"Please, listen to me, son. Do not venture out into the forest. The place that you desperately seek is far too dangerous!" An elderly man hoarsely rasped, his wrinkled fingers coiling around his brown walking cane's curved tip. With an irked roll of my brown eyes, I released a scoff underneath my breath after perceiving my grandpa's warning. Surely the forest's myth of horrible, unspeakable danger had been made up to keep the mischievous children in their place. Honestly, I was badgered to no end about everyone taking the entire rumor so seriously, almost as if it really was true. What disturbed me to my core was that even the adults believed that the forest was haunted. Fear's convincing whisper had driven them to consider the absurd possibility of enraged, bloodthirsty phantoms lingering within the lush woods. The countless tales of grotesque shrieking at late hours only added to everyone's paranoia, but those chilling rumors did nothing to extinguish my steadfast worldview. If you were to ask me if I believed in the paranormal, a swift no would be thrusted into your face as a special gift from me to you.
"Grandpa, there's no such thing as phantoms. I'm going to prove that the forest is safe, and you can't stop me. I will still go, with or without your permission. The village's silly rumors don't frighten me. It will take more than a fake story to change my mind." With a huff, I met my grandpa's gaze steadily like a police officer casting a suspect a grim, stern stare. Tension crackled in the air with the weight of a sturdy anvil, the unbearable moment dragging on for what felt like an eternity. I was no coward, and right now, I wouldn't allow anyone to foil my vital mission at hand. Sheer determination weaved its way into the crevices of my heart, urging me to end this pitiful story's prolonged campaign of poorly crafted lies. A defeated look clouded my grandpa's gentle gaze like a thick blanket of fog looming over an asphalt street, a heavy sigh trailing past the elderly man's pale, chapped lips. "Don't say that I didn't warn you, Josh." My grandpa's tone had swiftly plummeted into a sorrowful, hushed whisper, but I had failed to notice his odd behavior. As my grandpa receded back into our cozy cottage, triumph coursed throughout the entirety of my being once the front door had been shut completely.
Already, my feet carried me towards the village's exit, and the forest that I desired to see for myself was speckled against a pale blue sky in the distance. Necessities weren't an issue, since I had taken great care in packing food, bottles of water, and other important items for survival in my backpack. I had made myself leave trivial objects behind, having wanted to ensure that I had enough storage for what I would truly need out in the wilderness. I had no idea how long I would be present within the foreign depths of the untamed wilds. However, the heavy backpack slowing me down somehow kept me reassured. I was prepared; at least, I was pretty certain that I was. Besides, what could possibly go wrong? The least ferocious thing I'd most likely encounter would be an irksome swarm of mosquitoes eager to nip at my flesh.
My sluggish trek to the woods had felt like a millennia; however, only a few hours had drifted by. I was finally at the forest's wide, gaping threshold, my stomach churning into a tight, conflicted knot. Elongated, deceased tree limbs feebly drooped down towards me, remaining in a pitiful hunched position. The thin, twisted branches reached out to me like outstretched hands. The eerie atmosphere did little to quench my worry; instead, it only fueled my fretful mind's horrid imaginings. Should I really be doing this? My grandpa had been against me departing into the woods, and just now, I soon enough realized that he had seemed somber while lumbering indoors. Was he aware of something that I had no knowledge of? Regret sparked like a kindling flame within my skittish heart, and for a brief moment, my breath was lodged within my moist, warm gullet. I had made it this far, and I wasn't going to allow myself to turn back now. "No turning back." I muttered, mostly to myself in order to gain some much needed confidence.
With my breath tightly lodged within my throat, I took a few, small steps forward. Despite my fears that rampaged like a wildfire inside of my quaking heart, I had breached the forest's entrance with unspoken, reassuring thoughts. If I was courageous enough to leave home on my own, then surely I could camp out in the woods in pitch black darkness. I guess it's a good thing that I brought a flashlight. I can't see anything. I thought, already beginning to dig inside of my dark backpack. My fingertips rummaged desperately for the motionless torch, and before I knew it, my skin came into contact with cold, smooth metal. The sudden rustling of vegetation caused my body to jolt, paranoia clamping a firm hold upon me as I whipped out my flashlight. In an instant, a faint click sounded as my thumb brought the handy tool to life. A beam of bright, blinding light illuminated the area in front of me, thankfully aiding my limited eyesight in the process. The light both comforted me and blessed me with relief; however, it did not keep my hand from shaking to and fro like a tall tree in the wind. "Who's there?" I hollered as loud as I could, my vocals oozing with nervousness. Completely against my will, an obnoxious crack altered my tone with little effort, shouting to the world just how spooked I truly was.
YOU ARE READING
The Boy who Never Listened
Short Story"The village's silly rumors don't frighten me. It will take more than a fake story to change my mind." A young boy named Josh, whom lives within the sanctuary of his small village, is well-known for both his bitter moods and his disrespectful r...
