The Next-Door Down

Mirkwood

The moonlight illuminated the cedar trees, making them look a ghostly shade of white.

You held out a shaky finger, pointing directly into the spooky looking forest.

Dustin gulps and Lucas shifts uncomfortably in reaction to your suggestion.

"Oh come on guys!" You exclaim, a little frustrated at their disloyalty to their missing friend, "We have torches, we'll be fine!"

For once, Mike backs you up.

"Yeah, what's the worst that could happen?" He argues.

"Erm maybe that we go missing too?" Lucas says, sassily using hand gestures to exaggerate his point.

You try your hardest not to think back to the monster and attempt to reassure yourself that Will's disappearance had nothing to do with the monster or lab.

"Like I said before, he would've done this for us." Mike persists.

"Fine." Lucas says, grumpily.

You watch the trio as they merge into the tree line, almost disappearing in the dark.

You even had to jog to catch up with them.

"Will!" Mike yells.

"Will! Where are you!!" Lucas screams.

"I've got your X-men 134!" Dustin cups his hands around his mouth as he shouts.

The four of you trek through the muddy November leaves as the trees envelop you, capturing you in a sea of autumn colours.

Your mind wanders as the others yell Will's name continuously.

You found yourself contemplating whether you were actually a part of 'the party' now.

I mean, you were helping them out.

But then again, didn't they say that you were weird and even suggest that you were the one who took Will in the first place.

You almost laugh out loud at how ridiculous that sounded.

"There's no use." You hear Dustin sigh after you'd been looking for around thirty minutes.

"Yeah I think we should go home." Lucas joins in.

"Please. We have to find him." Mike pleads, looking worn and tired nevertheless.

As you flick your torch across the ground, you were sure you saw something move.

The leaves directly in front of you rustled lightly as if someone or something was stepping on them

Your heart stops, praying that you wouldn't hear that screech.

It was probably just a rabbit or something.

"Y/n," Dustin shakes your arm, it seemed that you had stopped in your tracks, "Are you alright?"

"Yeah, just thought I saw something." You itch your neck anxiously.

Dustin taps your shoulder lightly, in an attempt to comfort you.

"Woah wait!" You hear Mike's voice.

You quickly glance towards where he was directing his torches beam and almost scream in shock.

It was a girl.

She looked so pale and skinny that you wouldn't have been surprised if she was a ghost.

But the thing that was the most unnerving was that her head was completely shaved bald and the tattered hospital gown she wore as it fluttered gently in the wind.

Her steely gaze landed on you and she immediately recoiled, horrified at your existence.

Who was she?