Her Woods and His Dream
by JCB
Anya expected to find a lost fluffy giant puppy, like a real life version of the plushie in her bedroom. Instead, the creature was shaggy and looming. Its eyes weren’t round and frightened like a baby doe. They were bulging, old, and black. So black, Anya saw herself being sucked in forever, forever falling with no escape. She didn’t even know how to scream as the creature’s jaw opened and revealed nasty, long crooked teeth.
“You’re such a slow-poke, Timmy,” the little girl, Anya, called back to her friend as they sped through the woods.
Abruptly, the little boy was at his friend’s side. Anya’s face turned shocked followed by sour. She bolted forward, and the moment she was clearly ahead of him, she spun around and said, “I win.” Timmy bent over his legs and breathed harder, but he still threw a smile Anya’s way. Anya eyed him and asked, “When did you get so fast?”
Timmy shrugged, but his poker face stunk and there was obviously more to the story. Anya went on, “No, Timmy. You’re my friend and for as long as I have known you, you’ve always been slower than me. Now or ever, that doesn’t change.”
“Yes’sir, Anya,” Timmy said, not quite agreeing but ever fond of his bossy friend.
Satisfied, the little girl placed her hands on her hips and gazed around. So, what are we doing today, the girl wondered.
“Let’s go see if the bird eggs have hatched,” Timmy suggested, but Anya dismissed this. That bird nest was too far from their current location, she knew, unlike Timmy who would get lost without her here. Nonetheless, the idea pestered her for approval. They were talking about baby birds. They were ugly and jerked wildly; how could she refuse?
Easily, because she heard the rustle of the leaves and grass nearby. She moved toward it and saw fur. “Timmy,” she exclaimed in a hushed tone, “there’s a furry creature in there. We have to say hi.”
Anya pictured a cute, shy, or scared creature, but it wasn’t what she found. She had already thrusted the plants aside and made her presence known. It was too late to rewind time.
The first time Timmy met Anya, she was running. Or actually, the first time Timmy saw Anya. He had always been a timid boy, and he had just moved into town. He found himself planted by the window, watching the squirrels and birds. Until one day, he saw a girl run into the woods. At first, he thought she was a ghost. She moved so fast and without hesitation, and she disappeared for far too long. It was almost dark when the girl emerged from the woods. He watched as she went into a backyard a few houses down from his.
For three more days, he watched her go in and out of those woods. Then he joined her—errr, more like he tailed her. Timmy felt lost for air watching her. She sprinted and twirled through the forest. Any time she fell, she would stand right back up. Any time she hit a body part against a part of nature, she apologized to it and rubbed herself before resuming life like nothing ever happened. Timmy could feel it: this place was her palace, her playground, but it would be a whole ton better if she could share it with someone. Or at least, that last thought was what he hoped. He wanted to stop watching her and finally introduce himself. It's just, his legs wouldn't budge.
“Anya!” The scream jarred her out of her paralysis, and her view of the beast was blocked by the back of a boy. For moments, she had trouble recognizing him for she had always been leading the way.
Timmy screamed again at her, “Run!” He barely moved his arm away from the beast’s murderous chomp.
It only took seconds of watching her friend dodge the creature’s attacks while also trying to protect her for Anya’s bravery to flip the switch in her brain. She grabbed the nearest fallen thick branch and was ready to swing it at the beast. But then, “Anya, go!”
She froze for only a second before dashing through the woods. She didn’t care that she was taking orders from Timmy when it should be the other way around. All she knew as she rushed and tripped and trampled through the woods was that there was something different in Timmy’s voice. She couldn’t disobey it.
Timmy kept turning around and around in the forest. He had lost the girl. Which also meant he was lost. What was he to do?
"Who are you?" Timmy jumped as the girl popped up from behind a bush. She waggled her eyebrows and grinned happily like she just discovered her greatest find.
"I—" Timmy stumbled to find his words, but as the girl kept grinning at him, he found new words. "You remind me of Wonder Woman."
Her face scrunched together. "I have no idea who that is."
"Wha-ut?" The boy couldn't believe this, and his shyness dissipated. "You at least know who Superman is, right?"
"Who?"
"You have to know who Superman is! He's Superman!" Timmy waved his arms in the air for emphasis.
"Well, I don't," the little girl said as if annoyed by not knowing who all these people are. “Anyways, you still haven't answered my question. Who. Are. You?"
"I'm Timmy, but one day, I'll be the next Superman."
"Why not just be you?” The girl’s question wasn’t meant to be philosophical or existential; she just didn’t get it.
Timmy felt nervous. He felt like he was doing something wrong or wasn’t thinking right… but then he remembered who Superman was. "Because he's incredible! He's a hero!"
The little girl just shrugged. “Whoever you are, Timmy, you’ll be my friend. I’m Anya.”
"Anya, Anya." Anya woke with a jolt. In front of her bed, visible in her racoon nightlight glow, stood Timmy, smiling his goofy smile.
"Timmy!" She leaped out of bed and wrapped her arms around… nothing. Simply air.
Of course. Of course she remembered what happened—bursting past her parents when they only wanted Timmy’s parents to find him. Halting in the spot where the creature appeared. There was a form, a figure on the ground. It was mangled. Bloodied and torn with parts missing. It should’ve been unidentifiable. But it wasn’t. Of course it wasn’t. This was her friend.
She remembered rushing over to Timmy, only to have his dad sweep her away. She remembered her parents taking her to meet someone who kept asking her questions. She remembered attending the funeral. She remembered that she no longer had a best friend.
Anya viciously swiped at the streams of tears which were yet to fall. "That was mean."
"I'm sorry. I can't control that."
"You shouldn't have to!" Anya felt too many emotions. Too many emotions she was still too young to know or understand. "Why? Why did you tell me to run?"
Timmy stared at her like she was crazy. "You were going to be killed!"
"But I could have helped you live!"
Timmy shook his head. Anya only explored and learned while he explored but also watched nature channels. "Do you know what that was?" Anya shook her head not seeing the point. "Even together…” The words burned in Timmy’s throat. “We didn’t stand a chance."
Even though she was granted the chance to see her dead best friend again, Anya needed to get it all out. "Then you should have run with me!"
She thought back to the day she met Timmy, and the tears overflowed her eyes. "Timmy. Timmy. I didn't want you to be anyone else. I wanted you. I want my friend!" The tears gushed out of her eyes. Anya imagined reaching out for Timmy, but she would only end up trying to grasp her friend. The pointlessness of it made her heart wrench.
Timmy spoke up in his soft voice, “I'm really glad I got to be your friend.” He had a glazed faraway look in his eyes. “When I was with you, I was fearless. I liked being fearless. I liked myself when I was fearless.”
“But you're no longer with me.”
“Please don't cry, Anya. I like it when you smile. I'm most happy when you're smiling.”
“I'm most happy when you're smiling too.” She sniffled.
“So, smile for me.” Timmy smiled, but unlike earlier, there was something sad about it.
Nevertheless, her friend had asked her to do something for him, so Anya smiled big and wide. But, she couldn't handle it. She was staring at the ghost of her gone friend. "It hurts, Timmy. I don't wanna do it."
“I'm sorry.”
A pained look took over Timmy's face as even he knew he was asking too much. No, Anya thought. Timmy shouldn't have to do anything more for her. “No, I'll smile. I'll smile for real. So you watch me, Timmy! So when I smile, you can be really happy! So, you better watch me!"
“Of course.” Timmy wiped away a few tears from his eyes as his real goofy smile returned. “I've always been watching you, Anya.”
“Son,” Timmy’s dad said, a dash of pride in his voice, “you’ve really improved. You’re seconds faster than you used to be, but you need to take a break.”
Timmy would’ve begged to do more, but he did ask his dad to be his coach. He sat down on the grass with him and drank the energy drink he was given. The past week he’d been watching the documentaries on track runners and learning what he could. He wanted to get faster so he could give Anya a challenge in their races.
He smiled to himself. She’ll be so furious and happy. He couldn’t wait.