The Wild Inside: Aoife

Congratulations to the winner of our 2020 Wild Inside Writing Competition Under-18s Prose category: Aoife

The Wild Inside

Pan's chin rested against the windowsill of his narrow bedroom, nose pressed up against the glass, eyes squinting in the glaring Greek sun. Trees lined the cobbled paths, their leaves hung limp over the sun­ scorched cottages of Kalarrytes. Mountains surrounded the ancient village, each powdered with a thin layer of snow, each trailing into gushing rivers or trickling streams. Monuments dotted the pathways, frozen in time.

A sudden burst of wind ruffled Pan's sleep-rumpled clothes. He had been watching the children play outside, their faces lit up with glee as they kicked a deflated ball to and fro. He watched them sprint down the road and around the corner. Pan longed to join them, he longed to travel with  them to the peak of the mountain, he longed to go on late-night outings, watch the sun dissolve into the land and the moon rise behind the clouds. He longed to swim in the deep blue-green waters of the lake at the edge of Kalarrytes. But he couldn't. His CFS held him back.

Night was falling. Pan edged outside, ignoring the fatigue that settled on him like the sun resting low on the horizon. Dried grass crackled beneath his feet. He rested against the wall of his home, before falling into a peaceful sleep.

Pan pealed open a lazy eye. The mountains were set out in front of him, their jagged peaks thrust high towards the moon. He lay back, his eyes darted from star to star. Suddenly, "ow!". Pan sprang up.

Pain blossomed inside his chest. Gingerly, he placed his hand under his shirt. He felt cold metal pressing against the skin of his chest and gasped. Intrigued, he trailed his finger around the edge and down the middle. A crack began to form, small at first, like a creek, but splitting and growing, like a canyon. Pan's eyes blurred, he was frozen to the spot. A scream built its way up his windpipe, but got trapped at the back of his throat. Dim light shone through the gap in his chest.

All of a sudden, a vine shot out, wrapping itself around the nearest building, then another, until the whole village was  trapped. But that was only the beginning. Grass and leaves erupted onto the pavement, seeds planted themselves in the mountains, and grew forests, homes crumbled upon sleeping people, weakened by the vines' strength. Still the crack grew bigger. Pan squealed and writhed on his back.  Animals spurted from his chest: rabbits, snakes, birds! Brambles and thorns rolled painfully down Pan's body, planting themselves throughout the crumbling village.

Finally, it was over. Dawn's early rays leaked through the canopy created above Pan. He twisted his head as a group of honey badgers scuttled across the clearing. The quiet chirping of birds and the grass tickling his bare feet reminded him he wasn't alone. Pan stood up.  Wind weaved through his hair, pollen drifted up his nostrils and he realised this was the wild inside.

• Readers of Wild Inside were invited to submit poetry or prose on the subject of 'the wild inside'. The competition was judged by renowned nature writer, Linda Cracknell who said of Aiofe's winning poem for the Under-18s Prose category: "This story is beautifully written and creates an interesting character and situation in Pan, who then goes through a vividly told transformation."
• Read the other winning entries for our Wild Inside Writing Competition 2020.