Forsaking Lilly

Chapter Thirteen

Alright, don't panic.

That was about all I could tell myself while I got lost further in the woods, looking for him. As I walked, even deeper, I smacked myself in the forehead a few good times. " Stupid, stupid, stupid." I should've just stayed put, he would've found me eventually. I sighed and rubbed my temples, stopping so that I could clear my head and figure out a plan. Maybe he would have found me, but then maybe he wouldn't have. I'd gotten so far ahead, obviously, who's to say that he wouldn't have turned in another direction?

I puffed out a tiny breath, kicking at the dirt with my sneakers. I knew that I'd been out here for some time now, and I was pretty sure that the power at the house was back on. I could go back if I could find my way through, but there was always that annoying risk of getting lost in these trees forever. "That's ridiculous," I spat, drawing back my shoulders and taking a deep breath. "Eventually I'll reach the edge." I kept trudging on, determined to get myself out of this.

Something within me wanted to blame Cooper for this mess, seeing as it was his idea to go to his house anyways. But it was your idea to take off running like a twit, my mind added. " That's certainly true," I muttered to myself. Sometimes, I could be impulsive which wasn't always a bad thing. However, in situations like this it certainly was. " I'm such a genius," I huffed, rolling my eyes.

I wrapped my arms around myself, a sudden chill finding me and freezing me over. The bottoms of my jeans were soaked from pushing through the wet moss and I felt gross, seeing as I had walked through a few spider webs. The only good thing right now, was that I'd tied my hair back moments before, so now my hair didn't catch on anything. I smiled at myself, amused that I was grateful for something so simple. I was just about to laugh when something ruffled behind me.

I could name a million other things in this world that I would have rather heard than that ruffle. It was so ominous and empty. An unsettling new chill, that didn't come from being cold, rippled down my spine, settling deep in my bones. My mouth dropped open and I breathed out, my breath suddenly very visible. It's gotten colder. The thought made me skeptical, but then I decided that the temperature had nothing to do with the sound.

 My mind immediately tried to rationalize the sound. Maybe Cooper had found me, maybe he was playing some time of joke. In anger, fear, and frustration, my hands curled into fists and my brows pulled tightly together. I didn't want to look scared, I wanted to look like something to reckon with. "Hey, Cooper," I called. My neck crooned forward as I looked about, ready to spot the grinning fool. If this was really a silly trick he was trying to pull, he'd regret it. I wasn't in any shape, form, or fashion to respect a prank. If he was smart, he'd just come out of hiding.

" If this is a joke, I swear I'll kill you." My voice was shrill and thin, not intimidating in the least. I got even more frustrated than, and felt heat blazing over my face with power. " I'm not playing," I shouted, this time more firm. I stood there for a moment, waiting for him to come out and say something stupid like 'RAWR'. But nothing happened. Instead, it was deadly quiet. The only thing I could hear were the crickets.

A bird, just a bird, I found more pleasure in this thought but couldn't believe it all the way. My eyes darted around me, seeing silhouettes in the shadows of the trees. Paranoia seeped threw me and I felt my breathing quicken sharply. What was it about sounds in the dark that made you think of the worst possibilities? It definitely didn't help that I was in Texas either, because all I could think of was the Chainsaw Massacre. Images of being chased by a lunatic with a bloody chainsaw flooded my mind instantly, any other time I would have found this comical but not now.

I stood still  for a little while longer, waiting to hear it again, but still nothing happened. Feeling more stupid than I already did, I shook my head.The thought of actually being that afraid made me feel small and I took an aggravated step back. I didn't want to be out here anymore. I didn't like not knowing what hid in the dark and I damn sure didn't like being afraid. Infuriated, I  turned and continued on my walk. I pretended like I didn't hear a thing and, instead, focused on whether or not my mother was having a good time.