All I see are shadows. Trees. The world swimming around me. All the while, I call out for Maeve. But she never comes. I can't find her. Why can't I find her?
~~~~~~~~~~~~~~
Since homecoming night senior year, Aisling Turner has lived in a hell of he...
The trees sway around me as I stand among them. I'm not sure where I'm supposed to be going or why I'm even here. I can't hear anything but the branches blowing in the breeze.
Wasn't I at a party?
Right. There's a party. Where is the party now? Shouldn't there be people here? Why did they leave me alone in the woods?
I try to look around, but that makes my head spin as I reach out and hold onto a nearby trunk to keep from falling over.
Why did I come out here?
Right. Maeve. Maeve ran off. I think she's angry, but I don't remember fighting with her. I must have done something. She's been angry a lot lately, but she won't tell me why.
I can't remember what I did.
"Maeve," I try to call out, but it's all mushed together.
I take a few steps forward, slowly and unsteadily making my way down the path that's almost nonexistent.
"Maeeve... whereareyouu," I call out again.
Surely, she has to hear me. I need to find Maeve so we can go home. I don't feel well. Mom and Dad are going to be so pissed at me for drinking.
"Maeve!"
I stumble into another tree and look up, seeing the lake.
The lake. Maybe Maeve is there. I feel a sort of string pulling me. I need to get to the lakeshore.
"I'm... I'm comin'..."
I stumble towards the water, happy that I'm making progress since the ground and the trees are determined to trip me up. Just to prove them right, I fall and groan in pain before staring up at the stars through the trees.
A chill sinks in through my clothes as desperation begins to course through me. I need to get to Maeve. Something's wrong with me, and Maeve will help me fix it. She can get me to my dad. He's a doctor, and they fix things, right?
Heck, where is Maeve?
Somehow, I push myself up and start moving towards the lake again. I can hear rustling behind me, which only urges me forward faster. I don't know what it is, but I have to escape the noise. Only it keeps getting louder. Like it's getting closer.
Just as I'm about to reach the shore through the trees, something snatches me around the waist and pulls me back into the trees. I yelp and struggle as a deep laugh fills my ears and the smell of liquor assaults my nose.
"Found ya."
The voice makes me struggle more. I have to get away. Bad things will happen if I don't.
"Look who's all by her lonesome. Where's yer guard dog?"
Not this. No.
I blink and am up against the tree, staring at Kyle. Why is he here? He wasn't at the party. He keeps talking, but I'm struggling to keep up. To follow his words. However, I can clearly see what's in his eyes. They burn in the darkness, promising I won't like what's coming.
"K-Kyle... no..."
"Loosen up, Aisling. Ya just might like it."
"NO!"
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