Shermans Tale: Part One- Into The Woods

Chapter IV

Ellina came home to find Sherman sitting on the sofa, eyes wide open and lost in thought. She had gone to the market to buy ingredients to refresh the pantry. She put the groceries down on the kitchen table as she walked in the family room and sat down on the couch next to him. Immediately he snapped out of focus, turning to her, before asking, “Back so soon, mom?”

She smiled at him and gave him a “good morning” hug before going to unpack her groceries. “Did you enjoy breakfast, Shermy? You haven’t had that kind of meal in a while. With you always getting up early to go work all day in the fac….” she broke off as she noticed the level of depression rise in Sherman’s face. Deciding it was best to keep off the subject for a while, she sat down at the table, gesturing for him to join her. He sat down with her, both of them staring deep in the eyes of the other, lost for words.

Sherman turned his head away, and turned his gaze to the wood grains of the table, “I wanna talk about my next job.”

“Are you sure you’re ready? It’s okay if you want to take some more time before we talk. We can have this conversation tomorrow, or even the next day.”

At her suggestion Sherman slammed his fist down hard, “It doesn’t matter how long we wait. I still have no factory job, and I still have no choice but to go work in the South, or go unemployed.”

Ellina knew that work in the South was dangerous. Berk’s life had been lost to woodlands, and she knew she wouldn’t be able to live with herself if she lost Sherman too. Sherman also knew the work was dangerous, and was anxious to be working with the tall elves. They were immensely strong, largely built, and much taller than him. However, Sherman could remember growing up to all the stories Berk had told him. Stories of how the treetops touched the clouds in the skies, the forest floor carpeted with thousands of leaves, and the weather always warm whether the sun was shining or not. Berk had told him there was no snow, no seals, no ice; that they were all replaced with moist soil, humid air, and all the world’s most colorful creatures. How could such a dangerous place seem so beautiful?

“How certain are you that you want to go to the South,” Ellina questioned Sherman.


“I’m certain that I need to go, not that I want to, but remember the stories Dad used to tell.”

“Well when you decide for sure what you want to do come see me.” She got up from the table and walked out of the kitchen.

Before she reached the doorway, Sherman called to her. “Mom, I’m sure I want to go.”

She turned around and looked at him with a worried, unsure smile on her face, “If you think you’re ready then follow me.”

Sherman got up from the table, wondering what it was she had to show him. He followed her to her bedroom; she opened the door and walked in. Ellina sat on the bed as Sherman still stood in the doorway. She motioned for him to come in, “Sherman come on, or I can shut the door on you and you’ll never know anything more about your father,” she said teasingly.

It was about his father, Sherman instantly became more interested. Curious, Sherman raced through the doorway and fell down onto the bed next to her. Now he was excited. He had not talked about his father since the day he came home to find his mother crying on the bed embracing the letter. Even though the thought of his father saddened him slightly, Sherman was eager to see what his mother had to show him. Ellina stretched, reaching over the bedside to open the night-table draw. She pushed around bits of papers and various items, her hands probing for the key. Having found it, she extracted the small bronze key from the draw, pushing it closed with the back of her hand. She held the key in her palm, its tarnished handle, cold as the night.

She turned to him, “Are you sure you have made up your mind to set off for the woods, and pursue the path your father left behind?”

Sherman was tired of answering this question, he had made up his mind, and didn’t plan on changing it, “Mom? I have decided to go, and I will not change my mind. I must go to the South and work in the woods, my decision is final.”

Half worried about his decision, and half glad of his bold choice, she grasped his hand, holding the key in her other. “Look under the bed Shermy, and pull out the chest.”

Sherman slid himself off the bed and kneeled down, looking underneath. It was dark and dusty underneath the bed, and at first Sherman did not see any chest. He pulled himself under as he pushed around dust bunnies and debris, searching for the strongbox. After a few minutes, he came across a dark shape in the back corner of the bed, fit snug between the wall and one of the bed legs. It was shrouded in the thickest of the dust. Sherman reached out and grabbed it, blowing off the layers of dust as he pulled it closer to himself. He wriggled out from under the bed, pulling himself up and handing the chest to Ellina. He dusted himself off, sneezing as particles of dust traveled up his nose. As soon as Sherman came out of his sneezing fit, he took his seat next to his mother once more.

Ellina held the chest on her lap, the lock facing inward to her. She lifted the tiny lock up and inserted the key into the bottom of it, turning the handle clockwise until the bolt popped open. She pulled the lock off the loops which held the lid shut, and placed it down on the pillow by her hip. “Well Shermy, since your decision is final.”

She pulled back the cover as Sherman leaned over to see what was inside.