[felcin]: 577.Betrayal And Creation

Betrayal and Creation

A little girl had a dream. That she would be an elf when she grew up, but not any elf, a wood elf. A forest elf. She wanted to be able to jump from tree to tree and have the pointed ears, which she thought looked so good on girls. She wanted to belong to something. Something big and amazing like a forest. But her parents just told her to stop being silly. The little girl’s name was Illessa.

She walked through the forest, the trees moving as if in conversation with each other. Her long black jeans dragged across the dry floor as she meandered her way through trees.
She eventually came to a log. Her log. She sat heavily, eyes glazed over and thought about everything and nothing. Her long auburn hair was pulled lazily over one shoulder, and hung gracefully to her waist. 
She had read many fantasy books; she owned a room crammed with them. She dreamt of elves and faeries and believed that they were always round her and always protecting her.
No one else believed this. They all called her mad, and made fun of her. She couldn’t understand why, if They would give her a chance to show them, then she could make them see. She could, she knew she could. But They never gave her the chance.
She lay back on the log, her auburn hair cascading onto the forest floor; her hands lay on her flat stomach. She stared up into the branches of the trees. They moved, she knew they did; the branches waved to her, and she waved back.
She heard someone enter the clearing and abruptedly sat up. She stared into the brown eyes of her friend. They said nothing.
“Why do you believe all this? It’s not real. It’s all in your head and you read too many books.”
“You will never change my mind, this is what I believe.”
“Well you are a fool for believing it then.”
“Why did you come here Jane? If you don’t believe in all this?”
“I came to warn you!” Jane’s voice increased in volume.
“About what?”
“They are coming to find you, to show you that it is all in your head.” Jane told her and moved to leave.
“And you’re going to leave me here to face them on my own?” she asked Jane. Her voice accusing. She knew whom Jane was talking of.
“I didn’t have to come and warn you. And no, I have somewhere to be.” Jane stormed out of the clearing and quickly left the forest. She left her friend sitting in the clearing thinking of Them. She lay back on the bench again, and quickly forgot about it. About Them. About everything.


A twig cracked in the distance. She sat up. That had been the first unnatural noise since Jane had left. She sat up quietly pulling her hair back. She could hear them. Tramping indelicately on the branches and talking loudly as they came. They called her name.
“Illessa! Illessa!” They cried mockingly.
She sat frozen. The trees started moving. She cast a quick glance at the tree nearest to her. One of the branches seemed lower than usual. It’s probably just me. It’s always been like that. She reassured herself. She stood and looked undecidedly at the tree. She heard Them getting closer.
She sprang into action. Her foot found a small recess in the tree and she pulled herself up onto the first branch. She shinnied further up the tree. She found a branch that gave a good view of the path that she had taken and that They were now taking. She found herself watching them, crouched on a branch, her green eyes watching their every move.
As they moved so did she. Silently, like the elves in so many books that she had read. Her auburn hair blending in with the leaves, her black clothes acting similar. She found she had come to the end of a tree. She could jump to another branch, there was one near by, or she could climb down and climb up the next one.
But that would take too much time she told her self. She looked at the next tree; the branches aren’t that far apart really. She convinced herself. She looked at the little company below her, they were looking for her. She looked back to the tree. I could have sworn that branch was further to the left before, she shrugged, helpful for any help that she could get.
“On three.” She said to herself.
“One” she straightened herself more and prepared to jump.
“Two” she steadied herself and readied herself
“Three” she jumped. She flew through the air. The wind went straight through her hair, flowing out behind her. Her hands found the next branch easily, and she swung up onto it and returned to her crouching position.
“Hey,” Said someone below her, “I could have sworn something just moved up there in the trees.” A female voice.
Illessa froze. Had They seen her? A thousand thoughts flew through her head of all the situations that could arise if They had.
“Don’t be stupid Mel, it was probably just a bird.” That was Sophie. The leader. They didn’t believe her. She was safe, but she would have to be more careful next time.
They continued walking. She wondered where They were going. She shrugged and continued to follow them through the forest, jumping across to trees when the need arose.
The forest surrounded a large natural lake, and the forest followed this path and thus created an oval of sorts. Illessa stopped, letting the little company get ahead of her. She stopped mainly because she recognised this: They had been full circle, she smiled to herself realising that Sophie probably hadn’t noticed. They were almost to the small opening that led to Illessa’s spot. She glanced behind herself quickly and saw the branches moving back into place. They had formed a bridge so that she could move easily from one tree to another. She smiled to herself. And They don’t believe me. She smirked and carried on following Them.
“It’s through here.” A young voice suddenly spoke. She was pointing towards the small opening. Illessa recognised the voice.
“Jane?” she whispered to herself. A pain known only as the pain of betrayal cut through her and stopped her in her tracks. She looked down at the shiny brown hair that covered Jane’s head. The head that had warned Illessa that They were coming.
She angrily pulled her back and tucked it behind her ears. She moved across the branch-made bridge and found herself on the tree that she had first climbed up. She sat herself on a branch, back to the tree, one leg dangling down, as she watched the little company spread out into the clearing.
Illessa stood, unable to sit still and continued to watch.
“I thought you said that she was here and would be all day!” Sophie accused Jane. Illessa had a sudden urge to shout out that Jane hadn’t lied but she wanted to see where this would go.
“She was here earlier. She is always here. I don’t know where she is.”
“You told her we were coming didn’t you? Didn’t you?!” Sophie almost shouted. The little company started to group around Jane.
“No I didn’t! I didn’t say anything.” Jane pleaded. One of the others grabbed her hair. “OW!” Jane squealed and tried to escape but fell into someone else.
Illessa couldn’t watch this, however much she felt betrayed by Jane; she couldn’t watch her get hurt like this. She sat herself on the branch again; same position as before, her hair falling around her face.
“She didn’t lie.” Illessa said quietly, but loud enough for them to hear. All movement below her stopped and they looked up to her.
“Come down from there!”, “Coward” they shouted up to her. Her expression didn’t change, her eyes showed betrayal as her eyes met with Jane’s and anger at the same. She slowly stood, and prayed that the tree would help her with this. She laid one hand on the rough bark and pleaded with all her strength. She crouched down and let her hands find the first branch and she gently swung down. The branch slowly moved to the right and down a bit, her feet found the next branch. She balanced and continued this, till her feet touched the last branch that moved to accept her and she stepped down onto the log.
No one talked and no one moved. Illessa smiled to herself and moved towards Jane. They moved out of her way and she found herself face to face with her.
“I trusted you. You betrayed me. I hope I never have to talk to you again.” She turned, her back to Jane, and returned to the log. She stepped up onto the first branch and reached for the next one.
“I’m sorry. I believe you.” Jane suddenly said.
“It’s too late. I don’t care if you believe me.” She said to Jane, she turned to Sophie; “I couldn’t care if none of you believe me, even after what you have seen.”
She turned and made her way up the tree quickly. She went higher than before. Illessa turned and looked down at the little group, faces upturned to watch her climb in wonder as the branches moves and helped her. She smiled but no one saw it.
Full of confidence in the trees surrounding her she jumped to another tree and ran along the branches.
Jane followed her for as long as she could before her eyes lost her. She sighed to herself and slowly left the clearing, returning the way that she had come. The others followed her, all in silence. Sophie was the last to leave, searching the trees for any sign of Illessa. She had no luck. She also sighed to herself and followed the little group ahead of her.
As they neared the edge of the forest and the path to technology, Jane heard a sound above her. She turned and saw a slim figure wearing dark trousers standing lazily on a branch. She smiled to herself and continued walking. Sophie followed her gaze and her eyes widened as Illessa jumped from one side of the path to the other.
Illessa stopped, aware of eyes watching her. She smiled at Sophie and waved and then ran back into the forest.