Whispers of Willowbrook, A Small Boy's Adventures in a Charming Village

 Whispers of Willowbrook: A Small Boy's Adventures in a Charming Village

In a country living side by side with hills that hummed and pines groves that murmured ,where roofs gave way to the sunshine each morning and the aroma of baked bread each afternoon there resided a boy by the name of Luca. Luca was that kind of a child who was always up to something and one could see this in the twinkle in his eyes and the big grin from ear to ear that was ever on his face. He had two older sisters: Maria and Sofia; an older brother, Matteo was also part of the family.

This is shown in their village, through their name, Willowbrook, where people in the village would know each other on a personal basis, and the change of seasons signified different activities. So, in the spring, the young grass and wildflowers spread across the meadow and the sweet sound of birds singing could be heard. The hot summer days are depicted by lazy afternoons by the river; this is evidenced by a scene where families were taking a picnic under the large, old oak trees. Summer dipped the surroundings into fiery red and gold, while winter brought a pile of white snow on everything.

Luca’s days were happy and long accompanied by small pleasures and great discoveries. He liked getting lost and wandering around; behind the old mill and along the narrow hiking trail which led to a mysterious cave where a friendly dragon was said to reside. He had a pet dog for instance Rusty who was always alone wandering on the streets but the dog followed Luca all through the time and its fur was stained the color of burnt sienna.

On one bright and beautiful morning as autumn was already beginning in the country, Luca woke up because of the ringing of church bells far away. He got up without making his weight on the floor known, his feet were calloused and rubbing against the wooden floor naked. Beyond the window, the village looked peaceful and just beginning to be wrapped in the light of dawn; Luca could smell the aromas of the grayish coloured autumn foliage. He thought to himself it was a beautiful day for a walk or ride or whatever he wished wanted to do.

Taking his special weapon which was a slingshot and a bag of marbles with him, Luca headed towards the village border towards the forest area. Luca was following them while Rusty walked side by side with him, from time to time sweeping his tail on Luca’s legs. It was a magical place that gave them a feeling of being in awe; Formidable trees that could be heard murmuring to the young couple when they ventured into the forest to collect the berries to feed the baby.

Walking further into the woods they often heard rustling of leaves behind trees, once Luca saw what looked like a fox perch on a branch. He struck, rooted to the spot his heart pounding with adrenaline. Could it be? Luca took a marble with his right hand, tilted his hand slightly, and threw the marble up into the air. Dull flip and the sound of a bird that unconscious took its flight. Rusty barked happily and then Luca with a sound of glee, his eyes gleaming with victory he said.

For hours they ran through the thickets, fighting phantoms and finding treasures that were as real as the soft laughter of a moor that was a brook, the glee of a meal that brimmed in a single toadstool, a carpet of champignons. As the day wore on and the sun began to climb higher in the sky they stopped under a rather large oak tree. Luca’s crossed hands fell on his lap; he exhaled slowly, leaned back against the trunk, and felt the excitement . Rusty lay down beside his feets, half closing his amber eyes that indicated that he was now well satisfied.

Luca looked to the ceiling as the patterns of interlocking shadows and beams played upon the leaves above and he sighed softly. At that instant he felt he was part of the woods, the trees were telling a story, the wind was an undertone, and the buzz from the nearby village was a part of it. He realized that Willowbrook has numerous secrets which it is capable of hiding and unveiling all of them was the next step the young boy intended to take.

Only when Luca reached home it was already evening and the sky is colored orange and pink indicating that the sun is setting. Maria, Sofia and Matteo were sitting on the front porch ,waiting for him eagerly and brightly. The others have heard rumors of this from the other villagers and now they wanted to hear it from Luca directly.

Looking out into the eerie darkness, Luca told his story of staking out, of chasing and running away, getting lost and finding a treasure and making new friends. His siblings sat quietly to fully grasp every word that he was saying. Not even Matteo, who was more restrained in his disposition compared with the others, could suppress the smile induced by Luca’s lively narrations.

The night was dark and the first stars started to appear in the sky when the children grouped closer listening to each other’s laughter and the sound of the leaves. There in a small village under the oxygenated blanket of the stars they created memories which would last a lifetime.

Willowbrook was a magical place; a world stuck within the somewhat slower pace of time and Luca realized that the best adventures are the ones that lay within the friendships, good books, and small wonders of the world around. That evening as he was closing his eyes before bed, getting the hug of his family, Luca was sure that tomorrow would be another day full of great and exciting discoveries.