Annie and Matty

There is a special place in the Wild Woods near Beguile marked only by a small park bench. It was a favourite place of  Beguile locals Annie and her ten-year-old son Matty, who liked to stop on their daily walk in the Wild Woods and rest beneath a tree. Until the time that Annie fell asleep under the tree and Matty wasn’t there when she woke up. 

They had sat as usual under the cooling shelter of the tree to rest before walking back through the woods to their little home.  They had sat in the soft leaves at the foot of the tree and looked up together at the flickering sunlight coming through the branches.

Annie’s eyes had felt heavy and she decided to close them for just a moment, Matty’s hand in hers. Annie didn’t know how long she had slept, but when she woke up the first thing she was aware of was the fact that Matty’s hand was no longer in hers.  She had sat up and looked around, but the light was beginning to fade.  At first she had looked around the area, but as the sunlight started to dim and she had realised that night was falling, she had left the Wild Woods and gone straight to get help.

The search for Matty had lasted two weeks, but no trace was ever found of the ten year old.  

Until her death, Annie had vigilantly searched the woods every day.  The years passed and, as she sat under the same tree each day waiting for the return of her beloved Matty, the townsfolk of Beguile were inspired to place a small park bench in the spot where Annie always waited. 

Since her passing, many believed that if you went to the park bench when the sun was just about to set, you could hear Annie calling for her beloved Matty, the flicker of her small lantern moving between the darkening trees.