The Highland Girl

The Boy in the Forest

Bonnie started running down the hill, ignoring her family screaming her name.

"Bonnie! Bonnie! Come back!"

Bonnie was too focused on finding Daisy. She just kept running as the rain battered harder, rain drops started dripping off her nose and eyelashes. She entered the huge room of trees that sheltered her from the rain.

"Daisy! Daisy! Where are you!"

Bonnie kept running, searching and shouting. She stopped and listened for a moment, maybe she would be able to hear Daisy and follow the sound. The soothing sound of rain hitting the leaves was all she could hear so Bonnie started running randomly through the forest again.

After an hour of searching she was cold, wet and dirty but she persisted. She didn't want to leave Daisy out in a storm like this, she was just a calf. A thought Bonnie dreaded ran through her head, what if she found Daisy dead. Bonnie struggled with the thought trying to ignore it and keep a positive mind but it took her over. Tears began forming in her eyes, but she told herself that Daisy was strong, but really she knew she was saying she was better than this, better than crying. Bonnie was so invested in her thoughts she didn't notice the uneven tree roots and kept jogging clumsily when her foot got caught. She slipped and started rolling down a hill.

"Ahhhhhhhhhh!"

She kept rolling until she hit a large tree. Bonnie was sprawled out against the tree unconscious.
She stirred half an hour later, flinching her face every time a raindrop fell on her. She was awake but kept her eyes closed, she felt the root of the tree digging uncomfortably into her back, but she couldn't move, not yet. She stayed on the ground listening to the sound of the howling wind slash across her face and body, it brought a shiver through her bones. Her face was burning it was so cold. Bonnie opened her eyes and could see through the leaves the full moon that shone brightly in the dark sky.

"It's so beautiful..."

Bonnie whispered to herself, she then heard foot steps splashing through a river. She tried to get up but her body ached with pain.
Bonnie, ignoring the pain, managed to get up holding on tightly to the tree. She struggled around the tree and looked down at the river. Before her eyes she saw a young man who had collapsed on the river bank. Bonnie quickly rush over to him, he wasn't far. He has a handsome face she thought. She didn't know why but she ran the back of her finger along his cheek, It was ice cold but soft. Bonnie lifted his head onto her lap she wiped the mud off his face as best she could. She could feel his bitter breath on her skin.

'He's still alive.' Bonnie thought letting out a sigh of relief. She sat there smiling at his pale and frigid face that was lit by the moonlight. The young man opened his eyes and looked up at Bonnie in awe and sat up almost immediately.

"I am so sorry. I just saw you here and I didn't know if you were okay or not,"

Bonnie said worriedly.

"Please, I didn't mean to startle you..."

He didn't say anything for a bit and Bonnie couldn't help but wonder if he spoke English.

"No... it's okay. I'm just lost..."

He muttered breaking their eye contact.

"Can you help me?"

Bonnie ask him.

"Sure, but only if you help me afterwards."

He said.

"Can you help my find my highland calf Daisy?"

Bonnie asked hoping he'd agree.

"Em, sure. I'll go left and you go right."

He said, Bonnie nodded and with a swift turn to the right, started jogging and shouting for Daisy, her spirts up again, she could bare her aching body.

"Daisy! Daisy!"

Bonnie shouted. After what felt like years of searching for her, Bonnie heard a voice.

"Oi! Girl from the river!"

Bonnie turned around and saw him again with Daisy, she smiled.

"Is this her?"

He asked grinning.

"Yes, thank you, thank you so much!"

Bonnie ran over to give him and Daisy a hug.

"Now that you've found Daisy, what is your request?"

Bonnie asked with a questioning look.

"Do you live around here?"

He asks.

"Yes I do. Why?"

Bonnie replied.

"Well I was wondering if maybe you could provide me shelter and food because I have been around here lost in these woods for two days without food, water or shelter. Please can you help?"

He pleaded.

"Emm... Sure, yes I'll help just follow me. I'll bring you back to my cottage."

Bonnie said confidentiality. They turn around and started heading up the hill. Bonnie was covered in mud, her dress was brown and very wet and she was wondering what her family would say when she came back home hours later, and with a boy.