The woods were my home since I was a child. I know every tree, every bush that grows in there. After WW2 someone decided to build their house next to the woods, I later found that in winter they reminded him of the war. It drove him crazy and eventually he ended his life. No one else comes here, they say wolves have been spotted many times and yet I've never even seen a footprint. The place was basically deserted, so why did I feel as I'm being watched? The wind blew my brown hair out of my face as to help me find the intruder. No luck. Another gust of wind carried the smell of my mom's lasagne. If any wolves did live here, they'd certainly know where to find us.

Our home didn't have any major renovations since it was first built and after all these years it was starting to really show, every time I walked into the house I was sure I'd never be able to walk out.

"Been in the woods again"?

"Yeah, didn't see any wolves yet"

She gives me a look which indicates she picked up on my sarcasm.

"So. School tomorrow. You exited for another year at Woodlands?"

"Yeah" I say, "Totally"

She puts her fork down and looks at me. Another lecture on the way.

"Listen April, I know school is hard for you and that you don't get on well with most people..."

"Everyone you mean"

"Don't be a pessimist!"

"I'm being a realist! Everyone hates me there, why can't we get fake names and move to another country?"

"You know we can't...and it's illegal....and the house and my...job... you know we can't leave"

She got into 'The mood' again which is when she gets flashbacks of her life before this. Of the mansion she and my dad lived in, how they owned the biggest toy company etc etc. It would be nice to go back to those times, but sadly we're stuck in a house that is about to fall apart with everyone in the town making fun of us because we can't afford pretty much anything. I leave her to her memories and go to my room. It's not technically a bedroom, it used to be a storage room which was big enough to fit all my possessions; My bed, school bag, some clothes ( and shoes ) and the mirror which was a present from my dad when I was 5. I lay on the straw filled bed and try to fall asleep, I could have sworn I heard a howl in the distance.

Woodlands High. The school for poor children who can't afford proper education. That's what it was originally built for but nowadays, few poor children actually go there. I sit alone at a desk in biology while everyone crowds around the teacher dissecting a frog. Everyone laughs and 'eww''s as Mrs Edwins removes the insides and places it on a separate tray. Then everyone gets to try. I keep my head low and doodle on my notebook when someone throws some part of the frog at my face.

"Whoops, it slipped". Miranda says while she and her friends laugh their heads off. Miranda's family is rich, she has everything she could ever want and always makes fun of poor people, and despite the fact that I am two years older than her (She's 15) I seem to be her favourite target.

Someone should tell her her jokes aren't funny, and throwing frog guts at her face was the one way of doing it. I couldn't describe the fury and amazement in her eyes in a few words. I've never seen anyone so angry before. She started making her way towards my table. I was frozen in place. Should I run? Hide under the table? Behind Mrs Edwins maybe. Then the bell rang. I couldn't believe my luck. The bell might just have saved my life.

"You'll pay for this. I promise that you will regret this for the rest of your life!" She half shouted and half spit it. Her spit was literally covering my hair. If only I was taller...

"How was school dear?"

"The usual". I grumbled back

She sighted and looked at me.

"What? I'm going to my room to study, I'm not hungry".

Honestly I was starving but I couldn't face her at dinner, she'd know something happened and get upset for the rest of the day. So instead, I sat on my bed facing the mirror and for the first time in a few years, properly looked at myself. God I looked horrible. My hair needs to be brushed, my face some makeup, my nose a plastic surgery and my eyes a more normal colour than green. It's the mirror's fault my face looks distorted, but inside I know that one day there wouldn't be a mirror to blame for my looks.

School proceeded the same way until the end of first term. Miranda didn't glance my way for a whole two weeks. No pay back from her either. This must be part of her plan. It happened the first week of the holidays, when my mom was cleaning the house and I was in the woods. I heard her scream. It took me about a minute of running to get to the house. It was nearly winter now but the closer I got to the house, the hotter it got. And then I saw it. Fire. No house, no fence just fire. And where was my mom?

"Mom!?" I shouted at the top of my lungs. No response.

"MOM!" I tried again, this time trying to keep my tears from falling.

I would've never thrown frog guts at her if this is the price to pay. Never.

Going inside the house to find her wasn't an option, there was no door left. Or roof. Or walls. I watched as flames wrapped their red arms around all I had left. And to think that only this morning we laughed at a joke I had made about her cheese pasta, there was no cheese. That made her laugh. And now she's gone, burned because of frog guts.

I made the forest my home now. I didn't have to go to school but I also didn't have shelter or food. There was plenty of water once I found the creek but no animals which are edible (skunks weren't an option). I found nuts and berries which became my main food. Sometimes I'd find a bird which had been obviously killed but left behind. What kind of animal abandons their food? I don't have a watch, which made it harder to keep track of time but by writing on the same tree every night before I go to sleep I counted 15 nights. I claimed a tall tree in the middle of the forest as my bed, which wasn't comfortable but at least it kept me safe from animals which hunt at night. I prefer an uncomfortable tree as a bed than the grassy ground and risking becoming a midnight snack for a wolf or a bear.

Every night, I would add one more line to the tree. Eventually I counted 38. The wolves howled. I got used to hearing them every few nights, but never this close. Not knowing why, I followed the sound. Something told me I had to find them. I walked or rather jogged, being led only by their howls. Why were wolves howling in daytime? Then they stopped and I was lost. Which way did the howls come from? Was is north or east? I went where my eyes led me and then I recognised the area, the trees, the endless hours I spent here as a child. I was home. I walked until the house was in view, it was completely destroyed. The fire has eaten everything. I decided to be brave and walk one last time in the house. I walked straight to where my room has been. The bed must have lit immediately for there was no sign there ever was a bed here. The mirror remained. I could say it was perfectly intact and that the fire didn't burn it but that would be a lie. The wooden frame was completely gone, only the glass remained. Why didn't it melt? I looked down to see my reflection. I was surprised to see I looked like a newspaper article. I picked it up, it read:

"15 year old Miranda Watson, daughter of the millionaire Robert Watson, was arrested on September 12th after evidence was found that she deliberately set fire to a home near the White Forest. The teenager was put in prison for 5 years and after that she will be put on a good behaviour bond for 10 years. The house belonged to Natalie and April Cardock who have not been found after the fire. Police are still searching and say no remains of the women have been found."

I read it over a few times, to make sure what I was reading wasn't coming from my imagination. Miranda arrested? I couldn't believe my luck. No one else will be tortured by her again. "No remains of the women found". I read that line about six times. There was a chance that my mom was still alive! A branch broke behind me.

"Who's there?" I shouted.

Wolves came out of the forest. Wolves with beautiful white fur guided by...my mom?

"Mom...?"

"Hello April" She smiled and opened her arms.

"Mom!" I ran to embrace her, momentarily forgetting about the wolves around her.

"Mom you're alive!"

"I'm so glad I found you darling".

We were both crying now, but that didn't matter. I found my mom, I was safe.

"But how did you survive?" And what was she doing hanging out with wolves?

"Now that is a long story, I'll show you where I've been sleeping. The wolves took care of me. Come".

I went with her, the wolves trailing behind us, protecting us.

There is a legend of the White Forest. Of wolves with snow white fur and animals helping those in need. Some say the place is protected by magic and the spirit of the innocent still roams the woods.