The Moonlight Boy | Ferry's Tale # 1

A door to the unknown

He waited, ready to face out any creature that would come out of the bush. He would have expected anything or anyone, except for that ruffled being who came towards him while removing thistles from her clothes and hair. She carried a small sack.

"Boy, you walk fast," she said, catching her breath.

Ferry couldn't help but shouting with joy, "Matt, what are you doing here?"

Matilda sat right in front of him. "Well, I couldn't let you go on this great adventure all by yourself, couldn't I?" she said. "Besides, you can't have all the glory when we'll bring Danny back safe and sound." She then put her chin in her chest, "I'm ─ I'm sorry..." she said in a low voice.

Ferry smiled at her with all his heart, "It's all right, Matt. Maybe I would've done the same in your place."

Matilda shook her head, "I'm pretty sure you wouldn't have. It's just that ─ I really thought you were different. That you are a weird child, just like me. Not a... fairy."

Ferry tapped her on the shoulder, "Thank you, Matt. Now that I know we're friends again, it would be much easier for me to go on this journey," he smiled. "But now you need to go home. It's too dangerous. I don't even know what's in that forest..."

"Whatever it is, we can face it together," she said, looking very confident.

"But Matt ─"

But before Ferry could say anything, she entered the forest with a firm pace. He wasn't left anything to do but follow her.

The forest looked somehow different. They had never visited it so early in the morning. Nor have they ever gone that deep. Yet, the forest looked as if knowing their most hidden thoughts; as if it watched their footsteps and whispered in secret words impossible to understand, catching on their clothes with bony arms as if trying to chase them away.

Even though the whole forest seemed as if trying hard to make them turn back, the scene stretching in front of them looked wonderfully alluring. Pearls of dew were sparkling in the grass. The trees, most of them, oaks and poplars, looked like mighty guardians watching from the sides of the path, as they passed by.

None of the children said a word, fearing that unseen ears might hear them. The crickets stopped chirping, and the birds sang instead. Green steam was coming from above, a translucent curtain wrapping them like a cool cloak. The air around smelled like moss, dirt, and summer rain.

After a while, Ferry stopped. He took out the map and studied it.

"I think we should follow this path," he whispered, pointing to a small path covered with branches. "This will take us to the Round Meadow."

Matilda also studied the map. Ben had told her about it, and she was curious. Ferry watched her studying it carefully. He missed her curious, restless nature so much.

They decided to follow the less-traveled path. But the more they entered the depth of the forest, the more the feeling of unease came over them. It felt like hundreds of unseen eyes were watching from behind every tree or bush. The forest got thicker, now that they were getting close to the Round Meadow. Shadows came from all over, long and thin as if the night was falling. Lights showed up from the branches, sparkling eyes not losing them out of their sight.

They never believed Shepherd's Forest could be that large. They almost felt tired from so much walking and they still didn't reach the Round Meadow. A spring came on their way, one they didn't even know existed, spraying cool drops towards their thirsty lips.

At some point, Matilda threw her sack on the ground and sat on a log to catch her breath. She took out of the sack a thermos and had a mouthful of tea.