The Madness Within ✓

XI.

„Did.. something happen to the man?" I asked the old lady. She chuckled and closed the book, then returned it back to the place where she took it from.

„Why of course, dear. He met his own fate and got what he deserved for his foolishness."

I looked down at the ground and scratched my head, slowly getting lost in my thoughts.
„And how is the story related to the statues?"

„You're a smart girl, you can figure it out yourself," she responded with a smile on her face and made her way to another room. I followed her a while later, still deep in thought. Was she trying to tell me that something in the forest killed him?

„But that's impossible!" I raised my voice more than I wanted to, accidentally startling the poor lady. „I'm sorry," I whispered an apology and looked down. The amount of questions I couldn't find the answer to were driving me crazy. The more I looked, the more questions I ended up with and it was making me frustrated. There are so many things to uncover about this village and this forest, yet I can't find any explanations for anything that's been happening lately.
And thinking that some strange creatures roam the forest is the last thing I'll believe. I'll look for any other thing that could explain it and I'll leave this as my last resort. Because there is no way this is real.

„Maybe he was just a coward. Maybe he left the forest and never returned because he was too ashamed to admit that he was afraid during his time in the forest," I suggested to break the long silence that filled the air.
The old lady smiled at me, then took a few steps closer to me and put her hand on my shoulder.

„You can be skeptical all you want, young lady. If you don't believe me, you can go to the forest and see for yourself. You will find all the answers you're looking for there," she said and nodded her head, then walked to the table that stood in the middle of the room.

„Go to the forest by myself? All alone? I can't!" I protested, but the old lady just chuckled once more.
„Who's the coward now, hmm?" the lady said and turned to look at me, then smiled. This time however, her smile was genuine. She knew what she was doing very well.

Because she was right.

While I didn't want to believe what she was telling me, deep inside I still feared that it could be true. Part of me does believe that something like this could be happening, especially after what I've seen in the living room. It's difficult for me to accept this, but she could be right. This old tale might have happened in the past. And I might end up the same way if I continue being ignorant like this.

I took a deep breath and sat down on one of the chairs in the room, then began thinking everything over.
The photos in my grandma's house showed tall figures hiding behind the trees, and in some, the shadows looked different too. One photo showed a picture of five thin, sharp fingers. They looked the same way as the fingers of the creature on the statues. And the creature that I saw a glimpse of in the living room also had fingers like that.
The statues were inspired by a tale where a young man gets killed in a forest, where, presumably, some kind of supernatural beings lived. It all connected to only one conclusion.

It must be real.
The creatures have to exist and live somewhere in the forest.

Tears formed in my eyes and began sliding off my cheeks, then dripping onto my lap. Everything around me was a blur and the only thing I could focus on were my own thoughts. And my own fear. My hands began trembling and my whole body stopped responding to anything I commanded it to do. I couldn't wipe my tears. I couldn't move my hands. I couldn't stand up. I was too afraid to do anything. Too afraid to accept what might happen to me.

I felt two cold hands gently place themselves on my shoulder, which caused me to flinch and wake up from my thoughts. I quickly stood up and turned around to see who touched me. Behind the chair stood the old lady with a surprised look on her face. I looked down and wiped my tears, then looked back up at her again and coughed a few times to clear my throat.

„I know it's hard to accept it, dear. Maybe you should leave this place before it's too late," the old lady said and moved the chair away.

„Leave? But.. but I can't leave, I still have things to do here."

„You should let those go then and leave this place," she replied and shook her hand, then began walking to one of the paintings on the wall. The painting gave me goosebumps.
The creature was drawn in the painting, exactly as I saw it. In the same exact position. In my grandma's house. In the same living room. The only thing that was different was the furniture. In the painting, the furniture was different. Older. On the painting was a short sentence that said, 'Praise the house.'

„What.. What's that supposed to mean? That's my grandma's house!" I exclaimed and walked towards the painting, exploring every single part of the painting. My eyes shifted on the painting from one side to another, I looked through every little detail to check that it really was my grandma's house.
„This is why I'm warning you, young lady. You know nothing about this village. And you shouldn't try to find out more either. Leave this place."

My heart was pumping more and more each second. My plan of always trying to follow logic was completely gone and I was lost. I shook my head and took a few steps back, then I grabbed the statue and left the old lady's house as soon as possible.
I stepped into my car and drove away without a word. I couldn't think straight anymore. Whenever I tried to explain something logically, it didn't work. It made no sense no matter how much I tried to make sense of it.
More tears rolled down my face, blurring my vision. I wiped my tears off right away and turned on the radio to distract myself from these thoughts.

When I arrived back at the house, I parked the car where it was before and stopped. I didn't get out of the car, I sat there and thought everything through more. I have no choice, I have to do something about this. I can't stay here.

I have to leave this place.

I started the engine of the car again and began driving away. I didn't know where I was going, but I was going somewhere. Anywhere far away from this house, from this village, from this forest, would be more than enough. I drove faster and faster, not paying attention to anything else but to escaping this place as quickly as possible.
After a few minutes I slowed down and grabbed my phone, then called my mom and put the phone by my ear while I controlled the car with the other hand. I took a few deep breaths to make sure I won't sound like I cried when talking to her. I didn't want to make her worried about me. She has worse things going on in her life, I'm sure.

„Clara? Hi Clara, we talked already, didn't we?" Mom answered the phone with her usual joyful tone of voice.
„Yes, mom. But I wanted to talk to you more," I responded.

„Yes, what is it?"

„I was wondering if I could-"

Suddenly, my car stopped. The abrupt stop caused me to get launched into the front. I screamed and covered my head with my hands.

„Clara? Clara what happened?! Are you driving while calling me?"

I opened my eyes and looked around. I didn't run into anything, the car stopped for no reason. I tried starting up the engine again, but it didn't work. The car continued to stand still without any movement whatsoever.

„Clara?! Answer me! Are you okay?!"
„I'll call you later, mom.."
„Cla-"

I ended the call.

The car stopped working. I was still in the forest that I tried to escape from and this time, I was in even more danger than I was in before. Without a house to stay in. Without a village to go to.

I was lost in the forest that I feared the most.