The Woods: The Complete Novel (The Woods Series)
Page 24
Duffy didn't freeze the way James had and he didn't assume an attack position the way he would every time he saw a squirrel back home. He just sat next to James with his tongue hanging out happily, wagging his tail across the dirt.
James couldn't believe that either. But after the shock had started to wear off, and he realized that the monster in the woods had not only seen him but decided not to kill him, he realized something. He had seen it somewhere before. His memory flashed back to the thousands of times he had heard accounts of people talking about being abducted by aliens, and the magazines at the truck stop with his dad. The smooth and large head with the oval shaped black eyes, the small mouth and lanky frame—could it be?
He struggled to pull his eyes away as he thought but the creature only continued to smile. The wind picked up and brought with it a thick gray smog and the intense smell of burning wood. The distance between James and his woods monster became hazy, even causing Duffy to break from his relaxed stance and take notice. Then, in unison Duffy’s ear twitched as the creature’s head tilted, and they both turned as if responding to something that James was unable to hear. James stood up and the creature’s eyes softened into wide circles as its arm began to raise. With a single white finger, it pointed to its side, back into the woods.
James didn't understand. He had so many questions. Could it talk? Would it talk to him? Would it even understand him? What was it and where did it come from? But somehow, he couldn't find the words. He just watched silently as Duffy started to walk toward the trees where it had pointed, stopping only to offer a quick glance to the creature. It smiled in return, displaying a sort of communication with Duffy that James didn't understand. But there was no time for understanding, the smoke from the burning woods was moving in quickly and again the creature smiled and pointed for James to follow his dog back into the trees. As a twelve-year-old boy who was obedient and fearful of his parents and strangers, let alone someone from another world, he did as he was instructed and quickly ran into the woods to catch up with Duffy—leaving the mysterious stranger behind.
As soon as James caught up with his dog, Duffy picked up the pace and they ran. He followed Duffy’s lead as if he somehow knew where to go. James was helpless and left only to follow his dog through the smoky woods toward an unknown end. Duffy suddenly stopped as the trees around them began to sway and then whipped toward the direction they were headed as a giant gust of wind blew from where the crater was. James instinctively looked up, knowing that the woods monster was from another planet, and that the thing in the crater must've been its ship. Unfortunately, James could only see the trees as they swayed in the wind.
“James?” a voice called out from ahead of them.
“James, are you out there?” another voice called out.
James’s heart nearly burst in joy. “I'm here, I'm here!” he screamed.
A short pause before another voice called out into the trees, “I hear something! James is that you?”
James jumped up and down and yelled at the top of his lungs, “It’s me, it’s me! I'm okay!”
Some branches moved up ahead and another voice yelled. “I see him! He's alive!”
James watched as his dad came crashing through the brush. As soon as he was free of the trees he ran to James, completely ignoring his injured ankle. James met him half way and buried himself into his father’s arms as the incomparable relief leaked from both their eyes in streams of warm joy.
“You're okay,” his dad sobbed as he kissed his forehead and hugged him tightly. Duffy jumped up on them both and tried to lick their faces. He was okay, too.
Author’s Note
One of the most controversial things about The Woods has probably been the ending. While mostly everyone is satisfied with how the story ends, there are a few people out there who still feel unfulfilled. I can understand this, and to that point I have a few things to tell you.
This wasn’t the original ending. While the original ending was very similar in the depth of which the monster’s identity was revealed, it left the door open for a lot of possibilities. This was because of the nature of the monster as an alien.
People wanted to know more. They would tell me that they loved the story but wanted to know more about the monster, or wished that they could have read more about it.
I understand and I hear you.
I think the overall point of The Woods wasn’t about the monster, but about James’s journey to discover what the monster was, and if it was real at all. In that sense, the story is complete. But there is a hole that yearns to be filled. Where did the monster come from, and why was it there in the first place? These are fascinating questions, questions to which I have answers.
I think that the only thing more fascinating than a monster is the story of its origins. People asked me over and over for a sequel to The Woods and honestly, I wanted to do it. But there were still questions about the monster that kept popping up that I felt needed to be dealt with. As badly as the story begs for a sequel, I feel that James’s monster begged even more for an origin story. And so, that’s what naturally came next.
Origins tells the story of what happened one year before the events that take place in The Woods. It’s set on the same farm, and follows a couple and their struggles after witnessing a fireball come down over the woods at the back of the property.
In short, everything that everyone wanted to know about the monster is answered in this book. For the first time, the monster is not only revealed but is given a new life and a story of its own. How its story intertwines with Will and Ruby McAllister, well, you’ll just have to read Origins and find out for yourself.
Thank you so much for reading my book. This isn’t the end. The story isn’t over. There’s more to come.
-Milo Abrams
December, 16 2016