Westbane

Episode 7. 23 Into The Bane Woods

Elfrida

"Are you sure this is a good idea? You don't want me to come with you? Are you gonna call Picklewood? What if it's all real? What if you get eaten by The Night Monster... wait, maybe this is a bad idea, we should probably abort this mission... something bad could happen, I don't have a good feeling about—"

"Sasha relax!" I stopped her, letting out a sigh. "I'm just gonna go have a look. That's all. And if it gets too serious, I'll bolt, and trust me... it's all myths and rumours." I chuckled. "Nothing is going to eat me, or maul me, or kill me."

She slumped down on my bed. "I don't know... I just have this feeling... you know the feeling."

I gave her a smile, slipping my gun to the holster... I remembered she had told me how she thought she was psychic and she gets these weird feelings sometimes, and right after them, either something terrible or terrific happens. "Yes, I know the feeling, Sash... and trust me, I can take care of myself... I survived a deadly war, survived childhood... I think I can handle a few things that supposedly go bump in the night."

"I know that... if there's anyone I trust to take care of themselves, then it's you. I just want you to be okay. If you feel scared, you could call Rhett to accompany you... or your boyfriend, Kai." She smiled.

I gave her a look. "Kai is not my boyfriend, Sasha... we're taking it slow, remember?"

She scoffed. "The both of you have passed the 'slow' level already, and you know that."

Yes, we passed that a long time ago, but I wouldn't lie and say these past few days haven't been really amazing, just getting to know more about him, and spending time together. I completely understood that he didn't like to talk about his past, especially about his childhood and his siblings... although I knew I could easily ask Rhett, since he seemed to be a more open person than Kai, but I didn't want to cross that line.

I would wait until he tells me, and if he doesn't, I'd accept what little I get.

"Whatever, Sasha... Besides, Kai would never let me go there, same as Rhett... I just have this feeling that somehow, they know what lies beyond those woods."

"Why do you say that?"

"Literally everyone is scared to go in there, but guess who I found hunting in the same woods like it was just another Sunday? Kai. And then, there's Rhett who didn't show a hint of fear when we went in with Picklewood to find Mikaela."

Sasha stopped to think about it. "Hmm, you might just be right." She said, "Their Dad used to hunt there pretty regularly... Maybe they are just acquainted with the place, and probably know where to go and where to avoid?"

"Probably." I told her. "But I do have to get this over with, or else, I would never sleep peacefully at night."

"Dottie did tell you to do your research." She said.

"Yeah... what if those people need help, or they're being brainwashed or something. Someone's gotta check."

"And someone's gotta back you up while you check, Elfrida! Let me come with you."

"You can't... have you ever shot at a moving thing?"

She pouted. "I've never held a gun... b-but you can teach me... people learn this stuff." She said.

I laughed. "Yeah, maybe some other time. I would have called Picklewood, but she hasn't been responding to my texts."

"She's probably busy doing teenage stuff."

"Yeah... are you gonna be here all night?" I asked her.

"Nah, I think I'm gonna go over to Owens, although his mom is over at his place, but I'll try my best to stay the hell away from her... that woman is trouble walking."