Sleepless - A BFB Grimdark

Part Eight - Over the Edge

Gaty shivered in the brisk evening air. The golden hour was setting in, casting a warm glow over the land. The light was appreciated, especially after all the rain that had fallen that day. If it were any other day, Gaty would have thought it peaceful and beautiful. Today, however, it felt ominous.

"Just get to the workshop, warn them, then go back," Gaty muttered. "Not that hard. You won't run into anyone. Who kills right after their first? No one, that's who," She reasoned to herself as she stared at her feet. The grass squished under her shoes and splashed her. Not that she had the mind to care. All that she wanted to focus on was getting to the workshop.

The path into the forest yawned, a gaping maw of branches and a dark canopy. Gaty forgot how creepy the tunnel was in the dark. She looked up at the fading blue of the sky, watching as it shifted to a spectrum of warm hues.

"It shouldn't take too long...I'll be fine," She reaffirmed and began to walk down the path, avoiding glancing into the thick shrubbery. The inside of the woods was even colder, and the branches above still leaked fat drops of rainwater. The quiet drone of crickets added to the eerie atmosphere, and Gaty began to regret going alone.

"I...I can't risk Saw getting hurt, she'd be too scared here," Gaty said to herself. Her voice rose just past a whisper. She couldn't help but feel followed. She turned. Nothing stood behind her. A sigh, and she continued on her way. Now that she was better focused, she noticed how dead everything felt. Sure, it could have been the death from earlier...

...But even with that, everything felt less alive...

Gaty shook her head. You're being paranoid! She scolded herself. Quit working yourself up! You're not going to get hu—

Snap!

Gaty whirled around, a soft squeak escaping her. Still, there was nothing. She stood, frozen like a deer in headlights, and glanced around the path. She felt the creeping fingers of watchful eyes trace up her spine. Walking faster, she hurried down the path.

"You're just paranoid, you're just paranoid," She repeated to herself. It was more to convince herself rather than something her heart believed. The trees tangled above, darkening and darkening as the night closed in. Gaty cursed herself for leaving so late.

Snap!

Another snap, but Gaty didn't even bother turning. If there was something behind her, she didn't want to know, her pace quickened to a jog, and her breath grew shaky. It's just paranoia! It's a squirrel! Her mind rationalized, but her gut screamed louder, urging her to drop all sense and run.

Where the woodchipper is the workshop? Her thoughts raced as she went down the path. Darkness chased her like coiling tendrils from every angle. She could barely even see into the shrubs. She closed her eyes and cussed when...

"Oof!" Gaty bumped into something, sending her tumbling to the ground. She managed to land on her rear, avoiding concussing herself. "Ow, dang it—" Gaty muttered and looked up only to stare back into another pair of eyes. "B...Book?"

Towering over her was the familiar figure, though now she was mostly devoured by shadow. Her vest hung open, letting a few loose pages peek out from their binding. Her chest rose and fell heavily, and Gaty swore she could see Book's heart beating so hard, it was slamming against her ribcage. Book's skin was marred from the rain, her fragile paper skin distorted and warped, even falling apart in some places. Wrapped around her left leg and right hand was a tight wad of gauze, now muddy and brown. Book was remarkably filthy, her clothes stained with dark brown splotches.