The Woods

I gazed into the endless depths of the woods at twilight as i sat alone on the swingset, rust creeping and chipping along the blue bars. Gently, through the air i soared, gravity forcing me back and forth, up and down. The silence dawned upon the vast yard, encircled by the dark West Virginia wood. I leapt off my safe sanctuary of the swing, and dared to enter. Slowly, i cut across the brittle green and barren dusty field and a city of trees stood before me. I felt so small. The moon and stars were developing in the sky as the sun and its few remaining rays of pink disappeared. But still i took a wavery step into the perilous unknown. I scanned my surroundings, detecting any sign of danger, but it was so dark, it was hardly any use. A soft rustle behind me sounded and echoed through the chorus of crickets and cicadas. Before i knew it, i tore off at top speed. I carefully dodged every tree in sight, which seemed to be within  inches of distance from each other. I was beginning to wear out, after a while: my muddy legs started screaming in protest to stop, but i only pushed them further. My rediculously long, golden curls flew behind me, my flourescent blue eyes searching desperately ahead for an exhilerating adventure.

Suddenly, I was caught, and an immense pain kindled in my ankle and I immediately halted, though my top half kept going. I flung to the ground, my heart stopping and my face shocked. I had no idea where i was, where the exit was, or where i mother was. I was definetly injured and unable to walk back alone (provided that i actually found a way out of the wood). Desperation swelled within my eyes as i was stuck in an uninhabited area in the middle of the night. A faint spark shimmered in the distance before me. "Great," I thought. "Either there's a forest fire or I'm going crazy, too." I sat hopelessly on the ground as the spark crept nearer. I realized then that it must be a person, but certainly not an ordinary person. Though darkness stubbornly loomed around me,  I could strangely see the person clearly. It had the most intense, angelic appearance' and its graceful arms were outstretched, willing to help. He glowed a bright silver, and even more odd, enormous wings sprouted from him, luminous, yet feathery and powerful. A reassuring halo floated above his head.

I'd never seen anything in complete darkness in such plain sight. The way no light was attracted to him whatsoever, but light glowed upon him, and him alone, left a curious thought inside my head. Is this some sort of angel, ghost, super-natural...thing? Was it going to save me, or condemn me...?

"Let me help you," it said in a distant but mellow voice. He stroked the wounds on my ankle with his finger, and the pain instantly disappeared. "Follow me," he said commanded me simply. I tracked his heels through the forest, questions exploding inside my head. Who, or maybe what, is this stranger saving me? Finally, or maybe too soon, I found myself outside the forest, the swingset once again.

"How can i ever thank-" I began. I turned, but the thing was gone. Tears spilled down my face as i fell to my knees, praying with emotion. As i fled for home, i promised myself to assuredly come back to the forest next year.