When “I’m Fine” Isn’t Really Fine – Beneath the Quiet in Glimmerwood (Episode 2)

In "Beneath the Quiet in Glimmerwood," Ember begins to feel the weight of something missing and quietly wonders if it might be his fault. Instead of asking for help, he stays close. He listens. He tries to be okay. But the forest is always watching… and not everything hidden stays hidden forever.

 

“How will I explain this to my parents?” Ember quietly asked himself through the tears that fell as he slowly walked home. “They trusted me to take care of him. Spark trusted me to take care of him.”

The pain in Ember grew stronger. When he finally reached his front door, he just stood there. He really looked at the door for the first time—the deep lines in the wood, the strange shapes hidden in its grain. Behind him, he heard the distant sounds of his friends rushing home before dark. He could hear the quiet conversation between his mom and dad on the other side of this ancient door, and he feared what was waiting for him on the other side.

Ember wiped his tears on the back of his sleeve and tried to think of an explanation to tell them. He knew they would ask about Spark. He just didn’t know what to say. He could hear his breaths sounding strangely loud.  He opened the door slowly and peeped in. His parents were sitting at the table waiting for him.

“Come on in, son. Hurry up and wash your hands before your dad starts without you!”

Ember darted in and did an odd dance around the room away from the door. His parents followed his every move with looks of bewilderment.

“Ember, are you feeling okay son?” asked his dad in a deeply concerned voice.

“Yes, dad,” replied Ember. “I guess I still have a lot of energy from our adventure today.”

“I see some of it all over your shirt,” smiled his mother. “Where is Spark?”

Ember hesitated and took a deep breath. “You must have been watching me when he rushed past you and ran into my room. I think he’s really tired.”

“Too tired for dinner?” asked his dad as he prepared his plate.

“He ate a lot of mushrooms. You know how much he loves them.”

“I do,” said his mother as she sipped warm milk. “And it always messes up his dinner. Come and sit down and tell us about your adventure.”

It was difficult, but Ember tried to have a normal conversation. His parents looked at one another. They knew something was wrong, but they didn’t know what. As the night continued, the conversation changed and Ember’s parents talked to each other. He sat quietly and listened. Ember was unusually quiet and his mother noticed.

Later that night, she sat in her favorite chair and told Ember to come sit with her. It was time for their nighttime story. He could hear her calling from the other room, but he didn’t want to go. Ember didn’t want to hear a story, not tonight…not without Spark beside him. His mother called again and he asked if they could skip the story this one time. He walked to the door and explained he was more tired than he realized and he wanted to go to sleep like Spark. She agreed and walked over and kissed him on the forehead before returning to her chair to continue reading. She whispered to her husband that something wasn’t right and he nodded.

The next morning Ember lay in his bed with his head covered. The sun was shining brightly through the window, but all he could see was darkness. He pulled the cover around his ears tighter and curled up into a ball trying to drown out the sound of the birds that chirped in the trees.

“Ember, are you still in bed?” his mother asked as she walked into the room. “Are you feeling okay?”

She reached over and touched his forehead. He didn’t feel warm, but something was definitely wrong.  

Ember rolled over the other way, turning his back to her. “I’m fine, mom.” He said in a low, dry voice.

He didn’t sound like himself. Lying in the bed, he didn’t look like himself. He definitely wasn’t acting like himself.

“Where is Spark?” she asked hoping this would brighten his mood.

“I let him out the window so he could play. He wanted to chase the birds.”

“That’s strange, son. You never let him outside without you?”

“He wanted to go out now and I wasn’t ready…so I just let him out. I’ll get him in a little while.”

A little sparrow flew to his window carrying a small piece of mushroom in its beak.  Ember saw it and sobbed quietly beneath the covers. He turned further away from his mother. She was concerned and placed her hand gently on his back. Before she could ask her next question, her husband called.

Ember vaguely listened to the muffled sounds caming from the other room. He was still focused on the sparrow and thinking of Sparks. A small tear escaped the corner of his eye, forging a lonely trail down to his bed. It wasn’t alone for long, many more followed.

The little sparrow flew in the window and placed the mushroom on the tip of Ember’s nose. He swore he could smell Spark and looked up into the sparrow’s eyes. His big blue eyes gleamed as though they were trying to tell him something. Suddenly, Ember remembered the story his mother read to him. When the little elf in the story got in trouble, he finally decided to tell his grandpa. That was the beginning to solving his problem. It didn’t happen immediately. Like his mother said, “The best part of an adventure is the journey,” Ember whispered out loud as he smiled at the sparrow.

The little sparrow picked up the mushroom again with his beak. This time he ate it. He looked back at the beautiful morning sunrise and then at Ember. Ember hadn’t noticed it. He wiped his tears away and thanked the little bird. He didn’t know what the day would bring, but it wasn’t as dark as it was before. His chest still hurt, but being with the little bird made the pain seem a little bit easier to bear.

 

💛 A Gentle Note for Parents & Caregivers

When children say “I’m fine,” it doesn’t always mean everything is okay. Sometimes it means they’re still trying to understand what they feel… or they’re not sure how to put it into words yet. Staying close, creating safe moments, and gently making space for conversation can help children feel ready to share—when they’re able.

✨ Continue the journey through Glimmerwood as Ember’s story unfolds…and discover gentle reminders to help children feel safe, understood, and supported along the way.

— Written with care by W. L. Shaw, creator of Fanciful Tales