In The Dark (Open)

Sam had had a great day. She was in a great mood. School had
been pretty normal but afterwards her and her friends had hung out in the
forest, climbing trees, and playing fast paced games of man hunt. As the sun began
to set, her friends slowly drifted back home for the night. Despite dark
covering the woods Sam continue to wander. She didn’t like the dark but she was
content from her good day and she wasn’t letting the dark overwhelm her at the
moment. She was hoping to find some wild berries she could bring back to her
brother and pop to finish off her good day. 

The forest grew darker as night set in and Sam was unaware
how much time had past as she wandered through the trees. She thought she
remembered that there was a wild berry bush around here somewhere, but she was
without luck in finding it. Sam paused in her search and looked around the dark
forest. That’s when it hit her. It was really late and the forest was pitch
black. She needed to find her way home. Her fear of the dark began to well up
inside her. She had lost track of time again and now she was stuck in a
situation she hated. She did this more often than she would like to think, so
her brother and pop probably weren’t worried. Sam begins to trace her steps out
in her mind, thinking of which way was back home. 

"Oh” “Er… hi."

Sam was instantly torn back to reality. A small shriek
escapes her lips. Her legs are posed to run. She looks at the person standing
in front of her and some of her fear drifts away. It’s some else who looks to
be a bit older than herself and they don’t look like they want to hurt. The greatest
relief is that they aren’t a peacekeeper.

Sam stumbles over her words before managing to spit out, “Sorry,
you scared me. What are you doing out here?” She pauses, “Oh, I’m Sam, Samantha
but everyone calls me Sam.”  She stands at
this stranger hoping she made the right decision not to run. 

Sam surveys her surrounding as Ash talks. Ash seemed
friendly enough. The forests were her favourite place to be as well. Although
unlike Ash she loved to be others and definitely didn’t come to the forest to
be by herself but rather to spend time with her friends.

“Well, its kinda late” Sam replies. “and I was just trying
to figure out which way to go to get back home. I was looking for some wild berries
and … well now I’m not quite sure where I am.” She faintly hoped Ash might be
of help.

She swivels her head around. “I’m not really a fan of the
dark though.”  Sam absentmindedly twirls
the end of her braids through her fingers. How was it she had gotten herself
into a situation in the dark forest with a stranger. The answer eluded her. But
that happened a lot.

The kindness in Ash’s voice helps calm Sam’s nerves. They
were going to help her. She could get out of this creepy dark forest soon. “I
know how to get back home from the elementary school, or the town square but
the school is closer to my house.” She trusted that Ash would be nothing but
helpful but her brother was always on her case about stranger danger so she
decided not to tell Ash exactly where she lived. Sam concluded that she had definitely
made the right decision not run, she didn’t like to think of the possibility of
what might have happened if she had run. “Thanks for your help by the way. It’s
really nice of you.” 

Sam follows beside Ash thankful for their help. As they walk
Sam starts to think she might know where she’s going but she doesn’t speak up.
Ash’s presence is a comfort for her. 

“No luck finding berries?”

“Not today. My brother, Caleb always seems to know just
where to find them, but whenever I look its like all the bushes ran away and
are hiding from me. It’s a little unfair I think.” Sam eases into a quiet
conversation with Ash. She shares with Ash about your day and the games she
plays in the forests with her friends in their spare time. Soon enough though
Sam spots that they are nearing her school and she slows down. “Hey Ash” she
smiles warmly at them, “I’m really happy for your help.” She begins to twirl
her hair through her fingers again, a nervous tic. “Umm, sorry if I disturbed
your plans for the evening.” With renewing enthusiasm, she continues, “but if somehow,
we ever end up in the same situation but in opposite places I will one hundred
percent help you out! That’s what a good friend does.”