Eliora (boyxboy)

Death in the wood.

Clutching my jacket tighter to my body, I squinted, as cold wind blew on my face making my eyes water with irritation. It'd been sunny when  I'd left the house and now it seemed like it would pour rain any minute, yet I still kept forward, walking farther away from the house. 

It was getting darker as the rain clouds floated closer together, hiding the sun out of view. The trees looked a deeper green and the wind started to feel moist. There wasn't an ounce of civilisation so far that I could see, but I didn't worry that I'd get lost, and if I did, one of the angels would probably find me before I could even exhale enough breath to panic, I was sure of it.

Angels.

The thought of me being crazy and hallucinating all this hadn't failed t cross my mind. Waking up this morning and finding myself alone in my room made it seem like a vision. Except, it wasn't and dreaming was a luxury I hadn't been able to afford for a very long time. 

Everything else was normal. The weather was as unpredictable as it's always been, My uncles were the same as they've always been an Caspain...he acted normal enough. Despite the gaps in his memory, he didn't seem that much bothered by anything, which I admit made me green with envy. 

I hadn't had anything jump out of the dark or any red haired angels geo leaping out of thin air, which made me question my sanity over and over and I'd be a big fat liar if I said I hadn't tried to redo what I did in the tower again whilst in the shower so...I hadn't tried to redo what I did in  the tower again whilst in the shower. 

As unbelievable as them being angels seemed to be, I believed them, well...the part about them being angels, not the part about me being one, that wasn't so believable. I've had my visions for as long as I could remember, they've never really had a specific meaning, or purpose other than making my life an absolute living nightmare. literally, so It was hard to believe that I...was some kind of reincarnated angel and I'd kept my powers. 

Powers. I'd never thought of it like that before. It  sounded better. Lighter, to call them powers, made them feel like they had real purpose, like it was a gift, a one in a billion gift that not a single human being would ever be able to comprehend ever having. 

Funnily enough I didn't want this gift. I would much rather take the gift and flush it down a bottom less toilet if I could.

I scoffed, pausing as I reached a puddle of water that took up most of the road. sidestepping the water, I walked around it, managing to get my sneakers only a bit wet. I shook the water off, looking up when I heard the rustling off to the side. I turned my head, expecting to find a wild rabbit or something.

An old lady sat at the edge of the wood, on a stool that looked like a big tree trunk. She was dressed warmly, in plain brown and purple skirt and jacket that looked faded from years of wash. She had a walking stick in her hand, her wrinkled fingers curled rather protectively around  it. 

"Umm." I said dumbly, not knowing what you were supposed to say to an old lady you find in the middle of and empty road in the wood. 

She looked up, her droopy face scrunched with age, her eyes crinkled in merriment. "Curious." 

"Pardon?"

Her voice was light as she spoke up. "I said, curious. It is rather curious."

"What is?"

"You." She said. "Young lads like you don't wonder around in the wood, at least not alone."

I rolled my eyes. "Yeah, well, I'm the first you've seen." She shifted carefully on the stool, I eyed it, making sure it'd wouldn't tip over, I didn't want to have to heft the old woman up off the ground. "What are you doing alone? You don't see many old folks on their own in the wood."

She smirked, her pale pink lips parting as she let out a breathless laugh. "Well, I'm the first you've seen." I clicked my tongue. She smiled. " 'Sides, I'm special."

I snorted. "Aren't we all?" She shrugged. "Seriously, is there anyone nearby? It's about to rain." Just as the words left my mouth, the wind picked up, blowing restlessly around us. 

She huffed. "I can take very good care of myself thankyou."

"I'm sure you can, but where do you live? Is it close?" I didn't know of any houses that were close by.

"I told you boy, I can take care of myself, been an explorer for half my life, these woods don't scare me." I sighed, thinking about turning away and going back home, but I was feeling righteous today apparently. 

I pulled out my phone switching it on. "Do you know anyone's phone number? Your husband? children? Anyone?" She shook her head. 

"Haven't got any of those. Been single my entire life." 

I fought back a groan. "Great. Just great. Let me call the police then, maybe they can help you." I wasn't even sure if the police took these kinds of  calls so far away from the city, but I wasn't sure she'd go with me willingly.

She squinted her eyes at me. "Such a silly boy you are. No respect for the dead."

I paused, my finger hovering over the numbers on my screen. I looked up and watched her, the way she hunched in the chair. The wind blew cold, moist air around us, I shivered, she was fazed, her gaze sharp and her breaths devoid any real depth. "You're not real."

She looked aghast." Of course I'm real, you're lookin' at me, aint you?" 

"No...that's not...you're dead."

She nodded once. "A fact I'm aware of." 

"Why didn't you say that in the first place?" She shrugged. I pocketed my phone. "Why are you doing out here?"

"Haven't a clue. I reckon it's where I'm supposed to be." She said. "Some of us don't always end up where we died, few of us are lucky enough to go were we truly want to go."

I grimaced. "Why the bloody hell would anyone want to end up here?" 

"Same reason you're here, grumpy." She had a point. 

I nodded. "So, you're going to be here for all eternity?" 

She blinked up at me. "Maybe. I don't know. Not worried though, I've always liked the woods." The wind picked up and I felt a fat drop of water land on  the tip of my nose. The old lady looked up at the sky. "I like rainy days." She smiled at me. "Best on your way then, don't want to get soaked. I could never stand the cold when I was breathin'." 

There was the loud crackle of thunder and the brief flash of lightening. The sky opened and rain began to pour down. The old lady chuckled the rain not affecting her. I grimaced. "I'm still feeling a bit hesitant to leave you." 

"Why? Cause I might actually be real?" I nodded. She cackled. "Heart of gold you have."

"More like a head full of ghosts and no room for one more."

 She rolled her eyes. "You want to see a certificate? I'm as dead as they come." She raised her voice as the rain pounded. I sighed pulling up the  hood of my jacket. 

"I just want to make sure-" 

"Go lad!" With one last hesitant glance at her. I nodded goodbye and began a slow sprint home.