ROSIER

7

Root
...

Fear worked in a funny way, Gwen thought. The dread of what was to come was too great to even grant a second thought to the spiders crawling around the tunnel. This time around, her wand was tightly gripped by her hand, letting the light shine on everything she couldn't see last time.

A long time ago, when muggles were still burning witches and wizards, these tunnels were built with magic to assure safe travel. An endless labyrinth all around Brittain, which was only left to be used by a few students that dared to use the old shed for partying.

After all, the stories of lost people who never found their way out again were much more realistic when you were inside of them. It was a mystery how anyone would find the right path without a map, but of course, if anyone were to, it would be the Marauders.

Gwen counted her steps, calculating how many she would need to reach her exit. An undertaking that was far harder when you didn't know the route you were going. One of Remus' paper planes would've been helpful for the orientation and the loneliness, but even without, she found the right handle.
The blonde pushed the entrance open. This time, I met with grey clouds and cold wind. It felt easier to push open than it did that night. Perhaps it was the adrenaline to blame as it pumped fast through her veins, striking her heart with painfully strong beats and gifting her with a rush of strength.

Gwen brushed the spider webs off of her clothes and the satchel she forgot to discard at Hogwarts. Now, her free hand was holding on tightly to it as her eyes drifted over the trees growing tall from the ground.
A feeling of uneasiness was begging her to turn around. Her legs were heavy, and her stomach cramped in a vortex of indescribable discomfort. Goosebumps grew along her skin. Her limbs were shaking from head to toe in the rhythm of the voice begging her to turn around again.

The blonde ignored the call. She hid her satchel in a bush next to the shed, passing every warning sign until she was surrounded by giant trees. She could tell the forest felt different today. She blamed it on her fear, but as she came closer to the spot, it became apparent there was more to it.

Footprints went along the ground. Too many to count. Gwen went on. The wind blew through her hair, smelling of rain as she passed her previous hiding place.

Then, finally, she was there, standing right where Ivan died. She didn't expect the body to still be there, but something in her jumped when it was empty. There were footsteps here too, even fresher than the ones before. It must have been a group of people. A fact which should've scared her more, but she could tell the forest was calm.

Maybe this is how death feels, the blonde thought. She hoped it was silent, and she hoped Ivan was at peace.

Gwen looked around as though it could tell her what the people belonging to the footsteps were searching for. Did one of them belong to the murderer?
They didn't go further than a two-meter radius from the spot where Ivan had stood.

"What did you lose that was so important?" Gwen muttered, taking a stone before reluctantly standing where he stood. She reconstructed the scene, trying to see where an object (if that was what they were searching for) could've landed. They seemed to be right with the radius. The stone never landed further away than two meters.

However, just as Gwen's fear mended (her heartbeat was finally back to an almost healthy rhythm), a stick broke not too far away from her. She pointed her wand around, but there was no one to be seen.

"Show yourself!" She ordered, praying for a small rabbit to jump out and look at her with round eyes. Or even a boar who saw her as nothing but a crude intruder. Anything but the man haunting her dreams.