A Call Into The Woods

The sky was clear and cloudless. The sun was relentless with its heat upon the back of her neck as she worked tirelessly on her garden. It was the only way she was allowed fresh produce. Benjamin played near the edge of the woods, where a small pond was present. He had always loved watching the frogs, salamanders, and small fish. His laughter brought a smile to her face. Though when she turned around to see his smile, he was staring blankly at the forest.

"Do you hear her mama?"

"Hear who?" Arielle heard her own voice reply to Benjamin. Her body had moved to stand near his, and she stared like him into the woods. However, her eyes were not in a trance. She looked about to a different scene. There were flowers scattered about the grass and patches of mud. Benjamin stood at the border of the forest. It was a deep green, and the sounds of animal life could be heard if one listened with intent. Arielle recalled the images before she drifted into sleep—yet her words stayed behind her mouth. She was not in control of this scene, but she remembered it vividly; it had been days before she discovered Benjamin's abuse by his father.

"I hear a song. It's very pretty… and also very sad." Benjamin lowered his head as he spoke.

"Perhaps you are hearing one of our neighbors play? I hear that the old lady who lives further down away from us owns a harp and plays from time to time, you musn't—"

"—It is not an instrument, it is a song—a voice." Benjamin had been stern with her then. She remembered how upset he looked as if she had betrayed him. Had she betrayed him? 

She closed her eyes and opened them to a new scene. This one was unfamiliar to her. A man with dark brown hair piercing blue eyes stood before her; this was her husband, Oswald. His face wore a scowl with his brows knitted together.

"You lost our son?" He spoke in a harsh tone and grabbed Arielle by her wrist; she instinctively shrank away.

"No… of course not, husband!" Her voice stammered as she lowered her gaze.

  "Look at me Arielle…" He did not give her the time to shift her gaze before he grabbed her by her face and forced her to look, "I said, look at me!"

Arielle looked upon her husband, and he vanished. She beheld the vile scene of him entering her sons room in the dead of night. A toxic love that should never have existed. She begged her eyes to look away. Had she always looked the other way? She remembered how her husband would strike her and how he appeared kind to their son… but his kindness was not akin to how a father should love his son. She gasped and covered her mouth until she could not breathe. Her husband turned his head around to her, and she ran. She ran until she was back in front of him; he snarled like a beast and struck her to the ground. It was the reason she left. It was not for her own sake, but Benjamin. Had she been too late to save him from his suffering?

Arielle gasped and looked frantically around. Her face was warm from where her husband had struck her. The grass had turned into mud, and she felt herself sinking into it. She pulled herself to her feet and spotted a figure in the darkness. 

"Who's there!?" She called out to the shadow.

"Neither friend nor foe." A strange voice lilted in the wind. "I have seen now what trials poor Benjamin has faced within your care. I have seen how his mother did nothing but watch as her son suffered. I will see that your son no longer suffers. Benjamin will be safe in my domain. I will allow you to leave with your life. Your memories of Benjamin will vanish as soon as you leave." With that, the voice vanished with the wind.

"No…" Arielle whispered and began to sob, "...No, no, no! You can't take him! Please! You cannot take my son from me!" Arielle's cries were met with silence. Arielle covered her mouth and fell to her knees. Mud now covered her face, and she desperately tried to wipe it away with the bottom of her skirt. All around her stank, and now she too smelled of death.

"That was her wasn't it!" A voice rang out from the trees, and hurried to Arielle's side. It was a woman's voice, and she held a crazed look in her eyes. Arielle panicked when she saw her and immediately crawled as quickly as she could away from the woman. 

"Stay away from me!" Arielle shouted her back now against the cold grey wood of a large tree. She panicked to touch it and jumped away from it as soon as she made contact.

"Oh! I'm sorry—I've frightened you. My name is Fiora." In contrast to Arielle's black hair, the woman had pale golden hair, and she was covered in dirt—same as Arielle from the looks. Her bright green eyes were wide as she spoke, though now in the light, she seemed more like a child than a woman. She stammered often and flinched at random noises. "I just—I heard the Goddess just now… and I've been looking for her… I need her to help me—and you looked human enough with all of your crying—are you looking for the Goddess too?" Fiora canted her head and slowly tried to close the gap between them.

"Don't approach me!" Arielle yelled, and the girl ceased walking further; she jumped back, being startled by Arielle's voice. "I have seen no goddess—I've heard only a witch who has stolen my son… and means to erase me from his life."

"Your son..." Fiora repeated, and her face saddened. "I'm... I'm afraid you'll not see your son again, miss." Her tone was full of sorrow.

"What do you mean? How are you so certain?" Arielle stood and meant to approach Fiora, though she saw the girl flinch backward. "Please, I need to find my son…" Arielle's voice softened, "Is there anyway you can help me?"

"No… No...No, I can't defy the will of the Goddess… I need her help… I need my brother back—to defy her means to be on her bad side and I'm sorry miss… I can't risk it." Fiora did not look at Arielle as she spoke. Her words stumbled over each other as if they raced to escape past her lips. "The Goddess will keep your boy safe though… there should be no worries… but you won't see him again... not in this life.”

The Goddess of Legend seemed more like an old and wicked witch of the forest to Arielle. She recalled Benjamin's words. Do you hear her, Mama? she remembered his countenance and how still he looked. The witch had called him into the forest. She had been waiting for him.

"How do I get Benjamin back? There must be a way… I can't accept this… I won't leave him." Arielle spoke; her desperation was apparent. She approached Fiora with her pleading dark eyes.

"You must find the Goddess… and ask her favor. She will give you one chance to prove that you're a better guardian." Fiora spoke knowingly; it was clear that she had encountered something similar.

"How are you so certain?"

"It is in the stories… they all tell of it."

"You have to help me… I know nothing of these stories." Arielle continued to approach Fiora.

"I need to find the goddess…" Fiora said, her green eyes searching over Arielle. "I can't help you."

"Please!" Arielle reached out and grabbed onto Fiora. The woman struggled to escape her grasp.

"We cannot be seen together!" 

"We can help each other!"

The two women struggled with one another. Fiora gripped hard onto Arielle's arms to pry her away, and Arielle cried out in pain and immediately let Fiora go. The bruises left by her husband were still sore to the touch.

"I—I'm sorry—I didn't mean to hurt you." Fiora cried out and backed away from Arielle.

"No.. it was not you… I... It was from my husband…" Arielle lowered her head away from the woman's gaze. "I need your help Fiora… I have been blind to many things... and never asked for help... and now I need someone to help me find my son." Arielle confessed and raised her head, "It is my fault Benjamin is here… and I need to make this right… but I cannot do it alone."

Fiora lowered her gaze so that she did not have to look into Arielle's deep brown eyes that desperately begged for her aid.

"I can't… if I help you, the Goddess might never help me… then I might never see my little brother again... you must understand..."

Arielle felt a sadness grow inside her and wanted to ask more about Fiora's brother—but something stayed her inquiries and pulled her further away inside of herself. 

"I... I understand... I will go alone then…" Arielle said, breaking the silence. 

"I'm sorry—" 

"—Don't be sorry… this is not your fault… it's mine."

With no more words left to be said between them, Arielle and Fiora went their separate ways. Arielle felt herself worrying for Fiora's safety regardless of how they parted. Something about Fiora didn't seem alright, and she had seemed just as desperate to find her brother. She realized in her overthinking that she had never once mentioned her name to Fiora. Perhaps now she never would. That feeling settled in her stomach with an added weight.