Highly Commended Story - A Stranger In The Woods

“A Stranger In The Woods” by Kanav Vijay Patel, Rustomjee Cambridge International School, India, is the Highly Commended story in the junior category of the second biannual Short Story Contest 2019.

Kanav Vijay Patel is nurtured with right Indian values and traditions. He is active as well as ambitious. He thrives on challenges and takes pride in setting and achieving goals for himself. Kanav is always looking for opportunities to do better. He takes feedback positively and implements as much as he can. He is fond of playing cricket and also reading books. He is humorous and can make people feel comfortable in his presence. Kanav empowers himself and others.

A Stranger In The Woods

Joseph was a wise and gentle man. He never regretted to help someone in need. But the incident that is stuck in my head is the one in the heavy rains. Well, it was a numbing day in the north of Switzerland; Joseph was all alone in the dark and dense forest on the gigantic hills where he loved to stay. Every morning of the vacation, he would walk up the enormous hill tops and relax. He used to do this from when he had shifted to his new house which was seven years back. He had now known almost everyone in the area. He always appreciated the beauty of nature but this one was very close to him. The wonderful scene of the forest from the top was picturesque and extremely beautiful. The huge mammoth trees which caught everybody’s attention were marvellous.

One morning, when it was raining cats and dogs Joseph had gone to the majestic mountain-top, engrossed in the sleep of nocturnal creatures when he met an old weary man with a greyish-white beard and a long moustache, who looked tired after a lot of work. He was travelling through a grassy path of the dense forest which was filled with colossal trees where the sunlight could hardly reach. He looked a new person to him and followed him. His following led him to a very deep and crystal-clear river which could hardly be seen. There, Joseph stopped and just looked at him eagerly wanting to know what he was going to do next.

In the heavy rains, Joseph could hardly see where the old man was leading him. When he saw that the old man was going towards the river he tried to warn him but it was too late, the old man had already tumbled into the river. He swiftly jumped into the river and saved the old man from drowning. The old man thanked him a million times until Joseph asked him where his family and house was. The old man was sad and tears welled up his eyes. He squeaked in a shaky voice, “My son left me alone.

After he got all the wealth and property, he ill-treated me and I had to leave my place. With the little money I had, I came here.” Joseph was upset and red with anger at the same moment. He pondered over the matter and a few minutes later came up with a conclusion. He offered the exhausted old man to stay with him in his humble house. Since the old man was a smart businessman in his early age, he offered a business proposition in return. They decided that both of them will live together and start with a small business. Joseph promised to the old man that he would take good care of him. The old man was overjoyed and this time tears of happiness ran down his cheeks. Even today, when you bypass the lively street of Zurich, beside the old and ancient church that is now enwrapped with lush green ivy you can see Joseph and his old companion chit-chatting over a cup of green tea with a wide smile on their face that shows their thick and old friendship.