Dying Forest (unofficial title)

A Story by happy_quacky

A dying forest suddenly begins to bloom again, but only at night. The trees glow and the flowers open as strange whispers echo through the underbrush. A young outcast find the forest is dying.

The shattering sound echoes through the damp stone halls followed quickly by large growing stomping boots.

“CHARLIE!” The scrawny child flinches with a gasp as the large burly man slams the old creaky door open, creating a small dent in the handle.

“Sir, please, I-I’m sorry, I didn’t mean too!” The child scrambles up, his bare feet getting stabbed by the broken glass that's been shattered on the floor. He stumbles backwards into the cold wall, hands up guarding his face as the man pulls him up by his collar slamming him against the wall. Tears run down the child's face as he grips the man's large hands that hold him.

“Don’t lie to me! This is the 3rd one this week! You're doing this on purpose aren’t you! Trying to get me in trouble huh?!” The man leans in closer, his spit spraying on the child’s dirty face.

“No! No sir, never! I would never dream of-” The slap echoes through the kitchen, followed by a deathly silence.

“Never. Lie to me. Get out.” Charlie drops to the floor with a soft thud. “NOW!” Charlie scrambles up, eyes wide in fear as he trips on the glass, tears flooding his eyes as he sprints out of the room and through the castle halls, his muddy feet staining the red carpet paths throughout as he runs to exit the building. As he runs through the town, people sneer at him in distaste, whispering to each other as he stumbles through the market. He doesn’t look back as he runs. Not once. He runs and runs until he finally reaches the dark dying forest. The one place he feels at home in. It’s strange. He’s strange. At least that's what everyone thinks of him. A devil child who came from the woods. Causes nothing but trouble.

The tears start back up as he hides inside a hollowing tree. Just small enough to fit his body. He cries there for hours as the sun slowly dips below the mountains and the moon starts to rise. His cries subside though, as he notices a soft faint blue glow from outside of the hollowed tree. Hesitantly, he crawls out gasping in awe at the mystical forest in front of him. The dying forest is… alive… truly alive. Not quite how he was expecting, but alive. The flowers slowly start to bloom in front of him as he walks through them. He looks up at the trees whose leaves are glowing the same blue light as the moon that shines upon them.

“Charlie.” He jumps at his name being called by the airy voice, immediately looking around him, but not seeing anything but the hollow stump from which he came out of. “Charlie.” It repeats, causing him to jump again.

“H-hello? Who’s there?” He walks around the woods, trying to find the source of the voice but it seems to surround him, not having any specific location as to where. He turns around quickly as he hears a rustling through the underbrush below. A small little rabbit pops up from underneath, seeming to have a matching faint blue glow with the forest that seems to slowly flicker as the sun's rays begin to rise up over the mountains. It sniffs curiously at his feet before squealing and disappearing beneath. “Wait!” He attempts to claw away at the underbrush, but curiously, his hand slips right through. Frightened, he pulls his hand out before slowly sticking it back in, inching forward slightly just enough to fall into the ground. He lands with a thud on a small pile of dirt.

He rubs his head looking up to see the same small little rabbit, as well as many others, lighting up the area underneath. The roots of the trees surround the place, but the roots look like they're rotting away, almost as if they’re disintegrating. He stands up, reaching up to gently touch one of the many large roots above him, only for it to turn into dust at his touch.

“What… happened?” He looks to the rabbits who stare at him curiously. He notices, behind them, the same strange blue light as everything else in the forest, only it seems to pulse, almost as if… it’s alive. Cautiously, Charlie walks towards it as the rabbits slowly back away. He can see it clearly now. The blue orb seems to pulse faster the closer he gets towards it. Slowly he reaches out his hand towards the light, as suddenly, the light fills the room blinding him completely. He feels a large surge of power course through his body before everything goes dark.

As he opens his eyes, he notices the rabbits surrounding him. He sits up with a groan before noticing his glowing hand. In shock he gasps, and stands up, staring at his glowing skin. He notices the disintegrating trees are now shining a very dim light. Slowly he walks back over the root and touches it. The root begins to glow brighter and brighter, the oak growing a healthier dark brown before it stops.

“You’ve become the light Charlie. You are our protector. Keep us safe." He looks up to where he hears it and swears,

“I promise I will.” From then on. Charlies kept his promise. He’s healed the dying forest, turning it into the most well known forest in the land. No one really remembers the “Demon Child” that came from that dead forest, now all they know is “The Glowing Child who saved it.” Charlie, the spirit and protector of the Glowing Tree Forest.

© 2026 happy_quacky

Author's Note

This is a short story I wrote a few months ago and i wish to receive notes and other inputs on it. I am a beginner writer.

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Elsa 123

Hey! I loved your story your writing is super vivid and easy to picture. I’m an artist who does commission work (covers, character art), and I think your work would look amazing visually. If you’re interested, feel free to reach out on Instagram (elsaa.uwu) or Discord (elsaa uwu)!