The Boy in the Woods (2014 Wattys Winner, Wattpad Version)

Chapter 5 - Lonely Boy

The boy stood completely still, his eyes wide with alarm while he breathed heavily.  Jess stared at him, her brain trying to make sense of what she was seeing. 

Her first thought was that this was James's boy.  It had to be.  After all, the gates were kept locked all the time.  And Annie wouldn't keep something as important as having a son from her.  But as she examined the boy, something about him didn't add up. 

He was smaller and younger than Douglas, but still taller than her.  Floppy golden brown hair fell over his eyes, like it hadn't been cut in a while, nor had he used any cream to try to smooth it into place.  His striped t-shirt had a hole where the neck had separated from the body and his jeans were well worn and smudged with dirt.  They were short enough Jess could see his lace-up boots, the brown leather looking ancient and scuffed.  His skin was darkened, as if he spent a lot of time outside in the sun.  Surely James wouldn't let his son walk around in this state.

"Who are you?" she asked, and his eyes narrowed.

"I'm nobody!" he growled, but his voice was still higher and younger sounding than Douglas's.

"But – where did you come from?" she tried again, still confused.  

"It doesn't matter," he muttered bitterly, and turned, heading for the woods.

"Wait!" she called out, and started after him. 

He suddenly turned and stalked up to her, his face menacing.  She took a step back, afraid of what he was going to do to her.

"Listen, kid!" he snarled, standing over her.  "Forget you ever saw me!  Get it?"  As she searched his brown eyes, they were clouded with anger and suspicion but there was something else inside them she recognized – fear.

"I'm not going to tell anyone I saw you," she said softly.

He snorted as if he didn't believe her, but he remained standing over her, eyeing her carefully.  She kept her eyes on his, willing him to see she was telling the truth.  After a moment, his shoulders relaxed slightly and his eyes softened, and then it was gone, his eyes becoming guarded again.

"Just make sure you don't!" he warned, and then he turned to walk away.

"Wait!" she called out again.  "Please don't go!"  When he kept walking, she ran to catch up to him and he suddenly turned on her. 

"Why?  What's your deal anyway?" he demanded suspiciously.

"I – I just thought we could talk – a little," she said weakly.

"Well, maybe I don't want to talk to you!" he sneered.

Immediately reminded of the way Douglas had rejected her, a lump formed in her throat, making it impossible to speak.  But she didn't want to say what she was thinking anyway.  It would be too embarrassing to admit how much his words had hurt, or that she couldn't bear to watch him walk away, probably to disappear forever.  Feeling her intense loneliness overwhelm her, she bit her lower lip to keep it from trembling and blinked hard to keep back the tears.

He slowly straightened as he kept his eyes on her.  Then he took a deep breath and blew it out as he looked away, his shoulders relaxing.  When he looked back at her, his eyes weren't nearly as guarded.

"Listen, kid.  I'm busy, okay?  So why don't you just –."

"Doing what?" she interrupted.

"I don't know!" he said, waving his arms with exasperation. 

"Maybe – maybe I could help," she suggested.  He scowled and she added quickly, "I mean – whatever it is, it might be easier if –."

"Why would you want to help me?" he asked, suddenly suspicious again.