15 January 2026, @mariannewest's Freewrite Writing Prompt Day 2983: don’t go into that forest

Photo by the author, Deeann D. Mathews

“OK, I'm sick of this – I'm tired of all these stories and movies where people are told, 'Don't go into that forest,' and they always do it!”

Eight-year-old Edwina Ludlow was done with the entire horror genre on one good eavesdropping session with eight-year-old Gracie Trent her best friend. Gracie's big sister and brother Melvin and Vanna loved horror movies and horror comedies, and Gracie loved “quality eavesdropping,” but to Edwina, the quality just wasn't there.

“So we gotta sit here and watch folks go through all this stuff when all they had to do was listen – I'm sick of dumb people!” Edwina said.

“Well,” Gracie said, “remember that there are dumb people, and there are people who are dumb on the screen but are laughing all the way to the bank – that's what Grandma Velma said. They are smart enough to get paid to look dumb, so really, they're smart.”

Edwina considered this.

“So, they think we're dumb enough to watch them act dumb and get paid for it?” she said.

“You know, I hadn't thought about that – we may need both my grandmas for this one – hey, Grandmas!”

Gladys Jubilee Trent and Velma Stepforth duly arrived on the back porch.

“What's happening, babies?” Mrs. Jubilee Trent said.

“What y'all need?” Mrs. Stepforth said.

“So, Grandma Velma, you were telling me that there were people that are dumb, and folks that are dumb for TV but actually smart enough to get paid to act dumb, but Edwina just brought a different idea up.”

“Yeah – these folks are smart and think we're dumb enough to get them paid to act dumb, and I don't like it, because nobody needs to be paid to practice dumbness – there's too much stupidity out here as it is!” Edwina said.

The two grandmothers looked at each other.

“Ain't it the truth, though, Velma,” Mrs. Jubilee Trent said.

“Yeah, Edwina, you do have a point there,” Mrs. Stepforth said. “Why don't y'all come over here and sit down with us, and we'll see if we can all figure this out.”

The two grandmothers put two of the porch chairs together and sat down, and Gracie climbed up into Mrs. Jubilee Trent's lap while Edwina climbed up into Mrs. Stepforth's lap.

“So, let's talk about this – it is true that shows are called programs, and they can program your brain if you let them,” Mrs. Stepforth said.

“See?” Edwina said. “This is what I'm telling y'all! It's like how are we supposed to grow up and be safe when people are on the screen showing us that you can be told there's a whole monster in there and don't go into that forest, and we keep watching people not listen!”

“Yeah, but consider this: the program and the stories from way back actually are showing what happens when you don't listen,” Mrs. Jubilee Trent said. “You gotta take the whole thing together.”

Gracie and Edwina looked at each other.

“Oh,” they both said.

“So, if I wrote a show and had nothing bad happened when people didn't listen, you would think not listening doesn't make any difference,” Mrs. Jubilee Trent said.

“And both of y'all know that doesn't work,” Mrs. Stepforth said, “because your parents and grandparents have made that clear – but in your lifetime, you're going to take in more from screens than you will from us unless you decide not to watch TV or Internet videos, so, it's important that you see what can happen when you don't listen.”

“Documentaries are often times about that, too – non-fiction stories of people who were warned, but decided they were going to be just fine,” Mrs. Jubilee Trent said. “Stories, even fictional ones, serve the same purpose.”

“OK, but can we please talk about how these shows make us care about people that we already know are going to get messed up because we can see it but they can't and it's just hours spent being upset when it doesn't even matter?” Edwina said.

“That's real life too, though,” Mrs. Jubilee Trent said. “Just sit with that for a minute, Edwina.”

So Gracie and Edwina were quiet, and then Edwina started crying.

“Yeah … it is real – Papa and Grandma told my parents what was going to happen if they didn't get off drugs and start taking care of me, Rob, and Eleanor, but nooooooooooooooooooooooooooooooooo, they didn't listen and they left us and died on some foolishness and I'm still mad about it and it's not fair and I hate it all – why did Mom and Dad have to be so dumb?”

Mrs. Jubilee Trent just held Edwina until she stopped crying, and then said, “And that's why it upsets you, Edwina … you've lived the movies. But here's the deal: once you learn the lesson, you don't have to watch it any more. You've got it. You're already living a happier ending. You don't need to be programmed, so don't watch the programs. Listen to your grandparents and your big Lee cousins, and if someone gives you a warning, you already know what to do. Don't go into that forest.”

“OK, this finally makes sense!” Edwina said.

“Yeah, it really does,” Gracie said. “No wonder Melvin and Vanna are just cracking up – that isn't their story, and it isn't real for them, so why not enjoy the story?”

“That's it,” Mrs. Stepforth said. “There's a lot to say for how a story is told and put on screen, and a lot of people can enjoy that while understanding it's just a story.”

“There's all these stories, and then there's your story, and you choose what goes in your story,” Mrs. Jubilee Trent said. “You don't need every show or every program – you just choose.”

“I love this – I like the shows when the bad guys get got – but if there are snuggle shows, those are probably pretty good too!” Edwina said as she settled into Mrs. Stepforth's shoulder again.

“But that's not a show – we get to choose that for real life,” Mrs. Stepforth said, and just snuggled Edwina until she went to sleep with a smile.

“She needs a lot of that,” Gracie said. “Not that the big Ludlows and Lees aren't doing everything they can, but, she needs y'all because brown grandmas hit different.”

“We see that,” Mrs. Jubilee Trent said.

“We're on it,” Mrs. Stepforth said.

“Mothering the world since the beginning of Creation – we got this,” Mrs. Jubilee Trent said.