He stretched his arms, content sitting upon the damp ground, silently appreciating the still morning. The dawn of a new day approached, heralded by the waking calls of the forest, as its occupants awoke. He admired the rays of sunlight beginning to filter through the forest canopy down to the undergrowth, welcoming their newfound warmth. It had been a cold night in his tent.
With the ease of practice, he quickly packed up his tent and cleared his half eaten meal of baked beans on toast. Setting his rucksack firmly upon his shoulders, he set off along the forest path, en route home.
His day job was a police officer in his hometown Hadenton, however there was rarely much trouble as its population didn’t exceed two hundred. It was a small close knit community, where everybody knew one another and one was susceptible to death by gossip if they stuck a toe out of line. Least to say, his job was dull and boring and besides the occasional ruffian or out of town hooligan, he was stuck saving cats from trees and helping old ladies cross the road.
It was these trips to Hailey’s Forest that kept him sane. Since a child, he had travelled these paths, his father instilling within him a wonder for the magnificence and beauty of nature. Fortnightly, he would pack his rucksack, drive to the edge of the forest and explore its hidden paths for three days, two nights. Upon his return, he always felt calmer and ready to return to his mundane life.
It was no different today, he thought as he walked using a thick tree branch to test the path, avoiding any raised roots and fallen trees. He continued on steadily, enjoying his stamina which his youth provided him. He noted the changing colours as the sun slowly inched higher on its journey, changing the forest from a dark blue chilly dawn to a warm morning, characterised by an array of different shades of green and brown, the undergrowth of the forest where he travelled.
Wiping the sweat off his brow, he paused in his hike as he distinguished a sound unusual to his surroundings. It was soft and distant and he had to stay silent for a few minutes before he heard it again. His brow furrowed as attempted to discern what sort of animal it was. He waited again, confused for it sounded a lot like a... whimper
.
.
Slowly, he walked off the route, heading towards the sound, his curiosity overtaking him. Pushing aside branches and leaves, he tried to soften his footfalls which crunched along the ground, so not to startle whatever it was. The closer he approached, the surer he got, the sound was definitely a whimper and sniffle. Was it another person?
He finally arrived at a small clearing, where he was sure the sound was coming from. He pushed aside a leaf to gain a clear view of the clearing. He scanned back and forth, almost missing the small hunched figure if not for the telltale whimper.
Squinting his eyes, he identified a young girl, about ten years of age. Her hair was a russet brown, sweeping down her shoulders like a mane and covering her eyes. She sat hunched in the shadow of a big tree, hugging her knees, rocking back and forth slightly, whimpering and sniffling. She wore only a wafer thin white dress, which was torn and ripped mirroring the cuts and bruises upon her own arms and legs. Her feet were bare and bleeding.
Confusion shrouded his mind, as questions arose unbidden and aplenty. But pushing these aside he knew she needed help. Slowly he took a step forward, exposing himself in the clearing. A crack sounded as his foot broke a twig, startling the girl and alerting her of his presence.
He felt a chill run down his spine, when she raised her head and grey blue eyes met his.
A/N: This just might turn out to be a long story.
