Clearing

Alone in a dark wood one night, a young boy walked anxiously down one of the gravel paths. His parents had always warned against his journeys there, worrying constantly of the notion of him staying too long and becoming hopelessly lost in the dark of night. He never once imagined they'd be right. He continued down the path, his little heart racing in his chest. He passed the time with reassurance to himself. He knew where he was going, he knew where, he knew. This path led back to another path that led back to his neighbourhood, he was certain. He only had a bit further to go, then there was a sign which would lead him back home. He knew it. He constantly repeated this to himself as he walked as quickly as his short legs would carry him. He kept at bay the gnawing anxiety by repeating this to himself, and not thinking of anything else. He didn't need to - he knew this was the way. He ignored the thudding of his heart inside him. He wasn't lost. Suddenly the gravel path took a sharp turn left. Aha! He remembered this; it turned left just before the sign! He felt the relief come in a wave with the familiarity. He broke into a run around the turn and sprinted when he saw the sign, and nearly ran straight into it in his mad rush. His heart sank as he inspected it. How could this be happening? The only thing he could tell about his location was that he couldn't have been more wrong about where he thought he was. This sign was worn and filthy where the other was brand new, and whatever might have been written on it before was long gone. The path branched into three separate winding trails which all snaked off into the woods, with no sign of leading to any escape. Fresh tears streamed down his face and he struggled to breathe as he felt the darkness close more and more tightly around him. Thoughts of home, of dinner, his family, raced through his mind, making him ever more aware of the cold of the night here, and the icy grip on his heart tightened as he thought of his parents frantically searching for him. I NEED to get back, he resolved, breaking into a run down the nearest trail. The gravel crunched under him as he sprinted down the narrowing trail. He frantically begged in his mind to whatever may have been listening. Please let this be the right way, please let this be the right way. He let out loud sobs in between pained breaths, fighting back the gnawing paranoia that he was only getting more lost. He shuddered in despair as the ever-narrowing gravel path turned to simple dirt beneath his feet, only getting narrower and narrower. He could hear the booming of his beating heart as if it were actually in his ears. I don't have time to get it wrong, he thought, please don't end, please don't - ! Suddenly, he felt the wind rush right out of him as his foot caught a root, pivoting him straight into the ground. He stood up, catching his breath, and opened his eyes. He was at the edge of a small clearing in the woods, though the surrounding canopy stretched far, covering much of it. From what minuscule starlight came through to the clearing, he could see that most of the clearing was covered in a large, thick bed of odd stones, while a small pond sat in the centre. The boy's breathing slowed as he became curious of this clearing in spite of himself, when he noticed something else - it was completely silent here. Not the slightest peep came from the surrounding woods, and as he made to step into the clearing, he stopped as he felt the very sudden, very powerful feeling that he was not supposed to be here. He stood very still in the palpable silence, looking around the clearing as he tried to ignore his mounting anxiety. It's nothing, he told himself, but as if in response to that he felt the menace of the air grow tighter. Enough of this. He called out, 'Hello?' His anxiety rose steadily as he waited for an answer, trying to contain himself. But as the silence continued and no answer came, he felt himself begin to calm. He turned back onto the dirt path and walked quickly away, finding his way back onto the gravel path and gradua