Captured

"Want to take a shortcut through the forest?"

My best friend looked at me pleadingly, her hazel colored eyes eager to see what we might find. We were almost home, and her suggest was sudden. "I've never been through the forest, though. I honestly have no idea where we will wind up," I explained, hesitantly, worry evident in my voice. "So? We have bars on our cell phones. We can access Google Earth to help us if we get lost," she easily tried to reassure.

I glanced to the side, assessing the dark looming forest that suddenly seemed ominous. As long as I had lived in my neighborhood, I hadn't ventured out into the forest. There were rumors of disappearances that happened in those woods and I wasn't planning on becoming one of those horror stories. "Ky," I said, nervously. "It looks dangerous. We better not. Maybe next time." Kyle pouted, her eyes now begging. "Please, Addie?" she asked, clasping her hands together in a plea. "It's such a long walk to your house. This forest goes straight to your backyard!"

"No, Kyle. There are rumors of missing people. There could be crazy people in the woods," I reasoned. She snorted and stopped walking, crossing her arms over her chest. "Come on, Adeline. Stop being such a kill joy all the time. That's all you do! You complain about almost everything and reprimand me for every god damn thing I want to do!" I flinched, hurt flashing in my blue orbs. I knew I wasn't very inclined to do a lot, but I didn't think I was that bad. My gaze was cast downward, with embarrassment and hurt. Kyle seemed to realize what she said had hurt in attempt to lighten the load, she added, "The forest isn't as bad as you think - I've been in it before. What's the worst that could happen?"

I rubbed the back of my neck, trying to rub away the chill that suddenly slithered up my spine when she said that. I could name several possibilities of what could happen in the forest, but I held my tongue. The bright sidewalk that led all the way around my neighborhood seemed more inviting, but Kyle wouldn't have it.

Finally, still wary, I nod and give in. "Alright," I mumbled. Kyle's eyes brightened when she got her way. She pecked my cheek, a friendly gesture and exclaimed, "Great! C'mon!" I rubbed the kiss off of my cheek as she nearly leaped to run into the woods, saying over her shoulder, "I think I saw a path here once. If we can find it, we will be good." I rolled my eyes and looked over my shoulder at the safer sidewalk before sighing.

I ignore her excited chattering as I reluctantly force my feet to move in the direction leading to the forest. The sun is still visible through the canopy as I push some branches out of my face when I emerge into the thick foliage, following Kyle's voice. Her lithe frame is still visible a few feet away but the trees compress the together as we trek through the woods. She too is pushing away the trees' outstretched limbs away from her face as she nearly skips through the brush. How she was able to do so with little difficulty was beyond me, for I couldn't even get three feet without stumbling.

"Do you see anything interesting?" she calls back to me, stopping in her expedition to look back at me. I shook my head. "No. What about you? You're farther ahead than I am," I explained. She shrugged and grimaced, the first sign of displeasure from her since we began our hike. "No, it's pretty but.. nothing. I haven't even heard one forest creature, let alone see one."

As I stop beside her, I listen and with a jolt, I realize the forest is eerily silent. The wind had stopped rustling the leaves and there were no sounds of birds singing, or any other rustling besides our feet to be heard. In fact it was a bit darker, the thick trees covering the sunlight that was trying to slip through the branches. The temperature seemed to drop 20 degrees, and I was shivering. A chill slithers up my spine - and it's not from the cold this time.

"S-should we head back?" she asked, her voice trembling from the cold. I spotted gooseflesh up her arms and she furiously rubbed them away. It seemed sense was trying to break through her thick skull, I mused as I glanced at her sideways. "Wait! Look, an electric fence!" Thought too soon, I guess. I sighed and then shook my head. "I'm not going in there. The fence is there for a specific reason Kyle. I wouldn't cross it. We should head back and take the long way home. My phone has no bars and I don't like the way the forest is. It's freaking me out Kyle," I whined. I knew I was being somewhat selfish, but I couldn't help but feel like something bad was going to happen.