy. I do hope we get along," She said timidly, reminding Em of a mouse he had found in his room once. It squeaked so quietly he wonders now if he ever truly did hear it or simply imagined it. He smiled compassionately at his new family member, realizing how strange it is to think that he had an aunt this whole time that he never knew about. What else has his mother been hiding from him? Is she just embarrassed or shy, or does she have secrets? His mother can't have some double life, right? She's never been the mysterious type. "Then again," he thought with a jolt, "how would I know?"