Forever yours

Chapter 13 - Luna

Luna shouldn't feel this scared, not when the sun was still clearing up the forest. Except there were so many shadows on this side of the forest. Shadows that seemed to move and reach out to her. The passing wind felt like hands on her body, and every noise made her twist her head in every direction.

Her rational mind knew these were only tricks of the forest, trying to keep intruders away. Yet, all her mind seemed to form were repeating memories of that night.

Her arms felt sore again in the places where the skeleton ghost had gripped her and flung her to the ground. Where he had hit her, time and time again. Even though he clearly wasn't there for her. Her mind kept repeating Vanessa's whimpers, and her fear-stricken eyes were so clear inside her mind that she squeezed her eyes shut and violently rubbed them, just so she could get rid of them.

"There is no one here. There is no one here," she repeated over and over again, while she quickened her steps and let her fingers clench around her keys hidden inside her pocket.

Luna wasn't entirely sure where Perry had gone missing, so she kept walking north-east of Home. In the hope that she would eventually see yellow tape wrapped around the trunks of the big oaks.

Why did Myka always have to get in trouble?

She had always been like that, ever since they were children. She loved her sister, she even looked up to her to some degree. She had fought for her relationship with Mykayla. She had even sneaked out at night when her parents stopped visiting during the weekends.

Her parents had been punishing Mykayla for her belief that something was coming. They had wanted her to keep quiet, to be normal. Her sister was not normal, and she would perish trying to be. Luna loved that about her sister, that rebellion, that security that Mykayla always had about her.

Right now, she didn't feel any of that praise for her sister. How could she have survived almost twenty years out of the spotlight, alone in a forest, but get taken by some amateur group of angry parents in that same forest?

She shook her head. Unbelievable. And that after Mykayla almost forbade her to go into town alone. Mykayla had no right to judge her childishness, or whatever she called it, in the future.

Her head shot up at the bright yellow tape in the distance. She took off in a run, making twigs and beech nuts crack under her feet. The wildlife woke up at the sudden noise, spooking her instantly. She swallowed a little scream and came to an instant stop. She shrunk in on herself, and her eyes jumped from left to right and up into the crown of the trees.

Come on, Luna tried to toughen herself up, Vanessa is in danger. Get yourself together Devon. The forest never scared you before, so get up you dumbwit! Get your girl out of that monster's hands!

With tense muscles, she pushed herself up and made her way to the crime scene.

It was quiet. Thomas hadn't arrived yet.

Too bad, she would've been grateful for his friendly face. And in all honesty, his big frame was welcome as well. Because even with her self-defense lessons that Mykayla gave her, she was pretty sure she wouldn't stand a chance against the Skeleton Ghost. She was a gymnast, not a karate kid.

Her phone pinged, which made her heart miss a beat.

From [Mr. Fairytale Princess]: Just ran into Esme's parents, I won't make it. Myka found pink phone, ordered to get it and find out who Perry's date was. I'll meet you at my place later. Be careful!

She quickly typed a response, so he wouldn't be concerned, when in reality Luna's heart squeezed in on itself.

He wasn't coming?

She clutched her keys once more, bringing her back to reality. If this was finished quickly, then she could go back to Thomas's house. Out of this place that caused her nightmares.

Perry's phone was shining pink, with little -fake- diamonds surrounding its case. That had to pull attention, so knowing Mykayla she would've hidden it under something. But the forest was so big.

She sighed.

Oh, Vanessa, why was I so afraid to be with you?

If she hadn't been so stupid, none of this would've happened. They would be happy together. Vanessa wouldn't be in danger, and she wouldn't be here alone in a giant forest looking for one pink phone hidden somewhere only her damn sister knew.

She started digging over the fallen leaves with her feet, while she let her mind wander to better times. A time where they just met.

Luna could still remember the true thankfulness on Vanessa's face after Luna had asked for sign language classes. She hadn't even thought much about it, except that she had seen the girl struggle to make friends. It had broken her heart, and it seemed like the normal thing to do. Of course, the other students weren't that thankful, another subject on the school list was the last thing they wanted.

It had been the start of their friendship. They used to laugh so much when Luna made mistakes at signing. Andy, their mutual friend, and Luna's supposed boyfriend, on the other hand was a natural at languages. She both hated and loved how those two teased her with her incompetence at signing.

The three of them used to hang out after school, go drinking by the White River's shore, and swim in it during summer. It was Andy who had first discovered that Vanessa was different from Luna's other friends. He had been so kind and gentle when he had asked Luna about it. He had explained how his nephew was together with another boy, how very natural it was, because love was love. He was the one that accepted her for who she was before she even accepted it herself. She loved Andy, and was thankful for him. He was her best friend, and therefore it was so easy to play the role with him that her parents wanted her to play. The role that ruined her relationship with Vanessa.

Her determination to find Vanessa grew more intense. She was going to make everything right. Vanessa would be all right, and if Vanessa didn't want her anymore, then so be it.

After one of her swipes with her feet, she hit a rather hard object. Even in the shadows of the trees, the phone glistened bright.

She found it! She found Perry's phone!

Quickly, she grabbed it and tried to turn it on, but of course, the screen stayed black. Seemed like Perry didn't have a full battery the night of her date.

If only, it could have been as simple as finding the phone, getting in and having all the answers in one day.

Hopefully, Thomas would have an iPhone recharger at home, although somehow she doubted he carried an iPhone with him. She wouldn't be surprised if he was the kind of person that carried an old 2000 Nokia with him.