Children of the Forest

"I breathed into the crisp autumn air, wincing as it pinched the inside of my frozen nose. Licking my numb, dry lips, I pushed one foot in front of the other, deliberately stumbling closer to the body. It wore rumpled, dirt-caked, clothes and dusty shoes powdered with pollen. One limp arm dangled from between tangled, thick branches. The body looked young, I realized. An icy gust of wind stroked a chilling finger down my spine. Teeth chattering, I leaned forward to scrutinize the face that belonged to this unfortunate body, desperately attempting to ignore the dread that pooled at the pit of my stomach.

My heart stuttered.

That face was young, so young. Almost around my age. His face was wan, sickly white; all colours seemed to have been drained from his face. Long, thick black eyelashes rested against his cheeks and dark curls fell over his forehead and framed his ghostly face. He looked like a dozing, ethereal beauty."