Critters of the Night

The glowing flowers cut through the darkness of the skies as vibrant hums filled the air.

A circle of critters danced to the sound of the soothing voice that called out to reach them. A faint blue shine reflected from the moon, off of the butterflies, and onto the young boy.

Teddie sat in the middle of them all, his melody playing out constantly to all who can hear.

The middle of the woods was seldom a safe space for a small boy such as him, yet he found comfort in it. After all, it's not like he has anywhere to go back to.

“We're done,” Teddie told the animals as he stood up. “Let's have just as much fun next time…”

The animals all surrounded him, providing their own form of thanks with brief nuzzles and hugs. Before eventually, they all dispersed back into the wilds.

All except one.

Teddie grasped the stuffed bear he held onto tight as he watched all the other animals leave. This one was not alive like the rest, yet it stayed with him closest.

“Mr. Bear?” He held it up in front of him. “Will today be a good day?”

The bear doesn't respond, staring silently back at the boy. However, Teddie seemed satisfied with the answer it gave him. Placing it back within his close clutches once more.

“Let's go play by the river then.” Teddie said before beginning to walk away. But just as he began to leave, something unimaginable happened.

The darkness that once shrouded the skies was split open entirely with a bright golden spear. A blinding light struck the ground that Teddie had never seen before, creating a massive beacon that all could see.

And then that light slowly dissipated, with the sea of darkness retook control of the world around them.

“What was that…?” Teddie asked his bear. The bear once again did not respond. However, with one closer glance, the boy would notice something strange lying in the glowing flowers.

A girl. Her hair was pure white. Her dress was blue, embroidered in flowers that spread across the ground. It was like she perfectly blended with the bioluminescent flora around her, as the light reflected off of the dress and gave her radiance in this dark world.

“What should I do?” he asked the still unmoving bear. After some deliberation, he eventually made the decision. He went closer to the girl, and poked her.

Her skin is so soft.

Was Teddie's first thought. He pulled his finger back and looked at it, as if he was confused as to what he just felt.

He was about to poke her again, until a groaning noise came out of her.

“Euuughhh…”

Teddie stepped back after he heard the noise. Disturbing sleeping bears was always bad, so he assumed it was the same for humans. He must have made a mistake, if he leaves then he probably won't be noticed-

“Where am I?” The girl asked, her green eyes slowly opening. Teddie froze in place at the question, unable to even look back.

He wanted to ask his bear what he should do. But he couldn't talk now. Not with eyes on him.

“W…who are you? Where's… Rumia…?” The girl asked once more, rubbing her eyes and trying to stand.

Teddie turned around and opened his mouth. Words didn't come out.

The girl looked at him confused, like she was waiting for something.

He kept his mouth open, the air trying to come out of his throat to say something. Yet, nothing came.

At last, after what felt like an eternity, the words squeaked out of his mouth.

“hi.”

“Hello?” she responded and stuck her hand out. “Um… my name is Adelyn, nice to meet you?”

“Teddie…” he said back, not knowing exactly what to do at the gesture. He just grabbed her and pulled her forward.

“Woah!” Adelyn was caught off guard at the sudden pull and nearly fell over, but she managed to catch herself.

“A-Ah! I'm sorry!” Teddie immediately let go and backed off, turning to run. “I'll get out of your hair, don't worry!”

“Hey, wait!” Adelyn called. “You can't just leave!”

Teddie once again froze in place at the ask, before turning back around.

“W…What do you need… miss…?” He quietly answered.

“Well, first. Where am I? What is this place?”

“...the woods, I guess?”

“That doesn't help me! One second I was in the library and now I'm here? How did I get here?”

“I dunno.”

Teddie answered as honestly as he could. Though the girl didn't seem satisfied with those answers.

“All I know is that you came from the sky… like… like a big light beam…” Teddie continued to explain.

“The sky?” Adelyn looked up. “Then it really must've worked then… but why? It wasn't working before… how did it work now-”

“Um? Excuse me? But I really don't understand what that means…” Teddie said.

“Oh. It doesn't matter,” Adelyn said. “The more important question is… where is Rumia?”

“Who is that?”

“Um, did you see a girl who glows? Like, literally glows. Dress has a lot of colors… uh…”

“You are the only person I've seen here.” Teddie answered.

“...ugh, what did I do… what do I do?” Adelyn groaned. Teddie felt a little bad that he couldn't help her.

Just as he was about to apologize, suddenly, another flash of bright light struck through the air. However, this time it was in the far off distance, miles and miles away.

“...that might be it?” Teddie suggested.

“Was that the big light beam you saw earlier?” Adelyn asked.

“Yeah. It was something like that.”

“The one you saw me come down in?”

“Yes.”

It was at this moment the girl looked at the distance as the light once again faded. Her eyes locked onto the target.

“I'm coming,” she said, an amount of strength projected into her voice. Teddie was impressed that she regained herself so quickly. Especially after falling from the sky like that. The girl began to walk towards where the light struck, quickly moving to her future destination.

Teddie, for reasons even he didn’t understand, silently followed behind her. Taking a few quiet steps in response to Adelyn’s movements.

After about five minutes of walking, Adelyn finally took a glance at the boy who was still following her.

“Uh… do you need something?” she asked him. Teddie gulped, trying to think of a reason as to why exactly he was still following this strange girl that came from the sky.

“If you don’t want me to then I can go! I… I was just curious, that’s all!” Teddie blurted, none of the possible reasons he thought of actually came out of his mouth. Instead, he just started walking backwards at an incredibly quick pace. As fast as he possibly could.

“Huh? Wait, I don’t actually mind!” Adelyn raised her hands in an awkward expression stance as she tried to dissuade the boy from leaving. “I don’t mind the company!”

That caused Teddie to pause for a second, as the two looked at each other.

“Really?” Teddie asked. “You don’t mind me?”

“What? Why would I? You seem nice, plus going through this place alone is a bit scary, ahah.” The girl laughed a little bit, as if she wasn’t scared at all.

“It is a little bit scary…” Teddie nodded. “I spend time with most of the animals in the woods, but once you go outside then I dunno what will happen. If you get into a fight… I dunno if I’ll be much help…”

“Oh, so it’s that kind of dangerous?” Adelyn closed her eyes to think for a bit. “That means I need to go find her as soon as I can. Also, don’t worry about it, as I said the company is nice!”

Teddie was surprised at how carefree this girl was. The animals always told him of strange beasts and creatures that lived beyond the woods, between any villages that people like him came from. Monsters that could attack him and with no remorse. That was the cycle he was taught after all, if he wasn’t careful.

But she was fine walking through it? People are scary.

Yet, he still wanted to go. This was something that he felt like he could not miss.

“I’ll be with you then,” Teddie said. “And we’ll promise to help you as much as we can!”

“We?” Adelyn asked.

Teddie presented the bear to her. “It’s Mr. Bear. He gives helpful advice sometimes. Though only I can hear it.”

Adelyn looked at it, and then poked the bear in the nose.

“Aww. He’s so cute!” She keeps on poking at the bear's nose.

“Don’t poke him too much, he doesn’t like that,” warned Teddie, to which Adelyn obliged.

“Either way, I’m glad to meet you Teddie.” Adelyn gave him a smile. “For the time that we’re together, let’s have fun!”

“Fun…”

Adelyn grabbed Teddie’s hand as she pulled the boy along. The touch of her hand felt nice, but the path they walked along wasn’t certain.

But maybe that was part of the excitement? A strange girl who always looked forward, coming to him. This world was full of things that he didn’t know.

Maybe he should give it a chance.