The Woods (GxG)

Chapter II

   I spun quickly at the sound of the door opening. Ashley covered her mouth as Noah stepped past her, kneeling next to Elsa's unconscious frame.

   "What happened to her?" Noah asked, checking her neck for a pulse.

   I shook my head. "I-I don't know... I woke up from a bad dream and she was screaming..."

   Noah pulled her up. "We need to get this wound covered, she's losing a lot of blood."

   His training kicked in as he carried her into the kitchen, setting her on the table.

   Noah used to be a police officer. He retired after a really hard call. What happened that night? No one other than Ashley really knows for sure. But, it was enough to scar him for life.

   He wrapped a dish towel around the wound, Elsa still out cold.

   Ashley rested a hand on my shoulder as I looked on. "She'll be ok..."

I glanced at her then, before moving my gaze back down the hallway. Images of the figure flashing behind my eyes.

While Noah continued to patch Elsa's wound, I broke away from Ashley, making my way back down the dark hallway.

I had to know if she did this to herself. She had tried once before, but that was a long time ago.

Fear spread through me as my eyes landed on the white sheets now stained red, a puddle of blood soaking into the wooden floor next to the bed.

Then, my eyes shot to the corner of the room, the corner that the figure stood just minutes ago. Now, it was empty.

With a small breath, I made my way towards the bed, inspecting the little table next to it before tearing the sheets and pillows off. There was nothing in sight that she could've used to cause those wounds herself. But, who did then..?

I made my way back into the kitchen, just as Luke and Amy joined us.

"What happened?" Amy asked.

"She cut herself..." Noah replied, washing the blood off his hands in the sink.

Amy covered her mouth. "That's awful..."

"She didn't do it to herself..." I said.

Everyone turned to me then. "Peyton... I know she's been doing better, but-"

"There wasn't anything in that room she could've used." I cut off.

"Peyton, who else would've done it then?" Ashley asked.

"I'm telling you, Ash, it wasn't her." I said, looking into her eyes.

Luke grabbed a rolling pin from the counter then. "What're you saying? Someone broke in?" He asked.

I looked to him before lowering my head. "I... I don't know..."

Then, the sounds of whispers filled my ears. The voice wasn't feminine, nor was it masculine. It was a voice of something else, something unfamiliar, something wrong.

   Everyone else must've heard it to, because Luke walked up to the front door, throwing it open. "Alright, whoever's out there better show themselves."

   The whispering continued, Ashley taking my hand. "What're they saying..?" She asked.

   I strained my ears, attempting to make out the quiet whispers, but Luke yelled out once again, taking my attention from where I needed it.

   "If I have to come out there, I'm gonna seriously fuck you up." He challenged.

   Amy pulled him back inside then, shutting the door, and the whispers went with it.