Attached [Rewritten Version]

4. New Friend

Thursday, September 22nd, 2016

Ever since their conversation about the woods, two days ago, Sid felt uncomfortable around Cory. Not just because of his attitude, or his words that had only reached the opposite effect of what Cory wanted—they had gotten even more curious about the woods—but mostly because Cory so ominously added the fact that especially Sid shouldn't go into the woods.

Sid wanted to know why he had singled him out with his warning. Did it have anything to do with the fact nobody else seemed to notice the cold Cory was carrying along with him?

Yet, Cory refused to explain why.

Still, he got no answer.

Cory hadn't showed up for gaming at Davy's place, but Sid thought it was best to get some distance between Davy and Cory anyway; they didn't really seem to get along, and the woods was a topic that was getting in between them. It was fuelling their arguments every time they had seen each other.

Sid knew better than anyone, that Davy couldn't handle a loss. He would continue until he got his way. In this case, he wouldn't stop until either Cory told him what had happened, or until he had found a way to enter the forest and see what the deal was about for himself.

Sid was right in the middle of it. Part of him wanted to desperately find out what was held a secret from them by the government, while another part of him didn't take Cory's warnings lightly. He was a thrill seeker more than anything, but Cory's words kept ringing through his mind anyway.

But nothing had made Sid feel as uncomfortable as stepping into the apartment Cory's lived in with his father. It was a sad and depressing mess, and that was still too positive. It was just as cold as Cory was all the time, and Sid wondered if that was why; but then he noticed the temperature was normal, according to the thermostat.

The only reason he was in there in the first place, was because they had gotten an assignment for a school project in Biology, and Sid felt bad for Cory ending up alone since he was the only one in the classroom who made an effort to get to know Cory.

The rest was just scared of him.

"Do you want a drink?" Cory asked, as they walked into the living room with boring taupe-coloured walls, stained carpet and what seemed to be second-handed furniture that didn't match. An older man—presumably Cory's father—sat on the couch in dirty clothes, beer in hand. He glanced at them for about a second, before he turned back to the TV, staring at it with empty eyes, not greeting them in any way.

"Eh, water, please." Sid turned to Mr. Dunn, mumbling a greeting, but still didn't get one in return.

"Let me grab drinks and we can sit in my room to work on the project," Cory said, while he headed into the kitchen. He seemed unfazed by the lack of emotions or greetings coming from his father, so Sid decided to try and ignore it as well.

But something felt off in their apartment, and he wasn't sure what it was.

When he looked around, he noticed a handful of family pictures on the wall. They were the only ones, and they only showed a younger Cory and a young girl about his age.

Sid knew who she was; Kim Dunn.

She was one of the missing children and disappeared about fifteen years ago. He only knew her name because when things happened to Cory, everyone started talking about the misfortune of the Dunn family; with a second child missing in the woods.

Their father was included in two of the pictures, but there were no pictures of Cory's mother present. Not anywhere in the living room or hallway.

Sid turned around when he heard Cory say something incomprehensible in the kitchen.