Intent

Chapter Eight: It Happened

I waited for her at the edge of her backyard. Where the grass thins out to pine needle floor and the trees change from evergreen to thin birch trees. I turned when I heard the door shut and she made her way down the short stairs and across the yard over to me. "Hi." I said to her. She smiled and took my hand in hers. "Hello." She said back. I smiled lightly and started walking into the woods. The excitement and fear came in waves off of her skin. I knew that it wasn't me. It was the woods. The same woods where she was attacked all those years ago. I squeezed her hand lightly and continued walking. The fear slowly disappeared and turned into a subtle urge in the back of her mind. It was overtaken by content. I smiled to myself knowing she felt safe with me. Even though I was the one who didn't stop them from tearing her apart.

"So are we just going to the lake?" I looked at her and stopped briefly as she interrupted my thoughts. "Yes?" I started walking again and she became quiet. She looked over at me for a second and switched her gaze to the path ahead of us. "Is that all we're doing?" I must have missed something. "Well, I did bring food with me, if that's what you're wondering." I looked at her and stopped, holding her close. "Were you planning on us doing something other than going to the lake?" I asked. She looked up at me and shook her head. "No, I was just curious if you had anything else in mind." I sighed lightly and started walking with her again. "You know that if something is on your mind then you need to tell me. I can't just guess like you can. Your mind isn't that simple." We walked in silence until we reached the lake. I found a table and brushed it off and set my bag down, pulling out a couple sandwiches and putting them on a plate. We ate in silence save for my comments about how beautiful the lake looks at sunset. She stole glances at me now and then, and I didn't mind sitting quietly with her.

After a while I cleaned up and I looked at the sky. It was beginning to grey. "I have an umbrella," She finally said after a while. "Just in case." I nodded and we began to make our way back to her house. The sky was getting darker by the second, and the sun was setting behind the trees. "It looks like it's going to be dark before we make it back to your house." I said. She looked to me and her eyes clearly spelled out fear. "I know, I'm sorry." I told her. "I'll do my best to get you there safely." She held my hand tighter and nodded. "I trust you.." We picked our way through the underbrush carefully beneath the dying light of the sun. I turned around just in time to see a pure white beast pounce from above on top of an old log we just climbed over. I could sense the fear coming off of her again. No, wait. It bared its teeth and roared with a horrible deafening sound. I quickly turned and started running towards her house, pulling her along with me. It wasn't her the fear was coming from;

It was coming from me.