The Other Side
By Abby N. Wooldridge
You are lucky to live in these woods where we feed you and give you a home.
You’re unaware of the dangers out there and what we will do to protect you.
You’re safe as long as you’re here.
We have just one rule you must follow:
Never cross the road!
Monsters live on the other side.
I was afraid, so I stayed.
But deep in my heart, right by my fear, I planted something else.
A seed that grew unchecked.
Wild curiosity.
It got the best of me.
I plotted and planned and waited for darkness, and with it came the moon.
The two of us conspired.
We whispered wishes to the stars.
And the stars? They whispered back.
We lit a path of hope.
I finally crossed that road.
I set off in search of monsters.
But all I found were people.
People just like me.
I walked through the woods, wondering where the monsters were.
Surely they were lurking.
I made my way to a mountain and climbed to a spot where I could see for miles.
Across that road, I looked at the woods I’d once called home.
And that’s where I saw
the monsters.
This is my 199 word #FallWritingFrenzy 2025 contest entry. Many thanks to Kaitlyn Sanchez and Lydia Lukidis for hosting, to guest judge Aixa Perez Prado, and to all the judges and generous prize donors. Check out the rules of the contest here. Photo #2 Credit: Unsplash via Patrick Tomasso
