Wanderers

• Sophie Langford, Grade 9
• Short Story
• 2020

Wanderers

The Cafe's glass reflected the glow of the sun setting over the town. Ding!
I snapped my head up, as the tall, slim boy with orange curled hair entered the Café. He rushed to sit down.

“Sorry I’m late Jeanne! I had to help Dad with the Museum tonight!” He collapsed panting and hauling a bag onto the table. His Dad owned a museum, and it was epic-ally cool.
“You ready to go?”, I nodded in response.

“Mm, but I was considering…We should have a partner nickname. The Friendship Wanderers!”
I cracked up laughing.

“That’s the worst name ever Peeps. Now let’s go.”

The forest was dim, its trees wavered in the breeze and the scent of pine needles wafted over our noses. Fear was unknown to me. Id walked these paths of night before.
I started up the hill, but Peter didn’t follow.

“What’s up Peeps?” I questioned as I saw his face.

"I don’t feel great Jeanne, I think I’m just going to stay behind.”

“Oh, come on! You’re being a wimp!” I couldn’t stop him, so I entered the woods alone. I got to the end of the trail in the forest without finding much but a cracked termite eaten sign sat by a barbed wire fence.

“Stop. Go back” I read the sign aloud.
Behind the sign… I saw something strange, something unnatural. A light?

A rustle in the bushes sounded behind me, the branches creaked over my head. This forest had never scared me before. I ripped out my flashlight and immediately a crow squawked over me and I felt its wings brush my head.

I bolted; my feet hardly touched the ground as branches smacked my face. The crow followed me. Its squawks filled my ears, like being drowned underwater.
The light grew closer as I felt a weed grab my ankle. I opened my mouth to yelp, but instead let out a huff of breath as my chest collided with the ground. Scrambling for even a sliver of oxygen I got to my feet.

The clearing I was in had a strange light. Some sort of creature, it looked identical to a lizard, despite its large webbed feet, and fish like head. It was only about a meter long.

I scrabbled for my camera. I’d finally found something cool! I thought to myself followed by a loud, “Woohoo!”
That was a choice I immediately regretted.Out of the bushes i saw it. I saw the wolf, the mighty king beast of the snow-capped mountains.
Fluffy body, huge paws, pointed ears, elongated snout and teeth baring at me. I bolted… and it followed.

The run through the forest wasn’t much divergent from the preceding agenda, despite a ravenous wolf breathing on my ankles.
Just when I thought I was for sure toast; I burst out of the forest and was met with a loud caterwaul. I skidded to a halt by Peter. He clapped and yowled standing tall, and to my utter surprise the wolf cowered and backed away back into the forest.

“PEEPS! I FOUND SOMETHING IN THE WOODS AND WE NEED-”

“I put it there.”
“It’s from the Museum. I never thought that wolf would attack you. I just wanted to make you happy Jeanne.”
*
The Café lights were dim but still alight. I knew Peter would be here. I pushed the glass door open. Ding!
I sat down next to the broken Peter.
“I think as partners, we need a nickname. How about The Friendship Wanderers?”
Peter smiled at me and I took his hand, smiling back.