The Tales Of Willow Crest

Chapter 1: Evaline Cole

August 2nd Blog Entry

My dad and I fought tonight. We screamed at each other so much our throats were sore. My family has been so broken since my mom passed. I told my dad it was his fault my mom died, and I said it out of anger. I knew I shouldn't have said it the moment the words left my mouth, but I was so angry at the time I didn't even apologize. Shortly after the blowup, I left the house for a walk to clear my head. I hope he can forgive me. 

- E.C

My life hasn't been the easiest, but compared to most, it's a simple life. I lost my mother only a few years ago, but my brother took it the hardest. He constantly throws it in our father's face that she's no longer with us and blames him for her death. My little sister has become almost mute since her passing and doesn't say much to anyone anymore. 

It was a quiet dinner of takeout yet again. My dad hasn't cooked a single meal since she died. It gets old after a while but we don't complain because there are no dishes to do. Everybody resumes their normal nightly routines after dinner, Seth plays his video games, Brianna goes to her room then locks it, and dad just sits in front of the television till midnight. No one has been the same, but everyone still gets through their days. 

Seth and our dad have done nothing but fight and argue. Tonight was a one for the history books because instead of Seth, it was me. I had a rough day, Aiden and I had broken up, and it was not a pretty one. I was in a dark emotional state and took it out on my dad after dinner when he yelled at me for ignoring him. I said a lot of things I didn't mean which hurt my dad deeply. I decided I needed some fresh air, so I threw a hoodie on and went for a walk. I shoved my earbuds in and started down the hiking path in the woods. It was dark and getting close to midnight, but other than petty thefts and minor crimes, nothing bad really happens in Willow Crest. I logged onto my blog and wrote a quick post, I never expected people to read my thoughts but I had a few people I've never met support my feelings. I posted about recent events, turned on my music, and then threw my phone in my pocket.

The ground was covered in a thin layer of fog and there were more leaves on the ground than yesterday. I turned up my music and kept wandering deeper into the woods losing any sort of light source other than my phone. I started being careless with my steps and tripped on a large tree root sticking out of the ground. I fell and scraped open the palm of my hand as small droplets of blood started to form. I picked myself up and brushed off the foliage that clung to my clothes. The brisk air made my fresh wound sting but it wasn't very discomforting. I was just about to throw my earbuds back in when an unfamiliar voice beckoned behind me.

"Are you lost?" The voice said making me spin around to meet the face the voice belonged to but she was in the shadows. 

"No, I uh... I'm just going for a walk." I stammered nervously. 

"A walk this late at night isn't safe for a young woman like yourself." She tells me.

"I could say the same for you but I can't see you." I joked.

The leaves crunched under her footsteps as she came closer to me. I pulled out my phone to turn on the flashlight but she was gone. I looked around for her but was met with something very sharp clamping down on my neck. I screamed and was met with a hand wrapping around my mouth as my eyes rolled into the back of my head letting my eyesight fade to black.

* * *

I woke up to the dawn sun burning my body.  I heard my skin starting to sizzle and blister quickly as I laid on the ground in the sunlight. It was agony and felt like someone was taking a blow torch to my skin. I let several screams escape my chapped and dry lips before running as fast as I could to the nearest shade available. The smell was the worst part, not the pain. The steam and smoke floated into the air from my body radiating the smell around me. I wanted to gag but a gust of wind briskly took the scent away. The discomfort slowly started to go away and my skin healed as nothing had happened. I didn't know if I should be amazed or terrified. I held up my hand and deliberately put it back into the sunlight then watched as my skin boiled. I winced then pulled my hand back into the shade. I was trapped in the woods trying to stay in the darkest shadows I could wander near. I felt like I was walking for miles with nothing but trees and dead pine needles coating the ground.