Nature Boy

Chapter 1

Birds twittered and the sounds of the lake met Dean's ears. He was close to where wanted to be.

Once he reached the stream that would lead him to the lake, he bent down and tested the water to see if it was good enough to be drunk. He was experienced enough to know what water was good. Water was odourless, if it had a slight smell, it was best not to drink it.

This had a slight odour to it and he let the water slip from his cupped hand. He had suffered too many nights of stomach cramps to be eager for more. Still, it paid off; he had learned something. Just like that time he touched poison ivy and spent a day itching and trying to ignore it until it went away.

Right now, he was going out to find some fruit and bring back the day's water. He never made two trips in one day. He got enough to last him, and a bit extra just in case something happened. Nothing usually did, but it was nice to be careful.

He gripped tighter to the round and deep tub he was carrying, that was all he had to get water from, nothing else he had would be enough. They were either too shallow or too round. This one he had, that was perfect for water. He found uses for the others.

He was aware of the rocks and he stepped carefully across them, testing them incase they would hurt his bare feet. He didn't think there had been a time when he had shoes. Though he knew there had to be at least one point where he had.

He managed to scavenge some clothes when he made his infrequent trip to a city that was pretty far out, he had no time to get shoes because those bulky men with cords in their ears had caught him... or tried to. After a lifetime of having nothing but open air and healthy food and a lot of exercise, he was as fast as a bolt of lightining compared to them. It was lucky he grabbed clothes that were too big for him, because that way he had room to grow into them.

He wobbled a little on a moss covered rock but kept his balance, if barely. He jumped across the rest of the rocks quickly and landed with a small thump on the other side of the stream. He remembered how hard navigating his way around used to be, he'd have to mark the trees- and the markings were still there- and hope to God he didn't wander off the trail he made. But now he was experienced with these things, he had even gone off the trail once or twice to take a look around. He found a lot of nice fruit in the area too.

The lake was long and he had no idea where it led to, he had heard that every lake, stream and river led to the ocean. Though he never saw one of those before. It must be pretty though, all things to do with water are. Water glistened in the sunlight, Dean thought it would be best to test it out first. Just because it was good yesterday, didn't mean it still was today. Things change, sometimes overnightly.

As always, the water was pure and untainted. He scooped up the water, tipping a small fraction out so it wouldn't splash out everywhere. He was really conservative of what he had around him. If he wasn't going to use it, it would stay in its original place until he did need it. All this wouldn't be around forever, he knew that, so it was best to make sure it lasted long enough.

He went back the way he came, listening to the sounds of the birds. It was like nature's music, so beautiful and elegant that it could never be matched by anything else. He breathed in and out deeply, basking in the feeling of cool air in his lungs. He was lucky; not everyone got to live the life he did.

He wobbled his way back over the stream and continued walking through forest condition's all the way back to his house.

The house was handbuilt, and just like the houses he saw in the city, except, instead of brick, his was made from very strong, stable wood. It took two years to built, long nights out in the rain and other harsh conditions. But he had finally gotten it done. He had been eight when he started, and ten when he finished. He had always been good at building things, since as long as he could remember.

He climbed the stairs to the house, the wood didn't even creak under his weight, that's how strong it was. Once he was in his makeshift kitchen, he put the water down and went to his fruit bowl and picked up an apple, from an apple tree not far away from here. He had already made sure they were safe to eat - he was cautious about everything around him, not everything was really safe to eat. It was best to make sure.

There wasn't much for him to do right now, it was around ten in the morning, he normally cleaned up around the place and then went out the back to water seeds that he pulled from his fruit, knowing that they would make more of his food, given time.

Dean scrubbed down the kitchen floor, using sandpaper. He hadn't managed to get all the hard bits off yet and it was hurting his feet to walk on it. When he was done, he grabbed the broom - most of the stuff he had, he found in. . . homes and on the streets - they were good stuff too, he didn't understand why people would throw them away. Though the blankets he did have to steal, otherwise he wouldn't get warm at night.

He didn't feel like a big hot-shot by stealing, but it had to be done. Sometimes, people were needy and lived out in the middle of no where, with once every six months trips into the city. He was sure they would understand if they lived the way he did. Not that he was complaining or anything.

He put the sandpaper up onto the little table he had made and leaned the broom against it too.

This really was how he spent the day, not that he ever complained.

Everything around him was created by him, he had given himself a life, since he had been stranded out here since he was four years old. He had no clue how he had gotten there, or what his life had been like before. It was almost like a clean slate for him.

He knew he had family somewhere, but if he didn't remember them, how was he supposed to find them? It was a big world with billions of people in it, any one of them could be related to him.

Did they even bother looking for him when he went missing? Do they still care now? Maybe not, they'd declare him dead and get on with their lives regardless. Its what everybody did when loved ones went missing for ten years.

He decided, after about ten minutes, that he would go for a walk and see what's up with the world. Almost every day there was a change. Breeze direction, the sunlight bouncing off the leaves. Everything.

He thumped down the stairs and back out into the woods, he knew he had created a more sufficient way to live; there was no way he could get evacuated out of this house. Not like all those people he saw on the streets whenever he made a quick trip to the city.

There was some more fresh apples growing on the trees, and he made a mental note to come and get some on his way back.

Did he mentioned he loved this life? He was free to do as he pleased, whenever he wanted, whatever he wanted. He had no job, no money and had never eaten meat before, and he seriously enjoyed it.

Sure, people would say he was too skinny for a teenager, but he didn't waste away eating chocolate bars and playing computer games all day long. They would also have a go at him for not knowing how to read.

He didn't care.

If this is how he wanted to live, then by God he was going to live this way. He didn't understand why people wouldn't.

A loud bang hit the air and the ground shook, Dean almost lost his balance. He had never heard or felt anything like that before, and it befuddled him. Some part of him wanted to check out the source, but another part wanted to go back home and hope whatever it was, would go away.

He decided to check it out.

He walked over logs and slid through some moss and finally came to the heart of the noise. There was people in hard-hats, with clipboards in their hands.

As Dean watched, a tree was sawed from the trunk and it came crashing down, making the same earthy shudder. His mouth dropped and eyes widened in pure horror. These people were hurting the structure of his home! As another one came down, he had enough.

"Stop it!" He cried, coming out from behind his hiding place. "Who do you think you are? Stop it, right now!"

The men looked surprised to see a boy out here. "Oi, get out of here, it could be dangerous!" One shouted at him, but he refused to back down.

Dean shook his head. "Stop cutting the trees down! I don't remember them doing anything to you! How would you like it, if I cut you down?"

The same man who shouted at him, sighed. "Kid, we are just doing our job, now go back home-"

"I am home! I've lived here since I was four! What kind of job is ruining habitat's?"

The men shared an equally shocked look. "What is your name?"

"Dean Winchester, and I refuse to let you harm the forest!"

A man in a suit, gelled back hair and a cocky look stepped out from them. "Well, well. We've finally found the ten year case of the four-year old boy disappearance. I'm sure your father would be very glad to see you." Dean stiffened. "What is a kid like you doing out in a place like this?"

Dean took a step back. "I've lived here since I was four. Been here as long as I can remember."

"Well, why don't you show us where you live?"

He nodded, hoping if they saw what he built, they would be distracted enough to not chop any more trees down. He led them through the forest, right up to his house and turned around to face them. "There, that's what I have built. Took me two years."

They laughed. "Kid, you could not have possibly built this."

Dean crossed his arms. "Have you seen anybody else in the forest? It was built by me, and me alone."

They quietened, everyone but the gelled-hair man. "Right, back to work. . . starting with this 'house'."

Everyone, including Dean stiffened. "Boss, what do you mean?"

The man turned to his workers. "You know exactly what I mean, and get this child out of here, I don't want to see him again."

A blond haired middle-aged man grabbed Dean, who knew instantly what they were going to do, and he struggled as hard as he could.

"No! No! This is my house - my home! You-you can't -!" But even as he spoke a large machine came into view, a large machine with a metal wheel and rolled over his house, right infront of his eyes. "NO! NO STOP IT! PLEASE!"

Within seconds, it was gone.

"NO!"

To Be Continued. . .

How did you like it? This story wouldn't leave me alone, so I'm posting it to see what you think!