The sun was setting as I reached the top of the hill. I could see the ruins of the old castle in the distance, its walls crumbling and its towers overgrown with vines. I had been hiking for hours, and I was exhausted, but I knew I had to keep going. I had come too far to turn back now.
I started down the hill, my footsteps echoing in the silence. The castle seemed to be deserted, but I couldn’t shake the feeling that I was being watched. I kept my eyes peeled for any sign of danger, but the only sound was the wind rustling through the trees.
As I got closer to the castle, I could see that it was even more in ruins than I had thought. The walls were cracked and crumbling, and the towers were leaning precariously. I cautiously entered the main gate, my heart pounding in my chest.
The inside of the castle was just as bad as the outside. The floors were covered in rubble, and the walls were covered in graffiti. I made my way through the ruins, my flashlight beam casting eerie shadows on the walls.
Suddenly, I heard a noise. I froze, my heart in my throat. The noise came again, closer this time. I held my breath, listening intently.
The noise came again, and this time I could tell it was coming from behind a pile of rubble. I slowly made my way over to the rubble, my flashlight beam illuminating the space behind it.
There, crouched in the darkness, was a young boy. He was dirty and scared, and his eyes were wide with fear.
“Don’t be afraid,” I said. “I’m not going to hurt you.”
The boy slowly stood up, his eyes darting around nervously.
“Who are you?” he asked.
“I’m just a traveler,” I said. “I was hiking in the woods when I saw the castle. I thought I’d take a look around.”
The boy nodded. “I live here,” he said.
“You live here?” I asked. “But the castle is abandoned.”
“Not for me,” the boy said. “This is my home.”
I looked around at the ruins. “It’s not much of a home,” I said.
“It’s all I’ve got,” the boy said.
I didn’t know what to say. I had never met anyone who lived in ruins before.
“Why don’t you come with me?” I said. “I can take you to a place where you’ll be safe.”
The boy looked at me for a moment, then nodded. “Okay,” he said.
I led the boy out of the castle and back to my car. I drove him to a nearby town, where I found a police officer. I told the police officer about the boy, and he agreed to take him to a foster home.
I watched as the police officer drove away with the boy. I knew I would never see him again, but I was glad that he was going to a safe place.
I got back in my car and drove away. As I drove, I thought about the boy. He was just a kid, and he had been through so much. I wondered what his life would be like now.
I hoped that he would find a home where he would be loved and cared for. I hoped that he would have a happy life.
I drove for a long time, until I reached the edge of the woods. I looked back at the castle, its ruins silhouetted against the setting sun. I knew I would never forget the boy I had met there.
I drove away, and the castle disappeared behind me. But I knew that the boy would never be forgotten.
