Short Stories

Woods

(This is kind of a creepy story. At least, it should be- I tried my best.)

The woods are cold and silent. You walk down the path, shivering in the frigid air. You should've brought your coat, but you had to leave the house. It was too cramped, too loud. You had to get away.

You hug yourself in an effort to stay at least a little warm as you walk down the old path. It just turned dawn, so the air is still. The birds aren't even singing yet.

As you walk, leaves crunch. You smile to yourself- this is the most peace you've gotten in months. A twig snaps a few yards behind you, and you freeze at the sound.

It's alright; we were just saying hello.

As soon as you determine that nothing is following you, you continue to walk down the path. The tree branches wave in the air, but there's no wind. We're just trying to get your attention, but you don't notice.

If only you had.

You keep walking down the path and make it to the clearing. It's nice- surrounded by the trees, and you can hear a stream trickling in the distance. Another twig snaps. We notice, but you don't.

You should've noticed.

We watch, and there's nothing we can do. The other one, the one that snapped that last twig, sneaks up behind you. Then, your world goes dark. Ours does not.

We're sorry- we tried to warn you.