Bruised Boy

Don't let them find me.

Nemophilist. As someone who is so overly fond of forests this is the only word Vivian can think to use when asked to describe herself. When she breaths in, the smell of grass and flowers flow through her. This is the only place she feels truly safe.
With a sigh of content she walks further, making sure to check her surroundings well. She's gotten lost more than she cares to admit. Her parents have warned her not to do so again. Fearing her beloved forest being off limits she chose to listen this time.
In the distance sits a big oak tree. Its branches look almost overbearing with their large size. A powerful feeling passes through her at the sight. There's a branch almost flush against the ground. She has to jump slightly as she climbs up, reveling in the feeling the moss passing through her fingers as she does so.
After a while of blissful silence she's pulled back to reality by the sound of crying. Being so deep in the forest the sound comes as a shock to her. She wants to ignore it but her heart can't seem to bare the sound, it's a low almost nasally cry. As if someone has been crying for hours and their nose is clogged, throat hoarse from the strain. Even so she doesn't understand why hearing this seems to cause her actual pain. Wetness starts to form in her eyes, daring to spill over.
Unable to bare it any longer she jumps up and follows the cry. The closer she gets the louder it becomes and the more desperate she feels. She's running fast, the wind forcing her hair back and burning her eyes as it enters. She's out of breath and her chest feels like it's caving in. The sound is so close, so loud, but yet she can't find it. Her tears are just about to burst when she sees it.
Her heart slows, her breathing evens out, the wind even comes to a halt. How long has she been staring? Why hasn't it moved? The crying is so soft now but it hasn't looked up. She can't speak or move, her eyes are locked on it's body. How old is it? It looks so small. Black, blue, and even green cover it's body. That can't be it's skin tone, can it? No, looking close it has soft tents of pale white, almost porcelain skin, in between all the sickening colors. At last she finds her voice.
"Do you need help?" The crying stops but the body doesn't move. She knows she should be fearful but all she feels is loss, regret, and pain. Unbearable pain, all for this small and boney person in front of her. Finally it shifts, dull shaky eyes meet her bright and lively ones. The person opens it's mouth, cracked lips forming words, but yet nothing comes out. She's confused of course but still wants to help.
"Can you speak?" The small body starts to shake, it's head falls as more tears spill, head shaking to say no. This causes her more pain. What happened to this person? Why can't it speak? Coming to a resolution she nods her head and starts again, careful of what she says, fearing she may scare the person.
"I'm worried about you. When I hear you cry, it makes me feel like I should too." The body stiffens in front of her, is it scared? Worried? She continues with caution.
"I want to understand you, but I don't know what you want to say. Can I come closer, just so I can try to understand more?" The person looks up at her again, so many emotions pass in such short time. Fear, hope, and sadness are the easiest to read. Finally looking back at her, it's expression isn't what she expected, it looks like the person is yearning for her, like it wants to be with her. A small nod is enough to make her smile.
She takes small steps and goes slow, she knows how scared this person is. She can feel it. As she gets closer she starts to lower herself, crouching down in hopes of looking less intimating. She doesn't want to get to close so she stops when she's still a good distance away, they could touch if they both stretched out but she choses to let the other person decide if it wants that. For now she just sits on the ground.
"Can you try telling me again? Do you need help?" The figure looks alarmed but opens it's mouth again, this time she's close enough to see the movement. That's when she realizes something, the person actually is speaking, it's just so low she can't quite make it out. But with the combination of mouth movements and soft occasional sounds she's able to make something out.
"Don't let them find me" her eyes go large as her chest suddenly feels tight again, she's filled with terror that she can't explain but even so she tries to stay calm for the sake of the person in front of her.
"Its okay. Even if you're worried you should try to remember that you're safe now. You're with me, and when we're together I'll never let anyone hurt you." She tries her best to smile at him but tears blur her vision. She blinks and the drops spill over. The person is gone.
Shock and horror pass through her, followed by endless questions. Where did it go? Will it get hurt again? How did it vanish so suddenly? Looking around all she sees is green and brown. No person in sight. Looking back in front of her she sees that no grass is crushed where the person had been. How is that possible? Even if it barely weighed anything the grass should at least be a little out of place, but it's flowing in the wind as if never having been disturbed.
She doesn't know how long she's been there, only just having realized the sun is starting to set. Wasn't it just morning? She slowly gets up feeling the ache in her muscles as they stretch out and the tingle in her legs as blood flows quickly into them. She wipes her face and realizes her tears on gone, her face now completely dry. She turns around and starts to walk back, finally looking up she sees her porch steps. She must have spaced out. She takes a breath to clear her head before going inside and up to her room. Something else occurs to her as she lays in bed. How did the person cry so loudly if it can barely speak?