I’m here with you

The next day after school, Ana was trying to hide from John she didn't want him to take revenge for what she had done the day before, they always went back home together and met near their secret play area near the woods.

She didn't want to go there today, the thought of him pulling her braids again gave her Goosebumps, but what if he kept waiting for her their the whole night if she didn't show up she thought to herself, and decided to go to their but just to make sure he doesn't wait for her.

She reached the secret hide out but John was no where to be seen, she thought that John wanted to scare her and must have hidden somewhere and looked for him, she couldn't find him anywhere where, suddenly a thought crossed her mind that she had not seen him in the school either, it was getting dark and Ana thought that she better get back home before its too late, on the way home she was all alone today, and was scared of the darkness.

Ana always tried to show herself as a strong and brave girl but inside she was just a little girl, she was like any other seven year old girl could be, but pretended to be strong as she was aware how people thought low of people with families like her's, Her father had lost all their wealth in a business involving his friend who had scammed him, this had shattered him completely and fell ill, but he had saved some money for Ana's education which had helped her get an admission in the best Schools where only rich could afford to send their children.

Ana for her age was too wise and smart, as for a young girl of her age she had opinions of her own and this would always get her into trouble, Ana wasn't arrogant or proud, she knew that she was still growing up and had a lot to learn and accepted her mistakes when she made them, she was always honest and didn't make any excuses for herself. That is the reason John liked her and wanted to be her friend.

When they had just become friends John was seven years old and Ana was Five, they were returning back home from school, and noticed something huge near the woods when they went closer to have a look they found a wounded Wolf lying near the woods, she had Six tiny cubs with her, they were scared and yelping running around their mother, John and Ana were scared at the sight of a humongous wolf but when they noticed that she was unconscious, injured, her wounds bleeding and her pups crying for her they were no longer afraid.

John looked at Ana and asked her, are you scared? She replied with a nod not being able to speak.

John put an arm around her shoulder, held her gently and said, "Don't be Scared, I am here with you".

Ana trusted him and was no longer scared but wanted to get back home as soon as possible, she didn't want to be anywhere near this creature when it gained back it's consciousness.

John turned towards Ana, holding both her palms in his he said, "Ana! Don't be scared, She is already hurt and unconscious, look at her pups they are scared and crying we have to help them."

Ana: "but.....but.... Johnny what if she wakes up and thinks we hurt her babies and tried to eat us?"

John laughed at her, "it's okay don't worry about it, nothing as such is going to happen I promise".

John: "I need your help come with me," and dragged her to where the pups were, "stay here and make sure they don't wander away and get lost, will you be able to do it?" he questioned her.

Ana took a deep breath for courage and said " yes off course, they.....are just little..ba..babies," her voice shaking with regret and fear.

John noticed it but he was happy to see her gathering her courage and trusting in him.

John then headed towards the wounded mother Wolf, he inspected where her would was, it looked like she had been hit by a truck at night, she had lost a lot of blood, didn't know for how long she had been their in this horrid condition.

she had hurt her hind leg and it looked like it had been fractured, John and Ana had learned first aid at school and John was happy that he had paid attention in the class, or else he wouldn't be able to help this wounded beast, as best as a small child could.

The she wolf didn't look like a regular wolf but was ten times larger, the look of it could scare anyone to death but as she was unconscious, John wasn't scared at all, but deep down he wanted to show Ana that he was brave, he sure was in a way.

John gathered sticks from nearby and placed them carefully around her fractured leg and wrapped them with creeping veins he had gathered from a nearby tree.

He then cleaned her wounds with water from a nearby puddle, he could only do so much and headed towards where Ana and the wolf pups were.

"Ana let's find a secure place for the pups in the wood", Ana was in a shock "I am in no possible way am getting in the woods," she protested.

John couldn't persuade her with this and decided to take all the pups into the woods by himself.

John picked all six of the pups in his arms, he was struggling with them, the pups were scared as well and started to yelp louder.

John kept heading straight into the woods, a moment later he heard Anna Scream, he didn't want her to get hurt and rushed back to where she was, when he reached, he questioned her "what's wrong? And why are you screaming?"

Ana pointed toward were the wolf was laying, John turned around to look and the wolf was no where to be seen, he panicked and placed all the pups down.

Suddenly they heard rustling grass behind them they couldn't see anything and heard howling, the pups were scared and hid behind John and Ana this scared them even more.

They didn't know what to do, they were only kids, but they could understand so much that if the howling was of the she wolf, the pups would have have ran towards where the howling was coming from, but now they were scared after hearing it, which meant that it wasn't their mother, and whoever it was the pups were scared of it too.

John regretted his decision on taking the pups into the woods, John muttered we should have left as soon as I had finished with the first aid.

Ana protested "we shouldn't have stayed back in the first place," her voice trembling with fear.

The sound was getting closer and closer both Ana and John screamed and turned around to run when they hit something and fainted.

Ana gained her consciousness back, and John was laying unconscious next to her, she she sat close to him, and shook him by his shoulder to wake him up, after trying to wake him for a while he still didn't.

"Johnny don't die, please wake up don't leave me alone here" she started crying seeing him still unconscious.

John woke up to her crying sound.

John: "I am not dead you stupid girl".

Ana: " You are not dead? I thought you died," her lips still quivering from sadness.

"Johnny I am so so happy that you didn't die, don't you ever leave me", she demanded.

John: "come on silly girl, let's hurry back home".

Ana: "Johnny look, but were are we?

John didn't notice but someone had moved them into the woods, he panicked but had to stay strong for Ana and protect her and himself from being harmed, John knelt in front of Ana looking into her eyes, he said "Ana it's okay, we are still okay, don't worry we are not hurt, we have to be quite and careful and sneak out of the woods slowly so that we don't encounter whatever that was before".

"But Johnny did you see who brought us here?".

"That I didn't, and I don't want to know either, but whoever brought us here might have also helped the pups and their mother."

It was getting dark and they had to head back home soon, woods were not a safe place for young kids nor adults for that matter.

They got up and took their back packs, and looked around them, they had never seen a place like this before, they had never been in the woods before.

There were tall trees circling around them leaving a large middle ground, they could see the sky clearly, the trees were dense and thick making it difficult to see if something were hiding behind them, the grass beneath them was soft and fluffy, making them feel somewhat at ease, they couldn't believe that grass could be so comfortable and soft like fur.

There was a spring surrounded by large rocks nearby, a tiny stream flowing through the rocks, It was a beautiful sight in the glittering moonlight.

They were surrounded by tiny wildlife creatures all around them, there were different species of birds nesting with their partners, and burrows where they could see tiny baby bunnies jumping in and out from it, frogs resting and hopping near the spring, fire flies resting on leaves of the bushes nearby and glowing every now and then like twinkling stars above them, this place was full of life, and it was calm and comfortable, here they felt safe now.

Ana whispered "Johnny how about we sleep here tonight, I don't think we will be able to find our way out of these woods now that its dark.

The full moon above them and twinkling stars shone their pleasantly dim light.

John agreed to it, even though he didn't want to spend the night alone in the woods, it wasn't safe, but Ana was too scared to move and he had no choice but to listen to her, they laid next to each other their backs facing each other hugging their backpacks, and in no time they were asleep, and slept peacefully through the night.

The next morning

It was morning already and John and Ana were surrounded by curious bunnies, chipmunks, beaver, ferrets and what not.

They woke up to the noises of the animals, and screamed when they saw so many of them around, Later realised that these animals wouldn't harm them and laughed at each other, teasing and making fun, this is how their friendship was always nagging, fighting and pulling each other's legs but always looking out and caring for one another.

John took her hand to find their way out of the woods, they realised it wasn't far, but had been heavily guarded by bushes and creepers hanging from the entrance, this made it very difficult for anyone who passed through the woods to know about its existence, it was located very close to their way to school and home and could be reached only by a few minutes walk into the woods, there were thorny bushes on the way which no one would willingly go through without knowing of this peaceful abode.

John: "Ana! How about we meet here every day after school? Since you know my parents don't like me playing with the other kids", hiding the fact that his parents didn't like Ana the most than the other kids.

Ana agreed to it as long as she had her friend with her.

They promised each other that they wouldn't tell anyone about what had happened the night before nor about this place, because no one would believe them, about them helping a monstrously large hurt wolf and her pups, and finding themselves in a different place from where they had been, and not knowing who did it, none of this was believable to people other than who had experience it.

John guided Ana on what she should say when she was questioned, they were planning to lie, and hide quite a bit from their parents and friends, they were ready to this as they didn't want their secret play area to be taken away from them.

Ana and John reached their respective residence and as usual Ana's mother didn't care for her, but her father was too angry, asked her where she was the whole night, she lied that she was with Lia, Since John's and her parents didn't get along well she knew he wouldn't confront them regarding this.

He gave her a last warning to not let this happen again or she would be sent to boarding school, and Ana agreed to it, being happy that she wasn't punished.

John's father Mathew foster and Ana's father Philip Oberon were once best friends but John's father had betrayed him in business and scammed him of all his wealth, since then their families never were on good terms except for the kids.

John's parents were both scared for him, and seeing him return they were happy, and His mother Lisa Foster started to cry uncontrollably with happiness.

John didn't say where he had been as he knew his parents would have enquired with all his friends, and he didn't want to put Ana in trouble so he kept quiet, as a result he was grounded for three days.

Meeting every day at this new secret hide out had now become their routine and they would never miss a chance.

Today not meeting John Ana felt miserable and on the way back home she was extremely scared.