The People Of The Woods

Part Nine

Wren kicked rocks out of his way as he walked back down the path. How had he fallen for the human boy so quickly?
Wren decided to take a detour to the river. The Ran never judged. The few water nixies that looked lived there we kind and understanding. They understood humans a little more.

As he got closer to the bank he saw Chase's backpack. It was still pinned down by a spear. He bent down to pick it up when he noticed an arrow in the tree. "No, no, no." Wren muttered he hurried over to the tree and placed his hand on the trunk. Help me, it hurts so much! The tree whispered into his mind. He could see the sap oozing out like blood. This will hurt. He thought to the tree. Wren gripped the arrow tightly and pulled it out. He could feel the trees wail of pain. Wren dropped the arrow and placed his hand on the wound. His hand glowed faintly. When he removed his hand the wound was gone. Nymphs could be healed in a similar fashion. True nymphs, anyway. He walked over and dropped down on the river bank. The swift moving river swirled and frothed. The foam one the surface began to swell into a bubble. "Hello Rìa." The bubble popped, splattering foam everywhere. "Hola, Wren. Long time." A girl the looked about Wren's age sat atop the thick foam of the river. Rìa one of the nymphs that lived in the Ran. She, like him, wasn't exactly welcome among their kind. Rìa was from Puerto Rico. When a large hurricane passed through it, devastated human and nymph families. Rìa was pulled into the winds and was part of the hurricane until it lost power going over the U.S. Her old home was older than this stream, making her decades older than the nymphs here. "Can I talk to you about something?" Rìa smiled and pushed the hair out Wren's eyes. "Sì Bobo, when have I ever said no to that question?" Wren took a deep breath. "When I was little, my mother told me about a feeling that I might get someday. When someone falls in love instantly. My mother used to call it zinging." He paused. "Rìa, I think I've zinged with a human boy." Rìa was quiet for a second. "Está bien, when I lived in the Tanamà my Tìo fell in love with a fisherman. In Puerto Rico, we saw no problem with it, but here they don't like it, right?" Wren lowered his head in shame. Rìa put her hand under his chin and lifted his face to look at her. "Aye, Bobo their is nothing wrong with it, don't be ashamed of who you are." She scooted to the edge of the river and hugged Wren.

Chase's P.O.V. ×××

Wren's bed was so comfortable. Chase was half asleep when it hit it. "My backpack!" he exclaimed, scaring the raccoon that had fallen asleep on the windowsill. He was exhausted though. He had stayed up several days and nights planning his escape. "Maybe I'll lay back down and get it in a second." As soon as his head hit the pillow he fell back asleep. He slept though Wren's arrival who completely forgot Chase was in his bed.

Chase woke up in the middle of the night. His sleep was filled with nightmares. Nightmares of his abusive father, drunk addict mother or stripper sister. Chase rolled over to get away from the thoughts only to come face to face with a sleeping Wren. The only thing that Chase could think of was that Wren did, in fact, sleep without a shirt. He blushed even more as he started to think of other pieces of clothing that might not be there.
He rolled over to the edge of the bed, breathing heavily.
"I gotta get my bag." He whispered just in case.