Phoenix's Lies

Called Back. For What?

Phoenix

"Let's go then," Riv's voice snaps me out of where I'd vanished into it once we'd gotten up and put the laptop away. Dressing and layering up for going out into the cold. I'd given her one of my coats since her one had been ripped to shreds until we could see if it's mendable. "Come on Nix, before the rains come back and we get lost!"

I sigh, coming out to see her dressed and waiting with a glowing smile that has me fighting one of my own. "Still think this is a good idea, just for the record."

She came up to me, kissing me once. "Good to know but that won't change my mind. Come on now, before it gets dark or rainy since I'm pretty sure I still have a slight concussion and don't want to make it worse." I notice she's still limping a little to avoid putting weight on her left ankle and offer an arm around her shoulders as we leave. "Thanks,"

We leave and I shut and lock the door, surveying the forest with a frown. "Still think this is a bad idea, Riv. I've seen enough horror movies to know that what we're doing is a bad idea. Terrible." She laughs and links her arm with mine where it isn't around her shoulders. "Do you even remember where the pathway was? We were pretty far into the forest when I found you. Do you think you could find it again?"

"Yeah, I-I think so." Riv looks confused, her dark eyes scanning what we could see. "I get what you mean and maybe it's not a good idea but I need to know. I need to know something that makes sense even if just a little. I thought the files would make sense but now...now they make even less sense than before and I hate that. I hate being so lost so if looking down this godforsaken forest path clears up some of the confusion I'm going to. I'd just like it if we both went so if something happens one of us should be ok." Her words are quiet and I can tell she's worried about something but don't push her. "Say you get it and I'm not going crazy, please." She's pleading now but it's not needed. I get it.

I get her.

"Yeah I get it Riv, I said I'd go. I was merely reminding you that normally going and doing what we're doing is a bad idea. Not that I won't do it." I reply, seeing how she loses some of her tension when I do. Relief in her eyes. "Come on then, let's go." We walk about five minutes before she goes quiet, looking around with a puzzled look that soon morphs into fear. "Riv?"

She lets out a breath, "There's something I didn't tell you, before when you found me." I pause then, giving her a look, "When I went looking for you the first night I saw someone. At least I thought I did. Somewhere around there," She points further into the grove we're walking through and I see where she seems to keep fixating on a certain spot. "I was sure I saw someone in the storm when the lightning struck, their silhouette clear as day, but when the next lightning strike came they were gone." Her eyes take on a more haunted look, "Gone as if they were never there."

I sigh, pulling her closer. "Must have been scary, sorry I ran off like that." She laughs and tucks her head under mine. "But did you ..... Did you see who it was more than the silhouette?" I broach the question carefully and see Riv frown, eyes on where this figure appeared. "Riv? Hey, you can talk to me, please."

She shrugs, eyes on the forest, "I didn't see anything more than the brief silhouette. First standing and then moving. Moving toward me. I-I started running, calling for you and then tripped. That's probably what did in either my shoulder or ankle. I ran and ran until I made it back to the cabin. I didn't find you but was too afraid of whoever that was to go out again until morning. I looked again and found where I....I dropped a flashlight in panic. It was already dead but it was resting against a tree when I went back for it. As if someone had found it and picked it up. Left it for me."

"So you had a stalker in the woods. That's odd but not necessarily a cause for concern." She gives me a disbelieving look and I sigh. "From what I gather people probably don't use this cabin a lot. Maybe it was a local who came up to take a look at why the lights were on?"