The Forbidden Woods

• Delilah Morriss, Grade 7
• Short Story
• 2022

Daphne sat on the swing in her backyard going back and forth quietly humming. She got off the swing and approached her little brother Ray, tag! Your it! Sprinting into the distance her brother followed. Daphne started running into woods where their parents recently told them not to play in. When Daphne and Ray asked their parents why? they would only shake their heads and tell them ‘it’s a dangerous place for kids and to never go there again'. Slowing down Ray whispered loud enough for Daphne to hear, “Mother and Father clearly told us not to go in there Daphne!” “Don't be a scaredy-cat Ray-Ray!”. “Fine! But if we get in trouble, it's on you Daphne!”, “Okay!” Daphne said giggling, together side by side they ran into the forbidden woods.

The wind started to grow louder and louder, then they heard a crackling sound, like someone was starting a fire. “OoOOo, Ray-Ray, we should go investigate!”. “Well, um could we just, Y’know go back to the house and play tag again I don’t really, y’know feel safe...”, Daphne stared at him with growing anger. “Nooo! Not yet, I want to stay here for just a tiny bit longer than we can go home!” Grabbing Ray’s hand, she sprinted further into the woods dragging Ray behind her. Looking to see if Ray was okay, she tripped bringing them both to the ground. They both sat up and started giggling. Suddenly strong hands wrapped around Ray’s arm dragging him up, “thy lovely brother will be coming with me” said a dark figure, Daphne grabbed Ray’s hand and started to turn around but was immediately stopped by another man, “don’t make this difficult sweetie.” Both of the men dragged the two children over to a huge oak where Ray asked what was happening, the two men both said “hush child our master is hungry” “Have you imbeciles finally found me food?” said a mysterious voice from behind the children, “yes master, these two children shall do well”. “Very well,” the mysterious voice said as the oak tree behind them opened his eyes and used his branches to grab them and swallow them hole.

-weeks later-

“And that’s it for the weather folks! We have a final news story tonight, sadly two children named Daphne and Ray have recently gone missing. Their mother and father reported they had ran into the forbidden woods but before the parents could catch the children, they had already disappeared. If you see these two children or anything suspicious near the forbidden woods please report it to the Sleepy Hollow Police Department. Remember children to listen to your parents and stay out of those forbidden woods.”