Lead Me Home

Prologue: Running around in circles

The light, calm breeze whipped through the crisp autumn air as I made my way past the Orange and yellow trees. My beige swaed shoes squelched against the ground in a quiet, frequent rhythm - the result of me running in thick, damp mud. The October air was sharp on my naked warm face and my bare hands stung from the cold. The warm summer breeze has long been and gone and instead left a cold autumn, aseptic void. The low sun slipped past between the Amber trees bathing in between the oncoming darkness, being broken by the flicker of a street lamp. A brown squirrel wandered ominously in between the fallen brown leaves, embraced in the wave of the ember sunlight glow. "Come on Dylan! Keep up dickhead! otherwise you won't get the present!". In front of me, I saw the brown haired bubbly girl run a few feet beyond me. That was Alison. I rolled my eyes and couldn't help but smirk to myself, making me run faster to catch up with her "Wow bitchy much babe but I'm keeping up, trust me!" I said laughing myself away. Alison was so fuelled with excitement, so intent with me wanting to catch up with her, that it only made me question, where was she really going? This forest only goes so far. Above me, a skeleton of elm tree branches stretched above, vanishing into the beginning of the starless sky. Being me, running made me out of breath. I stopped and leant against a tree to catch my breath. Blood roared through my body, and the icy air burned as i pulled it into my lungs. Turning back, I saw we've come quite far, and was halfway up the hill. The road stretched way behind, a slick of treacle bathed in sodium orange with the old abandoned house at its base, which was shuttered in darkness. The silence and the cold pressed down on me. The only movement was the stream of vapour as my breath hit the freezing air. I tucked my hand into my jeans and retrieved an iPhone from my pocket. The analogue clock spelt out the numbers 7:45 and to my luck, there were no bars of signal. We've been out for nearly 2 hours now, what could she possibly want? I thought to myself. Thinking, something accrued to me. While standing here catching my breath, I couldn't help but notice Alison was no where to be seen. Panic climbed in my chest as i looked around. The houses were set back from the New forest woods, tucked behind all the tall tress and bushes, so she couldn't of went back to her house in a matter of minutes. "Alison!" I called out. I looked around myself but I couldn't see her, only the glimpse of shadows from various creatures. "Alison, where are you?". Just then, a cold pale hand touched my shoulder, making me jump and turn around. Staring at the figures feet, because it was the first thing I could do, I couldn't help but start to hear the faint chuckled come from in front of me. It was Alison. "Oh my god! Your face Dylan!". As Alison was huddled over, laughing her what your call ass off, I couldn't help but roll my eyes and feel myself rise with anger. I clenched my fists together tightly, making imprints of my finger nails in the palms of my hand. "How stupid can you be Alison! I thought something bad happened to you! If you're going to do something like that, at least tell me first!". I looked at Alison with seriousness on my face, something that she hasn't seen for a while. Her blue eyes opened slowly as she wiped away the tears of laughter. She caught her breath back for a moment before standing up straight and looking at me with a grin which was plastered on her face. "Oh come on Dylan lighten up! It was only a bit of fun! Anyway, if I told you what was happening, you wouldn't  of shit yourself like the little girl you are!". I rolled my eyes again and turned away from her, looking in a different direction to the one she was in. I let go of my clenched fists and breath in and then out heavily, so she knew how annoyed I was "Alison, I'm the one looking out for you at the moment! So please understand that it my duty to keep you safe". I turned towards her to see her rolling her eyes at me. All that came out of her was a small grunt, indicating that she understood. "Whatever!"
We both stood there in silence for a moment, just listening to the bird song that was happening between the trees and looking at the sunset fading into the darkness. Through the silence, I couldn't help but start to feel bad at how angry I got at her. Maybe I was being a little too harsh, maybe I do need to lighten up a little but I can't help the way I am. I looked at Alison, admiring her for a moment as she looked up at the darkening sky. I've always been over protective with her but that's only because she my best friend and I love her to pieces. I can't help but think what if something bad happens to her? If it did, I wouldn't know what I would do with myself. We've known each other for nearly the whole of our lives, getting to know the daemons within ourselves and opening up about our biggest secrets to each other. Over the course of that time, I couldn't help but fall for her ever so slowly. The way her hair fell beautifully in place, the brightness her eyes crave when she talks about something she loves. The way her smile makes me melt inside, letting butterflies roam around my body and the way her soft skin falls upon mine when she's tugging me along. All the things I fell in love with her could be wasted if I don't protect her!. Since I was deep in thought, I didn't notice Alison looking at me. She narrowed her eyebrows slightly, wondering why I was starting at her. She waved her hand around my face, wondering if I paid attention. "Hello? Earth to Dylan? Are you responding?". Falling back into reality, I shook my head and blinked twice. I smiled at her and nodded slowly "oh sorry, I was just deep in thought, I didn't notice you were talking" I said softly. She looked at me and chuckled lightly to herself. She turned away from my soft gaze and towards the trees in front of her. Call me crazy but I swear I saw her blush. "Anyway, as I was saying, do you want you present or not? Or are you to manly for this kind of thing?". She moved closer towards me, teasing me with every sway she took. I smirked to myself and pursed my lips together. Somewhere deep down, she knew how much I loved her and I believe that she loves me too. I shrugged, trying to act casual but deep down, I wanted to scream with excitement. "Depends on what it is sweetheart. But seriously, you didn't have to get me a gift you know." She huffed and rolled her eyes yet again. She smiled up at me and chuckled a little "Mood killer much." She whispered to herself "anyway, yes I did have to give you a gift considering you got me one". She looked down to her scarf wrapped around her neck. Earlier this week, Alison saw a scarf she liked. It was a cream scarf with mini colourful butterflies upon it. When she saw it, her eyes lit up with wonder and love. I knew how much she wanted it so I decided to get it for her. A slight smile appeared onto my cold lips and I nodded my head "okay, fine. You can give me the gift, but I hope to God its nothing expensive" She bit her lip and shrugged, bringing her face closer to mine. Our faces where only inches apart from each other, making me want to grab her and hold her close. Her brought her lips close to my ear and felt her warm breath tickle my neck "it's nothing expensive, I promise. But I will be something to make sense of everything that's gone on. But before you get the present, ill need you to close your eyes and count to 3" she said softly. I looked at her worrying. She giggled and shrugged "it's a surprise you prat". She pulled away and brought her face up close and personal to mine "can you do that?" She said innocently. I nodded my head and closed my eyes tightly, taking in the last sight I had of her. I breathed in the cold air deeply and started to count
1......"keep your eyes closed dylan" she quietly said from in front of me.
2......I felt her body heat come closer to me, making me prepared on what could happened. Somewhere inside my mind, I had the feeling that we were going to take this, our friendship to the next level by perhaps kissing me? 3......
As I got to the number 3, something about the number sent a shiver down my spin. Weirdly, the heat from her body disappeared, making me colder then usual. I waited for a moment before I had the signal to open my eyes again but as soon as a couple of seconds went by, there was still silence. Nothing but silence around me, until, I heard a sound I could never forget.
"DYLAN!". My eyes shot open to the blood curling scream of my name. I looked around me frantically, to find Alison was gone. "Alison! If this is another one of your games again, cut it out!". Again, nothing came until I heard the scream again "DYLAN PLEASE HELP ME!". This time, I knew it was serious. I looked around me, running up and down the damp forest. Over and over again, I screamed out Alison's name but no answer came within "Alison!" I screamed. Silence. I ran to where I remember the scream come from but it was so dark now, I couldn't see a thing. My head started to spin with the thought of where she could be, the thoughts at what was happening with her. Where was she? I cupped my hands over my mouth and screamed her name one last time "Alison! Where are yo-". Before I could finish my sentence, I looked down to my feet to see something that made death stare at me in the face. I kneeld down to the floor to where the my nightmare came to life. There in front of me, sat Alison's butterfly scarf I bought her on the ground. I picked it up and examined it for a moment with my eyes wide with shock and horror before I realised the blood that there was dyed onto the silk cream fabric. My world came crashing down as my pale finger trailed the scarlet blood.
Many thoughts rushed round my head. Where was she? What's going on?. Behind me, I heard a shuffling of dead leaves against the ground. Thinking it was Alison, I turned around with a little bit of relief weighing on my shoulders but out of horror, it wasn't her. Before I knew it, darkness fell on me and a striking pain throbbed at the back on my head. My body fell onto the floor violently and I started to feel myself losing consciousness. The darkness started to fall in front of my eyes and in a matter of seconds, I went out all together. And yet my last thought was her. My last memory was her. My last everything was her. Where was Alison?......