Sticks and Stones

The soft grass was cool against my bare feet as I stepped onto it. I began to walk, slowly making my way across the grass. Many thoughts drifted vaguely about my head like clouds, but I couldn’t make sense of any of them. It was a peaceful afternoon out in the forest. It was surprisingly cool out, considering it was only mid-March. Various birds chirped, and many different animals called, as I neared the end of my yard. I took my hair band out of my long red hair, letting it fall down my back and around my shoulders. Pushing my bangs out of my brown eyes, I began to sprint through the trees.

I had made a special tree-free path for my forest runs. I’d run straight for about ten minutes, then go through a series of twists and turns for a while before finally coming to my destination. A large, clear, glistening pool of water lay before me. I didn’t bother taking off my clothes, or even stopping my run; I jumped right in the water, letting it wash over my body. I surfaced and allowed myself to float freely on my back. I sighed in content as the water washed away all of my cloudy thoughts. I soon heard the snapping of a twig coming from the threes to my right. I quickly clambered out of the water and ran to a hollow log nearby. I reached inside and pulled out a bow and a sheath of arrows. I always kept them there in case of danger. I slung an arrow through the bowstring and readied myself, poised to let it fly. I saw nothing, but could still sense a presence. Body still dripping, I circled the pool keeping my back to the water.

“Uh, excuse me.” The voice was unfamiliar.

Without a thought, I swiftly spun around to face the speaker, letting my arrow fly through the air. The figure quickly turned out of the path of the projectile, and I heard the thud of arrow penetrating tree bark. The figure, a boy a bit taller than me, stepped out from the tree’s shadow, his hands held in a surrendering position.

“Hey, don’t shoot me, bro,” the boy said jokingly.

I had another arrow loaded in a heartbeat. “Who are you?”