The Moonlight Boy | Ferry's Tale # 1

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He was carried away on windy wings to distant and blurry realms. It felt warm and nice. As if cuddling in his bed at home on a cold winter's night. He floated somewhere in between worlds and even if he had his eyes closed, he could still see soft colors dancing around him. Then, the colors came together, twirling until melting into the deepest darkness. If he hadn't felt the fell on the hard ground, he would have thought he was dreaming. He didn't open his eyes. Not just yet. He could smell bark, summer grass, and hot air, the smells he knew so well and loved so much.

Somewhere afar, he could hear voices and branches snapping under heavy feet. He opened his eyes. Darkness. Darkness everywhere. Every now and then, the darkness was pierced by flashes of light, oozing through the silent trees. He wanted to move, but his entire body hurt. He felt his left hand numb. He realized someone was squeezing it. It was Matilda, also lying beside him. He raised his head and he could see another person stunted on the ground. Danny.

The voices came closer. Ferry tried to say something, anything, but he choked on his words. He tried to stand, but the trees and lights began twirled, and he fell.

"We found them," he heard a voice nearby. Then, the footsteps came closer and the flashlights blinded him. Arms lifted him up, and he felt the caress of gentle, beloved hands. Soft fingers tips dripped over his forehead. Ferry felt the silky touch of soft hair on his cheek, the scent of cookies and freshly washed laundry. Home.

⃰

The children's disappearance had seriously shaken the peace of Goodharts; more than all the others had before. No one expected three children simply vanishing off the face of the Earth. When one of the locals discovered Ferry's gloves and Matilda's shoes at the edge of the forest, they knew that was the place where they had to look. They've searched the whole forest, inch by inch for three days and three nights in a row. Even the Police in the Big City had joined the search.

A geologist was called. He soon discovered that the soil of the Shepherd's Forrest and its vicinity had special properties. It was soft and it could easily crumble in case of heavy rain. And there were heavy rains the weeks before Danny's disappearance.

The specialist offered a complicated, yet logical explanation the local people gladly accepted, relieved they didn't have to worry about vanishings for another seven years. The soil ─ the geologist explained ─ became too light, and that caused the formation of a grotto where children could easily fall. And that's exactly what happened in the children's case. Then, the grotto was covered with branches, leaves, and soil brought by the wind. Also, it was too abrupt for them to come out, so the children were captive inside. How the children ended up in the same grotto, two weeks apart, that was a tricky question. But it didn't matter anymore, since they were found, safe and sound.

Danny Stevens' survival was a different story. This time, the explanation, pretty convenient for that matter, was given by Mr. Porter, the reporter. In Ferry and Matilda's case, only three days had passed, so they probably survived with rainwater and roots. While Danny's organism has been feeding out of his own fat for two weeks. Which was probably why he was so thin now.

Yet, there was something else that troubled the calmness of the town even more than the children's disappearance. During the search, the entire forest was scoured inch by inch. So it wasn't long before the secret tunnel was found ─ the tunnel leading to Mrs. Cobbs's house.

The discovery of the tunnel, but mostly the discovery of Mrs. Cobbs's secret was the scariest, yet delicious news that was to stay on everyone's lips for a long, long time. The fact that Mrs. Cobbs has kept her husband locked up for so long was revolting for the role model people of Goodharts. Precisely for not knowing how to deal with such abominable action, the Police in the Big City was appealed to. An officer came to watch Mrs. Cobbs's house while her poor husband was sent to live the rest of his life in a shelter for elderly people, outside the town.