Stories of Place: Writing and the Natural World, second assignment.

Here is my second assignment for the writing course. Hope you like it.

Life in the forest

Oliver was getting on in years. He had lived at the edge of the forest with his family for many years. Oliver loved it here, towering over all around him, he felt respected and happy. Over the years he encountered many challenges and adversities, but in the main Oliver survived and conquered them. He stood tall and during downcast days his crown would touch the clouds, leaving dewdrops on top. As he towered over Olivia, his beautiful wife and Olly their son, Oliver gazed in the distance, keeping a protective arm around his family. In the breeze, his fingers touched Olivia’s while his other hand ran over Olly’s crown.
The summer had been a difficult time. Ferdinand roared through the forest in July and hurt and killed many of his friends and distant relatives. Even Oliver and his family did not escape the heat Ferdinand produced as his flaming fingers touched everything in his way. Olly still bore the scars on his trunk as did Oliver himself. Fortunately, Olivia escaped with only minor burns.
Then, during the autumn, one of Oliver’s arms broke and, although he tried desperately to hang on to Libby, he lost her as Harry tore her away from him. She tried so hard to stay with her father and fought to hang on, but there had been no hope of salvation. Their tears were hidden by the rain showering down on them. Things had been different for Avery. This beautiful daughter also tried to cling on to her father’s hand in desperation but Oliver realised it was time to let go and for Avery to move on to the next phase in her life. Oliver simply knew Avery would grow into a beautiful young woman and when he finally let go of her hand, he followed her as Avery slowly fell to the soft forest floor, a tear sliding down his trunk. He could hardly wait to see the woman Avery would become.
* * *
Today was a cold day, frost was in the air. William snuggled close, pecking his nose into Oliver’s trunk. It tickled and Oliver shivered, “William stop it, you are tickling me. Stop it, I can’t stand this much longer.” His arms moved haphazardly around and Oliver nearly knocked little Olly over.
“Watch it, Dad. I told you I should move away, we live too close and I’m an adult now.”
This was an ongoing disagreement between father and son. Olly craved his independence and wished to move to a different part of the forest, to make his own life and raise his own family. Oliver did not agree. Instead, he wanted Olly to stay close.
“I will not discuss this any further, young man. More than once before I have told you moving away is not an option. To do so would mean you would die,” Oliver shook his head. Would Olly never learn? Only if he remained with his family could Oliver protect his son. No, he would not allow Olly to uproot everything and move away.
* * *
Still, Olly remained unconvinced. He continued to crave a time where he would lead his own life and no longer lived in his parent’s shadow. When he would become his own man and create his own family.
Unbeknownst to Oliver, Olly had developed an escape plan with his friend Billy. A plan to move away from the family and start his own life. Billy had told him about this lovely river a little further in the forest where he would play and catch salmon and Olly wanted to join him there. To watch his best friend frolic around with other members of his family and other friends. Olly was convinced the area would be perfect for a new life, at least there was water around and he would not need to go thirsty. And if Ferdinand would visit again, he would cool the scars if needed.
Billy would often visit their home and rub his back against Oliver and Olivia to fight an itch. During one of those times, Oliver and Billy had come up with a plan. If Billy would rub against Olly hard enough, perhaps he was able to free Olly’s legs and enable him to move to a different part of the forest.
Olivia had overheard their conversation and tried to convince Olly not to do this but kept the knowledge about the plan to herself. “No need to worry your dad,” she had said. Olivia worried about the effects this would have on their family and a fear that Oliver might be right nibbled on her toes although that might
also be the young woodmice family living on the forest floor. If she could have moved, Olivia would have been dancing by now. It tickled and for a moment she looked down.
That was when Billy turned up and began to execute their plan. He rubbed against Olly’s trunk and Olly could feel his legs loosen from the forest floors. Their plan was working. Or so he thought.
* * *
Oliver looked down and watched as Billy and Oliver stood close. For a moment, he wondered if Billy was pushing against Olly too much. If he continued, he would loosen Olly’s legs and that would put Oliver’s family at risk.
Olly shook and Oliver realised Billy was indeed rubbing against his son too much, “Stop Billy, you’re hurting Olly.”
Billy did not take any notice and he could hear Olly whisper to him.
“Billy, enough. If you continue like that, Olly’s legs will break away and he’ll die.” Fear and desperation overcame Oliver. Losing another child would be unbearable. Why didn’t Olly realise it would kill him if his feet let go of the forest floor? Oliver moved his hand over Olly’s crown, “Hang on there, son. Although I realise it is not what you want, you need to stay here. We are not made to move around the forest but are meant to stay in one place. Please, son, I don’t want to lose you.”
Oliver’s pleas finally appeared to get through to Olly and at the same time Olly felt one leg loosen from the forest floor, he decided his dad was probably right, “Billy stop, my toes are tingling and I can’t get enough food and fluids in through it. Dad is right.”
Olivia extended her arm and touched her son, happy to know Olly would stay around and a smile graced her face as Oliver sighed in relief. Olly complained of a burning sensation in his toes as though something continued to pull and stretch them and he despaired at what he had done. His need for independence had nearly cost his life.
* * *
The next day, Oliver and Olivia stood with their arms around Olly. Olly appeared a little weak and still complained about a burning sensation and they felt a need to hug their son. The night had been cold and even that had not eased the burning in the slightest.
The family gazed out over the valley below the wooded hill they stood on when the first flakes began to fall forming a white blanket on all that was around, Sylvia had arrived to the forest to announce winter was here.
Like a comforting blanket, Sylvia put an arm around the family and held them close and safe. Although it was cold in the forest, the blanket Sylvia placed over them, comforted and insulated them from the fiercest cold. At the same time, it soothed the burning in Olly’s foot and gave Olly a chance to recover from the trauma Billy’s rubbing did to his body. A trauma which was unintended and unforeseen.
Now, the family had a chance to sleep for a while and prepare for when spring would wake them again to another year in the forest. Another year of facing Ferdinand and Harry, of being comforted by Sylvia, of Billy rubbing his itchy back against them and of William pecking their trunk. Oliver was confident they would make it through the winter. Even though he still worried about Olly and hoped no permanent damage was done to his feet, Oliver was hopeful for the future. Hmm, Sylvia’s blanket of snow started to relax him and put him to sleep. In a few months’ time, he would need to start work again, holding more children on his arms and sheltering his family from the threats cropping up around them. Life in the forest was a hard one.
* * *
This is a work of fiction. To help you identify with the characters better, here is a summary of them:
Oliver – An oak, father to Olly, Avery and Libby and husband to Olivia
Olivia – An oak, mother to Olly and Avery and wife to Oliver
Olly – An oak, son of Oliver and Olivia
Avery – An acorn, fallen from Oliver’s branches
Libby – A leaf fallen from Oliver’s branches
Ferdinand – A Forest Fire
William – A woodpecker
Harry – A hurricane
Billy – A Brown Bear
Sylvia – The Snow
Hope you have enjoyed this little story.
Joni