𝐑𝐮𝐧𝐚𝐰𝐚𝐲 |𝟏𝟖+

00 || Daniel

They were able to explore the depths of the forest. Go beyond the restrictions of The Colony and unknowingly into regular society.

The clearing was towards the cliff, just past the wooden sign that read Elora National Park and Camp Ground - a name that meant nothing to the boys. Nor did they ever pay any mind to the sign that -to them- was just a bunch of scribbled up words that didn't have a meaning.

  But on this specific October night as the two friends made their way past the wooden sign, through the small path of trees, they froze at the sounds coming from around them.

They weren't alone.

Voices, specifically laughter, screaming and singing, some high some low echoed from around them.

Weston was the first to break. Backing up and turning on his heels, prepared to run back home, but it was Daniel who placed a hand on his friends shoulder and stopped him.

Daniel always was too curious.

Grabbing his friends hand and tugging him forward behind a large tree, they silently hid, peeking out from behind the tree trying to make sense of the disturbance coming from their clearing.

Only what they found was far worse than the two boys could imagine. What sounded to be regular humans were nothing but Witches, Monsters and Devils. Roaming around a fire, some claiming their bodies in foreign moments, others drinking out of red cups.

It was all too much, even for Daniel who couldn't help but scream in horror as he moved to run. Only as luck would have it, both boys had somehow ended up stumbling forward onto the ground, into view.

The laughter and conversations had ceased and the two boys glanced up through teary eyes only to see the attention of the monsters on them. There were only five or six of them, all of different shapes, colours and sizes.  But all equally terrifying.

Far too terrified to move, the two boys stared up at the monsters who were now opening their mouths and bombarding them with questions.

Are you guys okay?

Where are your parents?

Why are you guys out in the woods alone?

Are you lost?

Question after question and yet the boys still didn't dare to speak. It was only once the monsters had revealed their true faces that they'd been able to calm down.

They were humans. People. Teenagers, only a couple years older than them.

And it was only when they had imposed no threat, that the two boys relax and warmed up to them. Even going as far to stay and watch in wonder as they interacted with each other.

It was the only glimpse of the outside world that they got and they would be fools to give it up.

And so, what began as a terrifyingly close call with death, turned into a night of awe as the boys spent the night conversing with these people who seemed far too friendly and normal.

By the time they'd realized that they'd lost track of time and needed to return to The Colony, Daniel and Weston found themselves promising to come visit their new strange friends the next day.