Harrington's Journal

Chapter 19: Dead or Alive? Him or Me?

May 21st

I did not know what was going on, but something seemed very wrong. I looked at the map several times and scanned the area around me. The map had led me exactly where I needed to be. The same part of the forest where I had entered. For some reason the further I walked, I saw nothing. I cannot see the manor nor the town, and the sky had not changed at all. Instead, the further I walked led me to a different part of the forest. Therefore, I retraced my steps.

It's not there! I cannot find it and I want to get out! However, something is trapping me here. I do not know if I will ever survive and it's killing me. Crying or worrying about it won't help either.

I ran back to find my way out of this damned place. I do not want my life to end like this, to be trapped here for eternity. I was dying and I wanted these memories of horrendous faces to get out my head. I did not want to be here, not anymore. Yet, I wanted to. I wanted to. It felt wrong to be staying here. It was sickening. I cannot stand it. God. I cannot decide with these thoughts. The more I dwelled on it, the more indecisive I became.

I quickly ceased running when I saw someone stalking in the shrubbery ahead of me. It was a man who wore a fur coat, making his form look seemingly large. I stepped back, trying to hide away but he caught sight of me before I had my chance. A muscular face with glowing red eyes staring at me. I felt as if an arrow had pierced into my soul. Both the thing I hated and feared had rekindled from the deepest part of my memories. My jaw dropped. I was trembling.

No! NO! NO! This was the man. The same man who should be dead instead of alive. He whom was haunting me this entire time. I hated myself for letting him.

He walked slowly towards me; a smile crept on his face. I turned around immediately and I started to run. I dared not to look back but it was just as frightening as I could hear him chasing behind me. Every nerve in my body racked up in fear. I never wanted this to happen, my worst fears had appeared right before me.

He tackled me down onto the corroded forest floor and flipped me around. I was forced to look up at him with petrified eyes. I struggled to push him away but he was stronger, easily pinning my arms beside me tightly. I thrashed my legs about, hoping to throw him off. It did nothing. I felt useless.

He looked slightly different, but those eyes and facial structure won't tell him apart. The beast dipped down and took a big sniff at my scent. He then smirked. "Mmm...human is it? I knew that I wasn't wrong. Oh, such a sweet aroma. It's been so long since I've seen and tasted a human. For you to end up in here might be your lucky day," he cackled, a voice that sounded exactly as I how I remembered.

He chuckled and leaned in, opening his mouth that aimed for my neck. My hand slipped out of his grip and my arm covered my neck. His sharp teeth pierced through the skin and into the flesh of my arm. Blood spilled all over. I cried out in pain. It felt like my whole arm was burning. Suddenly, he stopped and released his teeth from my arm. A wide smile appeared on his face, and he licked his lips, savouring the taste of my blood.

"Mmm. That taste." He laughed and his eyes widened. "I had not forgotten it. You are not just any human are you? You are the boy. Yes the boy. The boy who had wandered into the forest all those years ago. Well, look at you now. Grown to be a handsome man and yet still acting adventurous as ever. Did you come in here to find me?"

How dare he spoke to me like that. He never knew me, and yet he was trying to act friendly? I would not allow it. I clenched my teeth. The pain in my arm grew immensely. It was just one bite and it felt as if thousands of ants were biting onto my skin. My voice broke as I tried to speak. What came out was nothing but whimpers.

"What's wrong? I still haven't done anything to you yet. I am not going to kill you and I'm doing this because you have known about me for so long. And the other humans, it was too hard to resist the temptation to kill them. But you, oh I remember so well and there is so many things to discuss."