Asylum

Presence

We started walking north into the forest. The tall trees and huge leaves block out the sunlight. There was barely any light. After all, the sun is barely coming up. It was fall. I walk around in a ripped white dress stained with mud and blood. The cold wet air makes it hard for me not to shiver. Kim was shorter and skinnier than me. Her clothes wouldn't have fit me even if i wanted to change.

Jake stops and looks at his map.

"Are you sure you know where to go?" Kim asked.

"Yeah i remember the place. It kind of seems like someone rearranged the forest. It's a harder maze now." Jake starts to walk again.

I stop on my footsteps and stared at the soil wide-eyed.

"Ok good. Hopefully we don't get lost." Kim sounded nervous... and a little scared.

"We'll make it out," Jake said as he turns around, "hopefully before sun-" Jake stops when he sees me staring at him with fear in my eyes.

"Amber?" Jake sounded pretty worried. Kim turns around to look at me. "What's wrong?"

"We'll never make it out alive." I said in a whisper.

Jake starts to walk to me. "Amber don't-" BAM! Jake stands amazed as a huge branch falls right in front of him.

"They know we're here." I said in a panic.

"No no." Jake said as he hopped over the branch and cupped my face in his hands. He stares right into my eyes. "We'll be fine okay? There's no one here but us. You'll be safe with me."

I closed my eyes and started to breathe. "Okay." I said as i open my eyes.

Jake gave me a sweet warm half smile. I couldn't help but blush and smile back so i turned my head away. Jake kept his hands close to my face. He rested his right hand on my left cheek and kissed me on the forehead.

"You'll be safe with me." He said in a whisper keeping his lips on my forehead.

I actually smiled. He actually got me to smile.

I finally look up. A worried expression takes over my smile.

"W-Where's Kim?" I looked left and right.

Jake turns around quick. He cupped his hands around his mouth and yelled, "Kim!"

"They got her. This is my fault." I take a step backwards.

Jake turns back to me and cups my face in his hands again. "No no no. She probably went first. She probably didn't want to feel like a third wheel." My heart started beating faster as he said that. Third wheel?

He wrapped his arms around me and held me close. "Don't be scared."

"Okay." I said in a whisper.

Jake started walking in front of me. I stay where I'm at for a few seconds and looked up. Leaves and Branches. No light came through. I looked forward again to see Jake bending down and picking something up.

"Jake what's that?"

"Oh nothing," he said it like he didn't want me to know, "let's keep going?" He holds his arm out.

I walk to him and held his hand. I gave him a slight nod telling him to keep walking.

Screech. I heard it again. I look at Jake. He looked back at me and smiled. I decided to just ignore it.

We kept walking through the forest passing trees that look almost the same to me. It was just one big maze. Hand in hand, we walked.