Elena Scaringe-Peene

A Game of Tag

Teeth gnashed at the heels of a young Elias as he ran laughing through the forest. The ancient maw of the enormous reptile stalking after him did nothing to quiet the toddlers squeals of excitement. In the back of his mind he knew his mother must be frantically searching for him at the edge of the wood. It would never occur to her that he could be deep in the forest on such a grand adventure. Yet this small flicker of worry couldn’t pierce the crushing of twigs and laughter escaping Elias’s lungs at this new form of game. Vines sprung from the ground below, entangling his little legs and turning his waddle of a run into a tumble down a rather steep hill. Mud splattered his face as he fell, matting his curled, russet hair, and small cuts formed on his rosy cheeks as twigs scrapped against his face; yet the smile still held as he skidded to a stop.