Hobbity Bobbity

What can be so scary about a forest anyway? I mean, okay, it’s dark, but there’s got to be more than just that. I’m going to find out today! he decided. That was it; Hobbity made up his mind. He would leave Golden Cliff, head through the Red Bush Forest, and start a new life on the other side. Hobbity got down on his feet and ran as fast as his hobbily leg would let him, through the now slippery golden grass, over rocks and stones. He tripped in a muddy puddle but was able to pick himself back up. The tall grass eventually led to even more thick patches of prickly red bushes with sharp thorns that kept snagging at his burlap clothes, leaving small cuts here and there on his body. But he wasn’t going to let it stop him. As Hobbity approached the threshold of the forest, he read the small sign nailed to a tree stump. “Red Bush Forest—Do Not Pass, or Be Lost Forever!” It had been written long ago, from the look of it. His right ear twitched a little to the left. He heard something—the rustling of leaves and the snap of twigs. Hobbity wasn’t alone, and he knew it wasn’t Egret. Just then, Hobbity felt something smack into the back of his head. “Ha ha ha ha ha ha!” He heard roaring laughter behind him. Before even turning around, Hobbity knew exactly who the laughter belonged to. It was Bronco and Madden, and they had some of their buddies with them. There was nowhere to go. Hobbity was pretty much surrounded. “Never thought I’d see you out here so close to the forest, Hobbily,” Bronco joked. “Yeah, we’re surprised to see you actually left the house, scaredy cat. Did you think you were going to actually go in there?” Madden said as he looked into the forest opening. “Get him,” Bronco said. The group of boys began to push and punch Hobbity. “Push him into the forest,” they yelled. “No, no, no! Come on, you guys, stop!” Hobbity shouted. The bullies laughed with devilish delight and Hobbity forced himself onto the ground. It was the only way to keep from being pushed into the forest. “Help!” he yelled. “Help!” the other boys mocked. Hobbity tried desperately to protect his face from their kicks. Egret, c’mon. Where are you? he thought. His little body was beginning to hurt badly. “Stop—Please, okay?” Hobbity yelled, but the boys only burst into more laughter and mockery. Hobbity’s cries had brought them nothing but further amusement. Then came a voice. “HOBBITY...” it said from the tops of the trees, echoing across the sky. “HOBBITY...” it said again, strong and calm. Hobbity opened an eye and peeked through his fingers to see where the voice had come from. No one else was there. When the voice called Hobbity’s name again, it was stronger and sounded as if it were closer. Yet none of the boys could see who the voice belonged to. It was as though it were coming from inside the Red Bush Forest. “Come on, you guys. Let’s get out of here. He’s a freak,” a now nervous Madden said. And just like that, they ran off, away from the forest and the voice. Hobbity sat up, rubbing his arms and face. Much of his body was turning black and purple with bruises. Yeah, that’s gonna hurt in the morning, he thought. “Egret, where are you?” he whispered as he carefully got up from the ground. It was almost dark now, and the grass was so tall he could barely see through it. Egret, who had been looking for Hobbity, finally heard his master and followed the Bobbity’s voice until he found him. Swooping low to the ground, Egret allowed Hobbity to climb on and immediately flew in the direction of their home. Whoever had called out Hobbity’s name was now silent. Once through the door, a bruised and frantic Hobbity hobbled right up to Fawn, who had been watching from a window, waiting for him to return. “Wow! Hobbity… what happened to you? Are you okay?” she asked. She appeared shocked by his appearance. “Quick, go find Ma!” she said. “She’s still in the kitchen.” Fawn couldn’t take her eyes off her brother as he hurriedly walked away to find their mom. “Ma, why can’t we go into the Red Bush Forest again?” Hobbity asked the second he found her. “Wha—Hobbity, did something happen? What happened to your face? Oh, I can’t take it!” she said without taking a breath and holding her belly. “Well, nothing. Just wondering,” he replied. Hmm, he thought, raising an eyebrow. For the first time he had noticed fear in his mother’s voice, and he certainly didn’t want to scare her in the state she was in. “Just wondering? Hobbity, you are gonna kill me raising my blood pressure like this! Look at you—your clothes, your face. Was it those boys again?” she asked. “No, Ma!” Hobbity said, a hint of attitude in his voice. Pebbles looked at her son. She could see the worry and curiosity taking over his brain. It was written all over his face. Taking a strong, steady breath, Pebbles decided it was time Hobbity knew of the forest’s secrets. He wouldn’t hear the story from her. Today was her mother-in-law’s 105th birthday, and Pebbles had so much work to do. “Hobbity, if you really want to know, you should go find your father and ask him the story about the Red Bush Forest. You’re old enough to know now… I guess. Maybe it’s time you knew for your own good anyway!” Pebbles kissed her son on the head and turned to hide her eyes, which were filling with tears. With that, Hobbity was even more interested in finally hearing the truth about the forest. He wasted no time in leaving to find his father, who was still at work. The phrase old enough to know now played in his mind over and over like a broken record. Once outside, he located Egret and told him to find his father. Egret always did as he was told, and off he flew with Hobbity on his back. Pebbles watched Egret and Hobbity through a window until they were out of sight. She knew her poor husband was about to tell the story that all Bobbity parents dread telling. She sat down and began to weep. Hobbity was closer to becoming a grown Bobbity, and suddenly she missed her baby boy.