An Unusual Town: Book 1

Chapter 8 : Don't Mess With the Mayor...

Clara and I had been walking the streets as I pointed out different things. Now we were on to the park in the middle of town. For a park in town it was gave the felling of a very dense forest. One that once you entered you could be lost forever. However if you looked at it on a map it only takes up fourteen acres of space. Still quite large but no where near the size of a dense forest. We walked down a rock path that travailed through the Park. About ten steps in Clara stopped and turned around in confusion.

"We've only just entered the Park?"

"Yes we did."

She turned in a little circle then looked at me and smiled brightly. "We only just entered but you can't even see the place we just entered!"

"Ah, I see. This was made for the shifters in town. If you couldn't get lost in it there's no way this would have been enough for them." Clara smiled wider and continued down the path in a happy skip like fashion. "You're not afraid of the forest?"

"No, why would I be?"

I frowned, most children would be afraid of the forest. In fact even most supernatural children were afraid of this forest. "It would be normal to be afraid of it. However you seem to be thrilled." I said watching Clara's reaction.

She froze. "Is that so? I see... children are afraid of the woods." She muttered more to herself than me. Clara turned to look at me with a bit of a sad look in her eyes. "I am not afraid of the forest because I was born in one." Her eyes grew a bit distant. "A forest that was dark and deep. So quite that you could hear the breath of the animals around you."

"Really? I thought you were from Redroad."

Clara bowed her head guiltily. "I... am not from Redroad. I was running from the Zombies when those three men helped me here." [ I give, even children know about Zombies. Maybe I'm just to old for this world. Sigh. ] "Before I knew it I was through that shiny blue swirling air and ended up here... Are you going to send me away?"

"No, I'm not. You don't need to be from Redroad to stay here." Clara looked up in surprise. "However I would like to know where it is you grew up and why you would like to stay with me instead of living with everyone else."

"Are you sure you aren't mad?"

"Not at all. If you would like we can take a seat just there." Clara looked around in surprise finally spotting the bench just to the side of the path.

"Was that there before?" She asked in confusion. I nodded my head as we took a seat. "This Park is more secretive than my woods... I was born to the west of here. In a forest that I guess was a national park? Anyway I lived there until the Zombies came and attacked my family. I... I'm..." She took a deep breath. "I'm a wood elf." Clara whispered.

"So that's why your not afraid of the forest."

"Your not afraid of me?"

"Clara look at this town." She showed a face of understanding. "Now if you would like there are some elves in the town. You can go and live with them."