Modeled after Giovanni Boccaccio's classic from the 14th Century, this collection similarly brought 100+ short stories to Wattpad readers. The original's premise was simple: ten individuals entertained themselves over a span of ten days by telling a...
"Tell us a story, Gramps," the cherubic faced little girl begged.
"Yeah, tell us a story," echoed eight other small voices. The old man looked around the campfire at the nine faces watching him in anticipation. Each autumn, they would journey here to visit and each autumn, they'd hike deep into the woods to camp for several days. He wasn't sure how many more years he'd be able to accommodate this tradition. His body wasn't as young as it used to be. Running a hand through his white hair, he nodded at the children.
"Alright, alright. Just hold on. You know I never forget story time. Now... what story will it be this time?"
"The one about the boy and girl!"
"Yes, the boy!"
"Are you sure? Wouldn't you rather fee, fie, fo, fum?"
"No, the one with the boy and girl."
"Oh, please, Gramps." The old man smiled sadly. They chose the same story year after year.
"Fine, fine... now how did it begin?" he teased.
"Once upon a time..."
"Ah yes. Now I remember. Once upon a time there was a boy..."
~~~~~~~~~~
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Leaves rained down from the trees, swirling through the air around him in a storm of autumn colors. They blurred together setting the forest ablaze with shades of orange, yellow and red. He felt them crunch under his boots in a steady rhythm which invited him to keep running. Tucker ducked and dodged limbs as he ran through the trees. He'd turned fourteen in the summer and began properly exploring the woods about the same time. It provided an escape from the endless chores.
Just as he whipped around a rather large tree, something caught his eye. A strange light shone in the middle of a thick copse of trees. The boy skidded to a stop, tilting his head in thought at the strange glow protruding from the trunk of a tree. The more he stared, the more curious he became. He found his feet trudging along of their own accord bringing him closer and closer to the light.
He wanted to reach out for the beautiful glow but wasn't sure he should. Momma always told me to look and not touch. Tucker pondered his mother's words a moment more before giving in to impulse. His hand trembled as he reached towards the warm glow sparkling from the oval that was as large as he was.
Warm tingles ran up his hand and through his arm, as he snatched it back quickly holding it close to his chest. He had never seen anything like it before. Where he expected to touch the bark of the tree, his hand had disappeared into the misty glow as if swallowed up. He walked step by step around the tree, curiosity growing as he reached the other side. There was no glowing hole on the opposite side.
With quick steps, he returned to the front, bracing both hands on the trunk, he stepped up into the bright light. His eyes watered as he moved forward in a slow shuffle, blocking the light with his arm as it grew brighter and brighter the deeper he went. He felt a tug pulling him forward as if the light was leading him. The realization came to him that he was now deep within the light filled tunnel, much deeper than that of the width of the tree. A shadowy figure appeared just ahead as the misty light dimmed. The size and shape was that of a person, a girl with long hair possibly but... he shook his head wondering if he were dreaming.
