Peach Hills

This Makes No Sense

"What's this?" I ask as I walk into the kitchen and see my mother watching the morning news. "Shh, just watch."

Peach Hills resident Rudy Smith was found dead, mauled by an animal in an alley way behind The Hills Cafe in the afternoon yesterday. Police assume it was a wild animal that came out of the woods the night before and hid there all of yesterday. The animal was captured and given to the Peach Place County for further examination. No blood was found on the animal, nor any animal hair on the victim.

I grab the remote and shut off the TV. "Mum, I was at The Hills Cafe yesterday afternoon! I was there when this happened, with a friend I met at school yesterday." I was starting to freak out. "Darling, just go to school, you'll be okay." I nod and leave to go to school. It makes no sense, an animal coming out of the woods to cause a death in an alleyway the next day. Doesn't make sense.

At lunch time I walk around school on my own like an idiot. I see Cory in the distance sitting at a bench with a couple of guys. I'm guessing they are his friends. I recognize Kap, but the other guy I don't. I don't know whether I should walk up to him or not. Just as I turn around to walk away he sees me. "Natasha!" I hear him call out my name. He runs up from behind. "Hey Cory, I'm sorry I'll let you go back to your friends." I tell him. "No, it's fine." He replies. "Did you see the news this morning? About the animal attack, it was behind the Cafe! We were there when it happened Cory!!" He puts he's hand on my arm and it settles me. "I know, I saw it this morning too. It's okay, they got rid of it, your safe....we all are." He tells me. Why is he seeming so natural but also cautious as if it is something serious. Does he know something, he seems perfectly fine with it, like he doesn't care. "It makes no sense though, an animal coming out of the woods, attacking in broad daylight! What is this?" He rolls he's eyes at me. "Cory, are you alright?" He looks angry. He squeezes my arm. "Natasha! Stop. Everything is fine just forget about it." He lets go of my arm and turns back to go toward he's friends."

When I get home I write in my diary again.

Diary of mine,

There is something wrong with Cory, he is acting different and he...hurt me. I don't know if it's anger or something else but today when I spoke to him he got angry at me when I asked about what happened yesterday with the animal and what I saw on the news. I'm confused by the way he acts, it's weird. I am confused about the animal attack in broad daylight, how strong Cory is and how he dissapeared yesterday, he was gone when I turned around, he's eyes changed weirdly when he kissed me. It's all so abnormal. I'm the type of girl who loves finding out answers to her questions, so I'll let you know what happens. For now, goodbye diary.

I decide to go into to town and explore around. "Mum, I'm going out." I yell out as I grab my bag. "Okay, be careful." She tells me. I get into my car and decide to drive around town and see what it's like. There are people around  the town central, some walking through the park talking and laughing, people in The Hills Cafe. It seems like a lovely town. Apart from yesterdays incident of course. I find myself driving on a road in between trees, the woods, on my other side also tree's and a river, it's massive. Up ahead I see a sign, it looks farely old, I drive past it and stop my car to see what it says.

Welcome to Peach Hills. The sign looks really old, its a natural timber color and the words are painted and some of the paint is slowly chipping on the edges. I put my hand up to the sign and run my fingers over the letters. I stop when I hear a loud ruffling noise. What the fuck.

I look at the bushes ahead of me and the trees and bushes are all still. I confidently turn around and walk back to my car as fast as I can, looking behind me every what feels like 3 seconds. There is no wind so I don't know where the sound was coming from. At the time I am looking behind me I reach my car and unlock it. I start to open the door, when I turn around to look behind me once more. I am startled to see somebody standing in front of me. Cory. "What the hell, you scared me!" I tell him, still keeping my door open prepared to get in and drive. There is something off about him. "Sorry Tash, didn't mean to do that." He tells me awfully calmly. I look around me and there is no car in sight and it's dead silent. "Did you follow me here?" I ask him confused. "No Natasha, I like to jog around here, it's peaceful. When I saw you I thought I'd come past and say hi." He explains suspiciously. "Okay well hi, and you did startle me, why didn't you tell me you were here instead of standing right in front of my car?" I ask him, I start to discretely get into my car. "I didn't mean to scare you Natasha I was just walking." He has no emotion in he's voice as he talks. I nod and get in my car, I lock all the doors do a u-turn and speed off. I constantly check my mirror and he is just staring at my car getting further away in the distance the faster I drive. I take one more quick glance and he's gone. Like the dissapearing act the other day. I can't see him anywhere. I think I'm going crazy.

I ignore it and look ahead, take three breathes and keep driving home. There is something odd about Cory. I will find out what it is.

When I walk inside my mum is sitting on the couch watching TV again. The news, again. With the same facial expression, again. I look at the clock and it reads 7:00pm. The sun is starting to go down outside. "Uhh, hey mum I'm home." I tell her as I sit next to her on the couch. "Tash, sweetheart hey." I see a concerned look on her face as she speaks, she's been like this for a while now, since we moved here she's been different, almost secretive. I decide to have an early night and get some rest.

I wake up to the sound of hearing the TV speak the words ANIMAL ATTACK. I quickly get out of bed and go see what they are talking about. I race down to the kitchen to see what's going on. When I get to the kitchen there is just the weekly weather but the banner on the bottom turns on, the one that reads the 'breaking news'.

5 people found dead early this morning in the woods. Bite marks covering 80% of their body. Completely drained of blood.

Entry number...eh I lost count,

People are dying, getting killed, slaughtered by vicious animals in the woods, teared to pieces so much they become bloodless! What is Peach Hills? Why did my mum choose to even move us here?