It's Just The Woods

6

May 7th, 2021 
Sibling Hill, PA 
11:16 P.M.

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Haily sat on the edge of her bed. She stared out her window. Everyone was already asleep, but she couldn't. Every time she closed her eyes, she saw the... thing. It scared her. What would you even call it?

She picked at her nails nervously before standing up. Grabbing her phone to use as a flashlight, Hailey slowly opened her door, walking on the tips of her feet. Trying not to make any noise, she made her way to Rachel's door.

Leaning against the door, she listened for noise. When she heard none, she looked under the door. A faint light was seen. It was obvious it was a flashlight of some kind and not a lamp. Hailey gulped and knocked. "Come in." Rachel said from the other side. Hailey took a deep breath and opened the door. It creaked but opened slowly.

Rachel was sitting on her bed. She was using her phone as a flashlight to read a book she found earlier in the day. Rachel looked up from her phone and frowned. "Hay Hay? Are you okay? Did it come back? Did it hurt you again?! I can't do anything, but if you need me to, I will kill something."

"Rach, I'm fine. I just, um, wanted to know if I could be in here for a bit." Hailey whispered. "Y'know, just to hang out."

Rachel leaned over to turn on her lamp. Sitting up, she patted the bed beside her. "Go ahead."

Hailey smiled nervously, shutting the door and sitting down.

Rachel's room was plain, the walls having simple art on it. Her bed had three pillows, all with light gray pillowcases. The blanket was a large, white sheet with patterns of flowers on it. She had a single window beside the bed with red curtains, similar to the ones at the front of the house.

The air in the room was tense. No one wanted to say a word. Neither one moved or even breathed. "Hey, Hailey?"

Hailey froze at the use of her full name. It reminded her of the shadow. "Y-Yeah...?"

"What did that thing say to you?"

Hailey froze. She took a deep breath. She couldn't tell Rachel what it said, it would be embarrassing. Rachel was never one to judge Hailey because they were too close. "Uh, it said that...um..." Hailey's mouth became dry, her throat closing up. She looked at anywhere but Rachel. Though it wasn't Rachel who said it, the words still hurt Hailey. "It said that it loved me..."

Rachel raised her eyebrows. Frowning, she looked down at Hailey. "And that's how you knew it wasn't me?" She asked quietly.

Hailey nodded her head, still not looking at Rachel.

Rachel sighed loudly. She leaned her head on the window and tilted her head to look up at the ceiling. Hailey didn't move. "Rach?"

"Hm?"

"Um..." Rachel looked at Hailey. She got the courage to look at Rachel, who tilted her head back down and furrowed her eyebrows at Hailey. "Can I, um, sleep beside you? Tonight? I think I'll feel safer. Because of... You know."

Rachel smiled nervously to herself. "Yeah."

Silence filled the room again. "Can I lay beside you?" Hailey muttered.

Rachel smiled. "I don't know how else you're gonna sleep unless you sleep sitting up." She put her hands up. "Not judging, though." Hailey chuckled at that before laying down. "Hey, do you think we should name them?" Rachel asked Hailey.

Hailey grimaced, but a small smile spread across her face. "Name them? What, Shadow People?"

"Creepy Killers!"