The Curse of A Lifetime

Chapter 4

SARAH

I AM FUCKING FREEZING MY ASS OFF.

I didn't bring a jacket to school and the snow soaked converse. Carter brought me to a trail at the school leading to a wooden dock looking over a small pond. Snow was no longer falling, but there is a chilly breeze is in the air.

When we got to the dock he told me there would be a family of deer walking across the lake. We waited for a couple of minutes and there they were. Daddy deer, mommy, deer and two Bambies, walking across the pond.

The mommy was in the front leading them across while the daddy was in the back watching the babies. They slowly made their way over and into the forrest.

"They do this every morning." Carter looked amazed at the deer, like he had never seen them before.

Now we are just watching the wildlife around us, birds, deer, rabbits, and small critters. Carter is really satisfied with wildlife. He has been telling me these stories about wildlife and all the times he has been camping.

A few minutes ago he stopped and just starred out into the forrest. "Why didn't you come back to class?" I inhale a long breath trying to come up with an answer.

I exhale, "I wasn't feeling that well, I just need to be alone I guess."

"Do you still feel sick now, we should probably get back if you're not." He starts to walk off when I stop him. "No, I am fine now, I think I just needed so fresh air." What was I supposed to tell him? That his friend was talking shit about me and spreading rumors? Carter was the one who has been rude to me since I arrived. His concern means nothing to me.

"Come on, I know a place we can warm up." I jog up to him and we start walking.

There is a snap in the distance. I look to my left where I heard the snapping from. Again, but I heard it from behind me.

"It's just the branches falling, don't worry about it." Carter clarifies. "Doesn't sound like branches falling, more like branches breaking." He shrugs and keeps walking.

I take a moment and focus. Closing my eyes, I listen to the wind blowing against the trees, the birds chirping in the distance, and the footsteps of critters running. I feel the breeze leave goosebumps against my skin and the harsh wind making my face freeze.

I can almost feel something, something that is not supposed to be here. I open my eyes and look out into the distance. What was there before that isn't now? What wasn't there, but is now? The hill passed the dock. The sun was shining before and now it isn't. I open my eyes and see it. A figure of a man. The man is distant, I could barely make out what it is until I feel the pinching pain in my gut.

"Carter, can you see that?" I point to the man on the hill. "What? The hill?" Shit.

The man started to walk towards us, slowly. I stared for a moment hoping it would pass, but it did not. That feeling of a presence came and that is when I knew it was a spirit. The behavior of spirits are much different than entities, as I know with the little difference I have experienced. Spirits are much more easier to predict than an entity.

The spirit disappeared, but I could still feel it in the area. It wasn't a bad feeling, but it wasn't a good one either. "Let's go, I am freezing out here." He took off his jacket and gave it to me "Here take this," I held out my hand, "no it's okay, we are on our way back."

"We aren't going back to the school, we are going somewhere else." He hung it around my shoulders and I put my arms through. "Aren't you going to be cold?" He shook his head.

We walked over to his car and for a split second I saw the man again, but in the tree line.

"Shit, I must have dropped my keys back there." He says, "I'll be right back."