The Monster Within - Book 1

Chapter 4

I walk through the thick woods, knowing somewhere around here there was a shortcut to town. A short cut that was so much quicker then driving as it cut straight through the woods instead of circling around it. I must of walked it over a hundred times as a child. Mum and I would walk it all the time when we would visited Ester. I'm sure it was around here somewhere, but the more I walked the more lost I seemed to get as the woods looked the same no matter what direction I faced. Maybe this wasn't a good idea?

I pulled my phone from my pocket, hoping to pull a map up to help find my way, but there was no signal. Of course there would be no signal. Typical! But as I moved my phone around, held it upside down, jumped up and down to try to get it to work, I got turned around. I didn't know which way was back and I definitely didn't know which way town was. So, I pick a direction to walk in, hoping that by some miracle if I kept walking one way I'll run into something or someone eventually. In theory it was a good idea. I mean, what else was I supposed to do? Walk around aimlessly, probably in circles, never to be seen again.

I must of been walking for about 30 minutes, starting to get really worried I might be spending the night out here. The sun has already started to set, reducing my vision. I walk over a large verge, covered with leaves until I fall over something. Something hard.

'Oh my god, please don't be a dead body. Please don't be a dead body.' I say to myself as I brush the leaves away, revealing a small wall. I pull my phone from my pocket and bring the flash light up as I look around, noticing what looks to be a ruin of an old house. This must be the Conri house my nan was telling me about. I run my finger along the wall, the charcoal black soot coming off on my hand, even after all these years.

'If you're a reporter wanting to write a story you're about 20 years too late.' A voice shouts out to me from the dark.

I panic, ready for an attacker to jump out and grab me.

'Who's there?' I shout back

'You tell me. You're on my property.'

'I'm sorry, I got lost in the woods. I was trying to find my way to town' I say to the dark.

'Town? Where are you coming from?' The deep, gravelly voice queries.

'My nans cabin. Ester?'

Suddenly a figure comes into view from my camera light. A man about my age, maybe a few years younger walks up to me. I flinch as he stops in front of me.

'Easy, I'm not going to bite. But my brother on the other hand...'

'Who are you?' I ask again, looking at the attractive man before me.

In awe, I watch as the moonlight bouncing off his skin, highlighting the freckles that dance across his nose. Then I watch the smile that appears on his lips when he realises I'm staring.

'I'm Archer. I'm kind of offended you don't recognise me, Cassandra.' He teases, dragging out my name on his tongue.

'It's Cassie.'

'I'm sorry... Cassie.' He says as he starts walking around me like a predator, stalking it's prey.

'Where have you been?' He asks

'I've been living in New York. We moved away when I was 9, I think.'

'Yeah, I remember you moving away. That upset quite a few people.'

'Like who? I mean apart from my nan.'

'My family wasn't too happy about it. My dad was furious.'

'What does it have to do with them?'

'Well, now you're back I wouldn't want to ruin the surprise for you...'

'What? I have no idea what you're talking about.' I say as my stomach starts to rumble. 'Can you just point me in the direction of town.'

He lifts a long, slender finger as he points. 'It's about 10 minutes that way.'

'Thanks' I reply as I start to walk the way he points.

'And Cassie?'

'Yeah?' I say, turning back to face him.

'Probably not best to be walking around the woods by yourself at night. You never know who you'll run into... or what.' He says with a sly smile on his face.

I walk off in a hurry, partly because I was so hungry and partly because Archer was kind of giving me creepy vibes.

About 10 minutes of walking I see lights come into focus and I thank god I'm not lost in the woods anymore.

I practically run down the high street, spotting a diner at the end of the road that I'm pretty sure was there when I was a kid.

I walk in everyone turns to look at me, trying to work out who I am and what I'm doing here. I guess small towns like this don't see many new faces. It felt like the scene from American werewolf in London when all the locals stop what they're doing and watch the new comers enter the building.

I take a seat at an empty booth and run my eyes over the menu just before a pretty little waitress with curly, blonde hair comes over.

'Hey there. What can I get for ya?'

'Erm, can I get a coffee and a burger with fries to go please?'

I would sit there and eat, but I'm very aware that I've been gone for a while and I don't want to take advantage of Trish on my first day in town. And plus I'm starting to feel a little uncomfortable with all these people looking at me.

'Do you have a number for a taxi?' I ask the waitress when she comes back over with my food.

'No, sorry hun. There aren't any taxis out here. Where do you need to go?'

'I'm staying with my nan at the moment. Ester?'

'Ohh, I know Ester. We all do. That would make you Cassandra?'

'Cassie, please.' I correct.

'Well I'm Hayley and I'm off in 5 minutes. I could give you a lift?'

'Really? That would be amazing.'

'Yeah, it's not a problem. You don't want to be walking around in the dark through those woods.'

'No, I definitely don't.' I agree.