Dark Forest

Dark Forest

a story of courage and bravery

 

My eyes felt heavy as I tried to open them, but I finally managed it. Blinking, I pushed myself onto my elbows.

‘ Where in the world am I? ’

As I shakily stood up, I looked around me. I realized where I was. I was in the Dark Forest, a dark and foreboding place. The trees seemed to loom in towards me, trapping me in a clearing.

I shivered; the lime green t-shirt I wore didn't keep the cold out. A howl broke through the icy air and I shivered again. But this time from fear.

‘ I have to get out of here, I have to get home. I’m scared. ‘

I shook myself and started walking to the dark shadows of the trees on the far end of the clearing. A low, threatening wolf growl came from behind me. My long, golden hair flew as I sprinted away from the wolves, desperate and terrified. A howl rang through the air and the bracken crunched as the wolves ran after me. I shook my head, trying to get rid of the image in my mind:a silver wolf with flashing green eyes, silhouetted by moonlight, howling. My head pounding, I wondered how I could get away. I had no courage, and I felt weak, tiny, and helpless. Sure, I was fast and could run away…  but the wolves could catch me and I couldn’t exactly hide, with my shiny blonde hair literally shouting,  ‘Here I am!’, to the wolves. I was only 11! I, Akira, was too young to die.

When I reached a clearing, I skidded to a stop and turned slowly. It was a scene from a horror movie; a forest so dark and lonely - it was a pitch black night with no stars,  and wolves chased the main character, in this case, me! But, this was much, much worse than a horror movie... this was real!

The wolf I had seen before was standing there, growling. Half a dozen more wolves paced behind him, menacingly. I screamed and ran to a tree, with the wolves running after me. With my heart pounding, I jumped up and grabbed a tree branch. My arms were shaking with the effort, but I pulled myself up.

‘I made it! Now what? With a pack of wolves below me, there’s nowhere to go!‘

Suddenly, I felt a sharp pain in my left ankle, like little knives slicing my flesh. I kicked the wolf that bit me and it fell with a howl of pain and fury. It fell a couple feet away and I climbed higher, ignoring the pain in my ankle and my muscles that screamed at me to stop and rest. I couldn’t rest! I had to get away first. If I stopped I could die...

The other wolves paced below me and some of them jumped up, making the tree shake and quiver. I held onto to a branch with a death grip, as though my life depended on it (which it did). Fear shot through me at every tremor the oak tree took. I moaned in fear. What could I do? It seemed inevitable… I was going to die.

As I held on with fear, a small part of my mind screamed at me to take a stand and be brave and strong. I shook my head, that was crazy. I can’t defeat wolves! I am to weak, small, and helpless. But even as I dismissed the idea, a small part of me felt hope and courage. I shook my head again. It’s crazy! Stupid! I can’t fight wolves! No, if I die… then I die. There’s no one to help me, no one to save me. I shook my head. It’s over…

Then, from the small thread of hope I had dismissed, courage blossomed. A fire spread through me and I broke of a long branch and stood up, balancing on the branch I stood on. I felt strange, like I could do anything -- like I could defeat these wolves.

‘ And why not? I could do this! I won’t die and I won’t hide. And if I do die, then I would have died trying. I will face my fear!‘

With that driving me on, I jumped down onto the ground and plungede into a strong smelling mint bush. The leaves blocked me from the wolves and the mint blocked me further by not letting them smell me.  Suddenly I felt a burst of imagination.

‘That’s it! If I disguise my scent, they can’t smell me. And if I sneak up, they can’t see me.’

With that plan in mind, I smeared myself with the leaves. Then I got up and silently crept to the wolves. They didn’t hear or smell me. My plan had worked! I took a deep breath and lept forward.

‘I can do this!‘

The wolves turned but they were too late. One of their own was already lying unconscious on the ground. The wolves were surprised. I was surprised! Who knew I could knock a full grown wolf out cold? Oh well, can’t waste time pondering the mysteries of life.

‘It’s time to face my fear!‘

Another wolf ran at me but I knocked it on it’s head so hard that he fell a few feet away and didn’t move again. I took a step to the wolves and they backed away warily. I faced my fear and took another step forward. I started feeling like I really could win.

‘I can do this! I’m not helpless. I am strong and I don’t need to hide.  I can do this!‘

Then, suddenly, the forest, the wolves, and the darkness all vanished leaving in place a lovely forest with oak trees and sunlight! Sunlight! Beautiful sunlight! For so long I saw only darkness. But this… this was the complete opposite. I gaped in amazement and fell to my knees. It was warm and safe, and again, completely different from the Dark Forest. I felt a joy like I never felt before. It was wonderful!

I threw myself onto the warm grass with a cry a joy and amazement. I started crying. It was wonderful and I was just so happy! I, never in my wildest dreams, would have thought that I could fight wolves and survive. But I had, I had survived the Dark Forest and also my own greatest fear, being alone and helpless. I sighed contently. I was safe.

(some time after)

 

Akira lived a very happy life from then on, with no fear and with courage and hope. She learned a very important lesson in the Dark Forest, courage. Courage to do what’s right, no matter how hard. For her, doing what’s right was taking a stand. In the past, she had always been pushed around, never turning and saying,

‘Stop. Leave me alone.’

But this taught her courage and she proved to everybody, including herself, that she wasn’t a baby or helpless. She was strong and she could it. She was remembered for a long time after she had died.

She was remembered as a role model for kids and adults.

 ‘Keep fighting no matter how hard. Try, there is no such thing as  “ I can’t.’’ There is only  “ I can.”  ‘

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