Brown Curls. Red Eyes.

Chapter 1

"This is where we are staying?" I look all around and see cobwebs on the ceilings and what looks like an inch of dust blanketing everything.

"Yep. For the whole summer and you're not getting out of it." My dad says almost laughing at the end. I roll my eyes hoping he didn't see.

I'm staying at a cabin in the middle of a thick forest with no cell signal. How the heck am I going to survive these next 3 months. As if answering my thoughts my mom says, "I heard there was a stream just outside the tree line Annabelle!"

"Mom! I already told you I go by Anna." I say rubbing my temples.

"What's wrong with Annabelle?" She asks in a sweet, innocent voice. "You know what, never mind. Just forget it." I say not wanting to pick a fight over such a silly topic.

After we unloaded all the bags and unpacked them I plopped down on the couch and was surrounded by a giant dust cloud. I sat in disgust and pulled out my phone. Still no service. I put my phone back up and decide to wander around the cabin.

There's not much to it. Only a master bedroom, living room a kitchen and a small bathroom. Well, I'm already bored and I've been here no less than an hour.

I decide to go see what my parents are doing so I go in the kitchen to look for them. My mom is stirring something in a bowl for what I assume is for dinner, even though it's only 3 in the afternoon. Then my dad is sitting at the counter with his reading glasses on staring at some boring old newspaper.

I sit down next to my dad and try and study his face while he reads each line. He notices, and a smile starts to tug at the corners of his lips. "You know, it's not very nice to stare." My dad says as he turns the page.

"It's not like I have anything better to do." I huff and prop my chin up on the counter with my hand. My dad lays the paper down and turns his chair towards me.

"What are you talking about?! There is plenty of things to do!" My dad says.

"Like what." I fire back.

"Well... There's... Uh... The woods! Yes the woods, you could go look in there and see if you find anything interesting." As soon as he says that my mother stops stirring and turns around to face us.

"Just please, don't go when it's dark." My mom says out of nowhere.

"Why?" I ask

"Just don't." And with that she turns back around and begins stirring again.

I turn and look at my dad and he's already reading his newspaper again. Whatever. I'll just go outside.

Once I get outside I am instantly aware that I am now surrounded by nothing but trees. I walk to the closest tree and keep going not looking back.

With each step I take the less stress I have. All the weight is being lifted off my shoulders and I feel like I can breathe. The guilt, the pain, everything has just disappeared.

Even jake. He is gone and will forever be gone. He won't ever find me. Ever.

Good job Anna. You're all peaceful and then you decide to bring up that kinda shit. My subconscious adds. Gosh I hate her right now.

I hear a stick break behind me and I freeze. My heart is beating at an incredibly fast rate and I can practically hear it thumping against my rib cage.

I slowly turn around and see a chipmunk with his little nose scrunched up. I let out a breath I didn't know I was holding and continue forward.

I start to hear distant water running, so I decide to follow the sound. The water running turns into a fast moving current then into a rushing stream.

Once I reach the stream the noise seems to calm me so I decide to sit down on a rock and listen to the water.

When I open my eyes it's almost dark. I quickly stand up and start to make my way back to the cabin.

I honestly have no idea where I am now. Did I walk this far into the woods? No, I couldn't have. All I can think of right now is how to get out of these damn woods.

All I see is trees, trees, and more trees. I'm starting to give up on finding a way out. So I try and find my way to the stream and maybe set up some kind of camp there.

I start to hear the familiar sound of rushing water and follow it until I reach the stream. Once I get there I plop down on a rock, and rest my elbows on my knees with my chin in my hands.

Then everything starts to set in. What my parents are doing. Are they worried? Do they even care? I don't realize I'm crying until I wipe my eyes and my mascara smears all over my face.

"Shit. Well this day just keeps getting better and better." I say to myself considering no one else is there. My thoughts are interrupted when I hear leaves start to rustle behind me.

I don't get scared this time because last time it was just a chipmunk. So I just ignore it and try and wipe the makeup off under my eyes.

The leaves rustle again but they sound closer so I turn around to see what it is. It's almost pitch black and I can barely see anything. I squint my eyes and that's when I saw them.

The red eyes.

My breath hitched in my throat and I stood up extremely fast. I never took my eyes off of the red glowing circles that started coming closer to me. A sliver of moonlight shone on its face and I swear it was a man, with fangs?

Then I stepped back and missed the rock and fell into the bubbling water.

That's when everything went black.