dream

one

chapter one
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A young boy wakes up outside in an evergreen forest, it's cold and dark, The boy thinks outloud

"How did i get here ?"

The boy gets up and wanders through the forest, his heart pounding in his chest.

"i'll freeze out here if I don't find shelter"
he thinks to himself.

A branch snaps behind him, the boy turns around and squints into the darkness. Another branch snaps, closer to him this time. He runs his hands through his hair and starts walking backwards, still staring into the darkness. Footsteps echo behind him, the boy starts running further into the woods, his heart pounding in his chest.

He runs with his eyes closed, trying to escape the nightmare he woke up in. He can hear something or someone running behind him,

"Who's there ? I- I know how to fight, i'll kick your ass if you come any closer"

The boy shouts into the darkness, unbeknownst of who's following him. He keeps walking and rests his hand on the Swiss army knife in his pocket. He's scared, he has no ides where he is or where's he's going.

The boy walks for awhile weaving between the thick evergreens, it's been an hour, maybe longer since he woke up. He stares down at his sneakers, soaked from the snow.

"For fuck sakes"

He's freezing and starving, the boy looks up at sky and see's the smallest bit of light poking through the trees. The boy smiles and sprint towards the light, he doesn't take his eyes off the light.

"that's gotta be someones house or something. There's no way its not."

The boy squints up at the night sky while he walks.

"i've got to be getting close by now"

He stumbles over a fallen tree, face first into the brush.

"What the hell?"

The boy mumbles to himself, he picks himself up off the cold forest floor and brushes the dirt off his pants. As he's brushing himself off he grazes over his pocket. It feels empty

"Where's my knife ? Fuck, fuck, fuck."

He drops to his knees searching for his knife in the brush. He sees a silver glow out of the corner of his eye, the boy reaches to the silver glow to the  to find his knife stuck under a piece of wood. The boy brushes the wood off and pulls his pocket knife out from underneath the oak planks.

Confused as to why there's oak planks in the middle of the woods he brushes it off some more.

"Is this..? a path of some sort?"

The boy thinks to himself, he looks ahead in awe as he notices the long oak path leading up to a river ahead of him.

"Holy shit it is a path"

He follows the path over the river, he drags his hand across the stone railing and watches as the water ripples beneath him. At the edge of the path he sees a large brick house in the centre of the river.

"Thank god, it's fuckin' freezing out here"

The boy runs to the front of the house without thinking, he hesitates to open the door as he hears muffled voices through the open window.

He walks to the open window and peers through, trying to figure out if anyone is inside. He sees a tall blonde man yelling up the staircase in the centre of the house to somebody named George.

"George we need to leave c'mon!"

The tall man turns to see the boy staring back at him through the window.

"Oh fuck"

The boy ducks, hoping the man didn't see him. He can hear the man whispering back and forth with George.

"I think there's someone outside"

"What do you mean you think there's someone outside Clay?"

"I mean somebody is watching us outside the house George"

He can hear the voices getting closer to the window, the boy is pressed up against the cold brick wall hoping the men don't find him.

Clay shouts through the open window.

"Who's there? I won't hurt  you if you show yourself now"

The boy's heart pounds in his chest, he sits in silence for a second before George chimes in,

"Clay.. that's a little bit extreme , you don't even know for sure if anybody's out there"

He peeks through the window to see Clay glaring at George. 

The boy whispers to himself,
"fuck"

He pulls his knife out of his pocket and clutches it in fear.

"Hey!"

The boy looks to his left to see Clay and George pointing crossbows in his face.
Panicking, he stands up and sprints down the oak path. He doesn't get far before one of the men tackles him.

"The fuck are you running for kid?"
Clay shouts at him.

"i-... i'm just-"

He's shaking from the cold and from being terrified, he drops his pocket knife and puts his hands in the air.

"Please don't shoot me"

Clay's face switches from anger to shock as he turns and looks at George.

"I- i'm sorry, I just woke up in the forest and i was cold and it was dark and i- i started running and saw your house. I'm- i'm sorry please don't hurt me"

The boy says, tripping over his words.

"You could come inside if you want? It's pretty dangerous out here for a kid"
George says as he lowers his crossbow

The boy hesitates,
"okay.."

Clay and George lead tommy back to the house in silence. George occasionally glances back at the young boy and notices what he's wearing. He whispers to Clay,

"He's wearing a T-shirt and jeans, how did he not freeze out there Clay?"

Clay turns and looks at George then the boy but says nothing in response to George.

The three of them walk into the brick house, George and Clay whisper to each-other for a minute before Clay walks upstairs.

"Hey kid, i'm George"

He says as he extends his hand out, the boy shakes his hand but stands in silence.

"You look young, how old are you anyways?"

George asks him. He hesitates for a second wondering if he should converse with the man who was holding him at gunpoint just minutes ago.

"im sixteen"

He mumbles, trying not to make eye contact with George.

Clay comes down the stairs holding a jacket and a sword, he sets them on top of the table and glances over at the boy shivering next to George.

"You can take these if you want. I assume you don't have anywhere to stay tonight do you?"

Clay says in an annoyed tone, staring at him.

"No, i dont. Like i said i just woke up in the woods"

George looks at Clay and mouths the words "Let him stay" .

Clay runs his hands through his hair and sighs,

"... the kid can stay"

Clay mumbles to George and the boy before returning upstairs,

"You can sleep there if you'd like, Clay and I will be upstairs"

George points at a bed in the corner of the room and leaves the boy alone.

He puts on the jacket and places the sword at his side. The boy lays awake staring at the ceiling, unable to fall asleep for what feels like hours.