The Forest At Night

Chapter 1

(A/N: Hello and welcome! I hope you enjoy! I have over 103 pages typed out of this story so far, so this will be a long series. Like, vote, comment and let me know if there's any questions!)

The girl sat up in her bed, earbuds in, and attention was on her computer as she finished up her last assignment for her professor. She did a couple of more look-overs, then submitted it online. Ashtynn smiled and pulled out the earbuds.

"Jeez, that only took forever." Her one gold eye flickered to the clock and she realized she had about an hour to get to work. She ran a hand through her newly-layered hair, sighed, and she changed into jeans and her work shirt. She walked down the stairs with a toothbrush in her mouth, and her corgi, Pancake trailed behind her, ready to follow her to all ends of the Earth, and then some.

"Oh, the color came out much better than I expected," Ashtynn's grandmother said as she set down a pitcher of fresh-squeezed orange juice. Ashtynn smiled and pushed a strand of her new royal purple hair behind her gauged ear.

"It was so cool. All Rebecca and I did was put the magenta hair dye on top of my teal hair. She saw the video on Facebook."

"I would never use Facebook. I prefer my roses and soap operas." Her grandmother replied, accepting the fact that social media was consuming the world, and only knew certain terms because of her granddaughter.

"Ashtynn, I'm so happy you moved back home. I never liked that Seth guy much. If I ever see him..."

"Granny, I know. I hate that it happened, but I would like to put it behind us." Her grandmother looked into her granddaughter's one gold and one silver eye. She was the only reason she still valued her life, she loved that child more than the breath she tasted every day. She knows she isn't the best grandmother, but she knows that she would do anything to make her granddaughter happy. She didn't realize how much she truly had her grandparents in the palm of her hand.

"I love you Ashtynn," Granny said as she ran a hand through her silver-blonde hair. "I think I'll clean out the pool and pull some more weeds." Ashtynn nodded her head and knew it was going to be a drinking day. Her granny has been an alcoholic since she was 13 years old, she was now 68. Whenever the weather is nice out, she always goes out and grabs a Bud Light to accompany her in all her chores.

"I love you too, Granny. I close tonight. So I'll be home a little late." She saw her grandmother stiffen up, even as so much to grasp the countertop so hard, her whole arm shook.

"I thought your boss didn't assign you any night shifts. We specifically asked about that. You know how I feel about you being outside at night."

The young girl didn't understand exactly why her grandparents were so apt to overreacting every time she had to come home late at night. She was a 21 year old girl, she was going to run with her friends and come home late, just what 20-somethings do. The oddest part of her grandparent's freakouts? It was only when she got home, they didn't want her outside. She lived on a farm, 25 acres of forest, which included a pond on their property, a barn, and a huge field that had a creek separating them from the next county over.

"I know Granny. I promise that I will park in the garage, and I won't be outside at all." She looked her grandmother in the eye, and could tell that she was relieved.

"Okay. Well, I'm heading out. I love you," her granny kissed her and took her three yipping dachshunds out with her. Ashtynn ate some yogurt and chugged the OJ, putting it back into the fridge and walked out to her truck. She plugged her phone into the aux and hit shuffle. She then started her truck and backed out of her spot. She went up the hill, and onto the gravel road that led to the main road, the one paved by the city.