A Través Da Corrente

Down by the stream

"Ryan! Come on, I want to show you something I found the other day. It's beautiful, please Ryan!" I had yelled as the bell rings, I was dragging him through the corridors at the end of the day. Everyone was starting at him, I had no idea why.

It was a Friday afternoon, and it was so sunny, no clouds in the sky, and perfectly still. Not even a trace of wind. And yet it wasn't too hot, only just right, and, I would realise later, it was far too perfect for an afternoon in the middle of October.

"Ryan, let him go, there's no one there, you're seeing things. Just come hang out at my house. We're gonna play spin the bottle and Pete's gonna be there," Brent had Wiggled his eyebrows at Ryan, the bastard, we'd never liked him.

"Brent, for the last time, this isn't funny, he's right there. Even if he wasn't, and this stupid prank was true, my boyfriend just died, I'm not gonna want to play spin the bottle," that had made me far too happy. He turned to me, "Come on, let's go. Where are you taking me anyway?"

I didn't answer him, just grabbed his hand and pulled him out of the front doors and down the steps. He had been so surprised, telling me to, "slow down," and, "you're gonna make me fall if you're not careful."

Neither of us took notice of the pitying looks Ryan was given, but we knew they were there. Ryan had seemed to know why, but it clearly bothered him so I didn't ask. He could tell me if he wanted to.

So we ran down, for about a mile and a half, taking a few brakes and not really going that fast, but still technically running. We laughed and joked and jumped and took the turn into the forest, hopping over rocks and fallen trees on our way down to the stream.

"Hey, are we going to the stream, you know it's not safe, you fell there only a week ago." He had repeated the rant I'd already heard so many times, and would hear a thousand more. "Shut up ryro, you sound like my mom. It's fine now, we can be careful, just follow me, I found the best spot, you can almost see the sparkles around you." He had paused for a minute, before groaning and jogging towards where I had paused, waiting for him.

I silently cheered, "come on then, hurry so we make it before dusk, it looks prettiest then." And we started again, this time I nearly tripped on a hidden rock at one point, but managed to catch myself easily, "careful, babe, you promised." I just nodded, continuing on my way, him close behind.

When we got there, to the spot I loved so much, his mouth opened in awe. "Woah, how did you find this place?" I had simply grinned, leaping onto the stepping stones in the stream, "when I fell, I washed up here. Come on, it's even better over here!"

It really was, it opened into a clearing and there really seemed to be little lights in the air, sparkles surrounding you. The colours were even more amazing, all oranges and golds and pinks and reds from the falling leaves and sunset that was only just beginning. It was silent too, other than the rushing water of the stream and the crunch of leaves under your feet.

No animals were there, although they were almost everywhere else in the forest, I didn't know why. It seemed eerie though, as though, within all the beauty, was some kind of sinister secret, maybe that was what really made me so fascinated by it, by the stream in general. Maybe, I had thought, that was why the stories had started, little kids coming here and sensing something was off, even though it was perfectly fine.

My thought process, however, was interrupted, and I was reminded that my boyfriend was here, on the other side of the stream. "You know the tales, honey, you know we shouldn't go over there. What if it's true?" He looked genuinely terrified, I had to stop myself from laughing, "shut up! You don't actually believe all that rubbish, do you? Nothings gonna happen ry, I swear. I've been over here loads, and look at me, I'm perfectly fine." I gestured to myself, raising an eyebrow in challenge, daring him to admit his belief that they were real.

He, reluctantly, stood on the first stepping stone, dipping his other foot in before continuing on the way, watching his feet carefully. As he got off at the end, he looked up and seemed to gaze straight past him me, "Babe?! Babe, where'd you go?" His mood seemed to change, "come on, come out, it's not funny." He sensed the sinister mood just then. "Please, I'm scared," it came out only as a choked whisper. I tried to yell at him, that I was right there, that he was being stupid, as bad as the rest of them, just like Brent. He wouldn't listen.

Then he seemed to reel back in horror, at something stood right behind me but I was sure it couldn't have been me. Suddenly, before I could react, he ran, sprinted, not bothering with the stepping stones, just trying to get out of there as quickly as possible.

And so, I had followed, "it's alright Ry, it's just me, don't run, please, you're scaring me." But he didn't stop, just sped up, there was no way I could keep up. I gave in, lying on the ground and sobbing. I whispered, in a barely audible voice, "I'm scared Ryan. Please don't leave me."

Then it all went black, and I had no memory of that afternoon from after the bell rang until years later.