The stranger under the willow tree
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- Parts 50
MatureComplete Sat, Apr 27, 20241h 50m
On a frigid and blustery October evening, the radiant moon cast its glow upon a solitary willow tree, perched atop a hill. Beneath the tree sat a mysterious man, clutching a large, worn storybook. Suddenly, his gaze was drawn to a child, no more than 10 to 13 years old, wandering aimlessly nearby. With a welcoming gesture, the man motioned the child over to him.
"Why are you out here all alone on such a freezing night?" he inquired with concern.
The child merely shrugged in response. The man sighed and reached out his hand, offering it to the shivering youngster. Without hesitation, the little boy took hold of the man's hand and they made their way over to the willow tree where a cozy fire was already burning.
"Here you are, little one," the man said gently. "Let's get you nice and warm."
Seated by the fire, the child's eyes were drawn to the book resting against the tree. With a pointed finger, he indicated his desire for a story. The man smiled kindly.
"Well then, let's dive into some tales, shall we?"
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"Who's out there?" One of the men yelled. Of course only silence met them. I remained quiet and waited for the group to start moving again. "Maybe it was just an animal." Someone whispered. The person, who I assumed was the captain of the small squad, signaled for them to walk again. They clearly showed fear as they kept going; brandishing their weapons to guard themselves with. "Two are holding lanterns. I'll tell you when you're too close to them." I heard my friend whisper in my ear. I followed the men as I picked up another branch and waited for the right time to break it. They continued to walk through the forest, turning their heads in every direction as if an animal might lunge at them and rip their throats out. I guess in a way I was going to do that. "Go back a few feet." My friend whispered. I carefully distanced myself from the group and waited. "Where is she?" I quickly snapped the stick as soon as he finished asking the question. They stopped and two soldiers raised their lanterns to shine its light in the darkness. I quickly hid behind a tree before both of them turned where I was. A low frustrated growl came from one of the men, "The girl's playing with us. She's out here following our every move." How paranoia can cloud the mind. At nine years old, Silver decided to leave her village for the forest. Since then, she's been hunted; everyday is a fight for her life, every breath she takes could be her last, but she's determined to stay alive. Her life isn't the kind anyone would want to live but she's managed to survive this long so, what's a few more years?
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