Tag Archives: short

The forest behind the abandoned church was my happy place. Everyday after school I would run there, and stay until the sun went down. Something about the leaves crunching, and the whistling breeze, put my entire body at ease.
A river ran through the forest, and right beside it was where I kept my fortress. It was well built for a 16 yr old. I had been building it since I was 8, and 8 years later. I was confident in my handiwork.
If you were to go inside the fortress you would see a makeshift bookshelf, and a rocking chair I found in a dumpster. The chair didn’t rock anymore, but, with a few adjustments, it was still usable as a chair.
And In that chair, you might see a pale skinned boy, with dusty, brown hair, and almond colored eyes. Me.
I leaned back in the chair. The chair may not rock, but if I put my feet against the wall I could rock it manually. I had fallen a number of times, but I was still young. Lessons were meant to be ignored.
In my lap was a book. It was closed now. My head was leaned back and my eyes were closed as I rocked back and forth.
I had a peculiar way of reading books. Every now and again, I would close my eyes, and just visualize the story in my head.
In my mind’s eye, I saw a Faerie woman named Aileen. She walked with confidence through the jungle. The animals cowered and slunk away from her as she walked, and she took pleasure in their fear.
She came to the bridge, where a goblin man stood. According to the rules of this world, one needed to pay a toll to cross the bridge, or face the mighty troll who lay under it.
Aileen didn’t play by the rules though, with a flick of her sword the goblin was disposed of. The ground rumbled as the troll awoke and attacked. Within moments Aileen walked down the bridge, a smile on her face and a troll head attached to her belt.
I kept my eyes closed for a little while longer, soaking in the story. Feeling the jungle heat on my skin, feeling foliage crumble under foot. Feeling my sword severing the heads of monsters, a shower of blood arcing into the air

My thoughts were interrupted by a voice. A female voice.
“Did you build this yourself?”, she said

With a start my eyes flew open, as the world began to tilt rapidly. The back of the chair hit the ground with a thud, as I spilled off onto the floor.

The girl giggled as her vibrant face came into view. A wide smile brightened her face, and her emerald green eyes pierced straight into my heart. She bent down to help me up, and a curtain of bright red hair framed her face.
“I didn’t mean to startle you”, she said with a giggle, “ My names Jessica, what’s yours”
” Calvin,” I said, cheeks reddening with embarrassment. “ I did build it myself, by the way ” , I say, facing the ground in an effort to hide my cheeks
Jessica looked around, “It’s pretty impressive, how long have you lived out here?”
The question took me by surprise. ” I don’t live out here, I live up the road with my dad. I just came out here to read. “. I point to the book on the floor
Jessica’s eyes lit up. “ I love stories, What’s the book about?” , she asked excitedly. I picked up the book and explained the plot. My eyes saw Aileen in battle with an Elf and with a dwarf. She was ruthless in battle and fought with the confidence that she had already won.
“How does it end?” Jessica said, her eyes burning into the side of my face.

“ I haven’t gotten that far yet.”, I said, just as the alarm clock against the wall began to ring. It was 7:00. Time to go home.
I waved goodbye to Jessica, and jogged home. My house was at the end of the street, perpendicular to the church parking lot. The backdoor was always unlocked, because I left it unlocked. My dad slept on the couch, probably still drunk from the afternoon binge he always had.
I had made a habit of getting home after 7, and leaving the house by 6, in order to make sure he never saw me. Most days I worry about what would happen if he found me, other days I wonder if he even knows he has a son.

I climbed into bed, and dreamed. Aileen’s sword dancing through my field of vision. The brave warrior danced but something was off about her. Remorselessly she struck down her foe, an elf woman wielding a longsword. Then quickly her bright eyes found mine. A bright emerald green. She lifted up her sword, and lunged.

I awoke with a whimper, and I hated myself for it. Aileen wouldn’t have whimpered. Ashamed I got up and headed out to school.

Jessica and I hung out everyday. She was the closest friend I had. She was a little strange, but I overlooked that. I was a little strange too.
Jessica helped fortify the fortress, fitting stronger beams in place of the weak ones. She was abnormally strong for a 16 yr old, I was very impressed.
Jessica loved stories , but strangely enough, she couldn’t read. I tried to loan her a book, but she refused.
“I can never understand those things, ” she said, “ Read it to me”
Happily I obliged. She smiled as I read. At that moment I realized I would do anything for that smile. I lived for that smile. I would die for that smile.
We sat there for hours, just reading books. I wanted to teach her how to read but she tells me her family doesn’t read.
“We’re just supposed to observe, we aren’t allowed to get involved.” She would say.
Even as I, so clearly, fell for Jessica the weirdness began to add up. I had never seen Jessica go home, she didn’t have a last name, if I asked where she’s from she would say “Here”, with no further explanation. Not to mention she couldn’t read, or write, although I mostly chalk that up for some weird religious thing. I assumed she must have grown up on a farm or something. It would explain her super strength.
We sat by the river and talked. I was explaining to her one of the books I had read in recent years. A book about a man buried alive, in a coffin . It was a terrifying book . Jessica interrupted me though.
“Why do you spend so much time out here?” She asked, wearing her signature smile. “ Don’t you have a family? They probably worry about you” .
I hesitate before answering ” No, it’s just my Dad. My mom died when I was six, and he’s been unbearable since then. I try to avoid him”.
“ But isn’t he sad? Maybe he needs help too,” she said sympathetically

“ I guess that’s what the drinking is for, but you don’t want to be around when he drinks. He gets mean. He tried to hit me once, but he was too drunk. He missed and that’s when I started coming out here. Are you okay? “
Jessica’s eyes got dark and for the first time she frowned.
” He shouldn’t hit you, Calvin”, she said, almost in a whisper.
For the first time I saw darkness emanate from her, and in that moment I was scared.
” He didn’t, he was just having a bad day, I guess. I don’t think he meant to do it”, I didn’t know if that was the truth but it worked on Jessica.
Once again she smiled, but it lost its brightness now. It looked dull. Jessica stepped
“I just don’t want you to get hurt, because I love you” , she never hesitated for a second before saying it, or before leaning forward and firmly placing her lips on mine.
I had dreamed of her kiss before, but In those dreams, I never thought it would be so terrifying. Behind us in the fortress the alarm rang. I rushed over to turn it off. Turning around, I came face to face with Jessica.
“Gone so soon?” She said with a smile that never touched her eyes
“ Yea, I should get home before my dad wakes up.”, I stammered.
Her face darkened and I stammered to reassure her.
“I just don’t want to disturb him,” I said. I waved goodbye and she watched me leave. Emerald eyes burning me with every step.
In my dream that night I saw a giant impaled on a massive sword. His body arching high into the air. Aileen laughed violently as blood poured over her. Turning her golden brown hair a bright red. Suddenly her piercing green eyes were on me.
“ Don’t you love me too, Calvin,” Aileen said. She cackled with laughter, blood filling her mouth as she tilted her head toward the sky, but the laughing only got louder.

I woke up sweating.

I didn’t go to school that day. I went straight to the forest. I stayed in the churchyard this time though and watched. I knew I was being silly. Everybody gets angry sometimes, it’s normal. It wasn’t just anger though. I had felt a deep rage, burning hatred and malice , and an overwhelming sense of danger in that moment.
It’s hard to explain,but I would give her the benefit of the doubt. I’ve always been a little jumpy, so it’s probably nothing.
I sat and waited for Jessica. I wanted to see what direction she came from, at least then I could be sure she was human. I know that’s silly, but I read a lot of fantasy novels then.
Unexpectedly I saw her walking across the treeline. A bright smile across her face. Had she slept in the forest? I went to approach her but then I had thought. I should follow her. What was she doing in the forest anyway.

I watched from a distance and as she drew further away. I followed her into the woods. This was insane. I should just confront her. I watched as she walked further into the woods.
Jessica began whistling, as she bent down to pick up a stick. It was a hefty branch but Jessica handled it easily
She didn’t whistle anything specific, she just whistled, and unexpectedly a bird joined in. The song is haunting and beautiful. I can almost see their voices weaving in and out as harmonies emerge and sink with the flow of the music. Jessica and the bird were face to face. Almost as if they were…talking? Then suddenly the stick swung out at the bird, the crack was audible and the song ceased immediately.
A gasp escaped my lip, I covered my mouth quickly, but her eyes darted in my direction immediately. She hadn’t seen me yet.
I’ve gotten pretty good at walking silently over the years, I focused on that as I slowly backed away. I couldn’t help but think about the animals, cowering away from Aileen. She relished in their fear. A wide smile split Jessica’s face. An unsettling, terrible smile.

The sun set slowly as I ran to my house. The time got away from me as I tried to find my way back out of the forest, I silently hoped I wasn’t too late.
I opened the backdoor to see my Dad sitting up in his chair. The beer bottle crashed against the wall beside me as he threw it.
“ Why is the school calling me and telling me you weren’t there, Calvin? What did I tell you about skipping school?” My dad yelled.
He hadn’t told me anything about skipping school. He hadn’t talked to me in over a year. I didn’t tell him this. I kept my mouth shut. The second beer bottle didn’t miss me, crashing against my shoulder. I felt the pain of the impact as the glass shards powdered my neck and face. My dad continued to yell. He got up closer, grabbing hold of my shirt.
His fist went up, but it wasn’t his fist that hurt me. It was the fear. It pierced into my heart like a spear, twisting into my chest, wrenching at my heart. He used to be a good father. Now he was a Beast. My face was bruised, and bloodied, and the fear continued to stab at my chest. The beast that was once my father, lunged forward again, knocking over beer cans and bottles and garbage. The doorknob found my hand, and I ran. The Beast followed, but he was hardly in any shape to run. I lost him almost immediately, but found myself with no place to go.
Except for the fortress. I ran quickly and quietly through the woods. My father had never been to the fortress, I wonder if he would have been proud of it. I pushed that thought away entering the doorway quickly, only to find myself greeted with bright emerald eyes. Her smile warped her features. She looked so happy, and yet I knew better.
“You’ve been avoiding me, Calvin.” Jessica said, “ I’ve scared you, but I just want to explain, and I’ll leave you alone”.
” I watched you kill that bird, today. You lured it out with your singing and then killed it”, I blurted it out before I could think. I waited for the sting of another attack, but Jessica only laughed.
“ I didn’t kill a bird, I killed a monster, Calvin. That’s what I do, I kill monsters. But you shouldn’t be afraid of me. I would never hurt you. I love you, Calvin”, Jessica said, closing the distance between us.
I thought back to the song, the magic in the harmonies… maybe it was a monster. I wasn’t sure who I could trust at that moment, but she had never hurt me before.

“CALVIN, I SWEAR TO GOD WHEN I FIND YOU BOY,”, My dad’s yelling got louder as he got closer.

“Who’s that?” Jessica asked.

I thought for only a second before saying,…. “A monster.”

In my mind’s eye, Jessica approached the bridge. The bird asked for its fare, but was disposed of quickly. The Beast took notice of Jessica, and the ground rumbled as he attacked. Moments later, Jessica approached. A smile adorning her face, and the head of the Beast adorning her belt.

This time, I smiled back.