The Hollow Forest

A Joke in the Forest

She came back to reality when her leg was scraped by a twig.

Wait... no. It was a thorn. She swore then set the compass inside her pocket, bended down to see the injury. When she lifted up her leggings, she saw the cut, but in a scar form.

She stood up quick and looked in front of her. She saw a blockade of thorns on the ground, on the trees, and forming slowly behind her. She was stuck. She looked behind, to her sides, and finally in front of her... there stood the demonic-eyed critter.

Forming into a shadow. A shadow of a man. The shadow man started becoming clearer and Hannah tried backing up. It was the man whom was invisible to her mother. His squinted, crinkled red eyes glared at her. He was about his 20's or 30's. His scabby lips turned into a hatred smirk. His body seems to flicker as if its a broken projection. His scars across his whole entire body made it clear to Hannah that she shouldn't be at least 5 feet near him. Hannah knew that man, she tried forgetting him. He always showed up in her dreams... well, nightmares. She recognize something new in his appearance. His forehead is a scar like no other, its a bullet wound.

"If you wanna go back home pretty gal, you obviously gotta go through me."

He raised his arms as if challenging her, daring her to try. His voice is raspy as if he is speaking through a fan. It sounded kind of country but a little decent.

He raised an eyebrow and asked.

"Well? Your friends are pretty worried. What will you mother say? Oh wait... touchy subject."

Hannah clenched her hands into a fist. She knew better than to fight a demon. He was just taunting her. Making her reveal the evil within her. She won't let him. Not even a peek.

"Maybe even your father can come back. From work. Someday. Never. But Daddy was always busy. Nobody thought he was a hero."

The man is trying Hannah's patience. She wants to get a gun,pull the trigger and aim it at the same bullet wound that he has in his head so he can die properly.

"What do you want me to do? If i am to be able to pass?" She said.

"Weeelll... you can just... i don't know... just die?"

Hannah stared at him for a few second. She then started chuckling, becoming into a laugh. He looked at her as if she was a psycho. Her laugh started to fade, then she respond,

"Oh, i just think your request is stupid."

He stared at her with his face showing seriousness.

"Your serious? You were actually serious?"

The demon smirked and walked up to her. Hannah let him walk up. She automatically pulled out the compass. The man stopped precisely 3 feet away from Hannah. When he saw the compass at her hand. He panicked then growled at her. He leaped and causing to make her fall. She knew what to do before she was leaped on. She opened the compass and the blockade of thorns made a small,narrow path. She fell as the man made skin contact to her. He pinned her down. Growled, looking into her eyes. Trying to pierce into her soul. That's when he realized he was dissolving. The man looked to his left and began to breathe heavily. Hannah looked to where he was looking and the compass was grabbing a hold on to her stalker. She watched as he disappeared inside the compass.

She stood up, trembling with fear. She looked at the narrow tunnel of thorns she looked back and saw that the thorns from behind her was not descending. She didn't waste a second and entered the tunnel of thorns. She knew, she had to prepare for the challenges that were in this stone brick path. She had to be aware of anything suspicious and out of the ordinary. She had to do the one thing she haven't done in some points of her life. She had to stay positive.