Red in the Woods
Chapter 1: Beautiful Disaster
Blair
My grandmother and I live peacefully in our small house in the center of the woods. I do hunt small animals of our meal and find some herbs for tea. We are blessed that this forest has an amazing source of food and herbs. My grandmother has her own flower garden around the house and it made our surroundings very beautiful.
“Darling, you should hunt before dawn.” My grandmother said.
“I should be going then, Bye Mom.” I answered. I grab my hood and bid my grandmother goodbye.
---
I hid on the bushes when I saw a white rabbit beside the river, I grab my slingshot and shot directly to the rabbit’s head. I smirked and walk towards the dead rabbit.
“Pretty impressive.”
I turned around but I didn’t see anyone but then he just laugh. I spotted someone on the top of an oak tree beside the river, I was holding my knife tucked on my boots and throw it on him. He dodged my attack and jump on the ground.
“Shit, that was close.”
“I intended to hit you with that one.”
“Whoa easy, I won’t bite.”
I just leave him there, pick my knife, and runaway. I don’t like to talk to a stranger, I won’t disagree with the fact that his hot but whatever, I don’t mind. It was nearly dawn and I need to go home quickly.
I got home by six, my grandmother would probably in the part of the forest to find some berries, maybe she would be back anytime now. I'm preparing our dinner by cooking a rabbit's stew, I smile when I heard a knock on the door. I opened it immediately and didn't expect to see him again, it really pissed me of seeing him smiling playfully while leaning at the hard bricks with his arms crossed.
"What are you doing here?!" I exclaimed.
"I'm roaming around this area and luckily smelled something delicious and I'm really starving."
"I won’t share anything to a stranger."
"I'm Terrent Von, now I'm not a stranger anymore."
"You’re not going to have anything."
"I am."
"You’re not."
"Red, let him have some stew." my grandmother said.
I rolled my eyes in disagreement, I hate the fact that she's that kind to someone she only once met. I lead them to our dining table, they we're talking to each other like they've been friends for a very long time.
I leave them after I finished my food. I was staring outside my window, what a beautiful sight. I climbed outside and sit under the stars above.
"Star light, star bright, first star I see tonight I wish I may, I wish I might, have the wish I wish tonight. Shine down starlight, Please help to make this our night. The one I love will be here soon, Please shine above and bring the moon."
I reminisce something when I sang these, it used to be my lullaby when I was a kid, and the memory when mom was alive.
“Crying while seeing such a beautiful scenery is a bad habit.”
“Interfering with others business is more bad habit than crying.”
“Why are you crying anyway?”
“Just leave me alone.”
“Why?”
“Are you really that hard headed?”
“Don’t answer me with another questions, Red.”
“Ashleigh Blair Farrell, that’s my name.”
“Why are you called Red?”
“They call me that often, it’s been my nickname.”
“What happen then? The crying stuff.”
I sighed. I really want to punch him right now, but maybe this is the sign that I need.
“It’s like a beautiful disaster isn’t it?” I asked without looking at him.
“What do you mean?”
“My real mom died under this beautiful scenery. I was 8 back then, showering on my mom’s own blood. I tried to erase it but everything is crystal clear, that’s the only memory I had.”
“I’m sorry.”
I just smile at him, a reassuring smile.
“Do you want to come with me?” he asked.
“Where?”
“Some place you’d never known before.”
Out of curiosity, I nod.
---
He dragged me inside the dark and eerie woods while holding my hand, I really don’t mind thinking how dangerous the woods in the night, maybe because I had someone with me. I don’t know what feeling I felt inside me and it tickles my tummy. We ended up on a cliff, below was the Kingdom of Light, Shrandeia. I used to in live there before, but I can’t endure thinking about my mom again. It is very beautiful, that city never sleeps, it always stays very bright every day. Few minutes later, every light on the city was turned off and another light explode like a beautiful flower blooms in the dark.
“It’s beautiful isn’t it?”
I never answered his question but instead I stared at him and kiss him on his cheek.
---
I woke in a bright morning. I tilt my head a bit and rub my neck, I was exhausted. I ran down on the stairs and hugging my grandma, I was used to this routine every morning.
“Morning Mom.” I said and kissed her cheek.
“Where have you both been last night? I was worried that Terrent was carrying you when you get back.”
“I’m sorry, We’ve been on the cliff inside the woods.” I casually answered.
I grab some bread on the table and drink my hot chocolate. Few minutes later, I heard footsteps upstairs, maybe he’s awake.
“Good Morning.” He said while yawning widely.
“Take a sit Terrent and eat your breakfast.” Mom said while smiling.
He’s only wearing his dark fitted ripped pants, I looked away when he saw me staring at him. He’s heading towards the table and sit in front of me. He’s grinning at me and I really hate it, I just rolled my eyes on him.
“Can you dress up properly? Put your shirt on.” I said while glaring at him.
“What’s the problem of being half-naked?” He answered playfully. I rolled my eyes and grab his shirt on the ground and throw it on his face.
“It’s improper, especially when eating.”
He sighed on his defeat and put his shirt on. Mom was just smiling on what she saw.
“Mom, I will find some fruits for tomorrow and some fish for lunch.”
“Ok, but be careful Dear and you can join Terrent, if you want.” She answered and smile at me.
She really likes him, though I don’t. There’s something really strange about him, it felt like I knew him before but I didn’t know when or where. I’ve been asking this to myself few times but I keep on ignoring it, I trust mom too much but it felt like I’ve been missing something.
“Penny for your thoughts?” He interrupts my thoughts; I thank him for that.
“Don’t mind me. By the way, would you come with me?”
“Of course I will.”
---
We headed on the river just few kilometers away from home. We’re just using a sharp bamboo stick on catching fish, we had different bucket to fill in. We just need 5 salmons and we sell the rest of it in the city.
“How hard catching this salmons?”
“I don’t know.” I answered while grinning at him.
Few minutes later, my bucket was full of salmons and he only got 3. I was laughing while watching him, he’s always cursing to death and intensely glaring at me, I shrugged and laugh again. Maybe we should get some fruits now.
“Terrent, give up.”
“I won’t.”
“Then I should leave without you.”
He’s walking towards me and hissed, I won.
---
We enjoyed picking different fruits in the forest. It’s almost noon when we decided to go back home. Being with this man isn’t bad after all.
---
It’s been a week when Terrent stays on our house, we’ve been close to each other, he’s like a big brother to me. We do things together and mom always laughing when we’re arguing in little things.
It’s Friday, Mom decided to get some fruits in the forest this afternoon to bargain with some coffee beans in the city. I felt something really weird when mom hasn’t arrived in evening, it doesn’t take days to travel in the city.
“Terrent, do you think mom would be okay?”
“Of course she is, she always does.”
Few hours later I woke up when I heard someone’s knocking at our door. Who could be here early in the morning? I ran towards the door and opened it, I smiled and hug her when I saw her safe. She hurriedly goes to the kitchen and prepare our breakfast, Terrent was beside me staring at mom intensely.
“What is your problem?” I ask.
“Nothing.” He answered and leave.
“Where is he going?” mom asked blankly.
“Outside, obviously.” I answered back.
Maybe mom is not feeling well today, how could she actually not smiling? Even before she got very sick but she still wears her bright smile. She’s acting very weird.
“We should go ahead mom, Terrent is waiting.”
“Ok.”
---
I reached in the woods but there is no trace of Terrent, ‘I wonder where did he go? ’ I asked myself. I let myself be drown into the woods and stop at the riverside, he’s here. I sit beside him and examine his face.
“Your gaze can melt me, Red.”
I knew his serious, his tone, and the way he called my name.
“What is your problem?” I asked.
“I can’t tell you Red, I can’t. There are enormous things out there you don’t even know about.”
“What do you mean by that?”
“I can’t hide anything from you but there is time for that.”
---
Terrent
I was in my bed when I heard a loud knock on the door, I groaned but I hurriedly go outside to check it out but Red was there hugging her but then I suddenly did smell something that can would make me hurl. She’s pale like snow, she’s not smiling the way she did before, and she didn’t smell like one.
I am staring at her intensely, I can’t be wrong at this, not now. This smell, a rotten shit like puke, this might be one of the creatures in the north. I need to take her away from here, but I don’t know how to tell her, this is not even the time, it’s too early. I hurriedly ran to the river bank to find the real Thalina, Red’s Grandmother, but I fail. I can hear someone walking towards me, a sweet strawberry scent, it’s her.
“We need to find your grandmother quick.” I said and made her laugh.
“This is not the time of joking around, Terrent.”
“We might be late if you don’t come with me.” I said to her and drag her with me, she keeps ranting about how harsh I dragged her, but I didn’t listen. We’re pretty close, Thalina’s powdery lavender scent is running into my nose.
Then we found her, she’s starting to fade like a dandelion in the air. She’s lying on the meadow near the Maple Tree. Red really didn’t realized what is happening but she ran towards her, she was crying really hard but Thalina cupped her face and give her an assuring smile. Red hugged her tight but she’s dying, I bit my lip preventing myself not to cry seeing them like that, but my eyes disobeyed.
Let my Red cry, but don’t leave her behind. If she wants the truth she seeks, in the Tomb of Thorns and Grave I’ll sneak.
Then she vanished through the wind.
---
Note: This is the first part of my story and I want to share this with you guys I hope you like it. Enjoy :)
