I stare at the body, not believing what I have just seen.
My face and body have been drained of all colour.
Seven Hours Earlier
I'm in Stirling. It's extremely hot considering where I am. There is still a slight breeze which is making the heat bearable. I'm walking down one of the main cobbled streets of Stirling. The streets are full of people like it usually is. Yet I still feel completely alone, until I see a familar face. I only see a glimpse of the face but I recognise it. It's Jacob, a boy in the year above me, I carry on walking straight through the crowds and when I get to the area of the pavement I find a note. That Jacob must have dropped when he was rushing away. I pick up the note and it says "Meet me at 7pm, at the alleyway near the park near our school."
I stand at the same place for a good ten minutes in a state of confusion. Then I go home to have my lunch. 2pm. All I do is stare at the clock while I try to distract myself by doing some homework. 3pm. I listen to some music and message some of my friends but a feeling I get is stopped me from telling them about the whole note situation.
4pm. I decide to read a book which wastes an hour; the book is a Stephen King book which doesn't calm my nerves or my curiosity. 5pm. I have my dinner like usual and all I do is look at the clock going by. Minute by minute. "Why do you keep staring at the clock do you have some where to be?" my mum asks in a gentle curious voice. I look down to see my knee jumping up and down at an unsteady rate. What am I so nervous for....?
I reply to my mum with "Oh nothing just staring at the clock waiting for TV show to air tonight". She just nods but I know she doesn't believe me. Twenty minutes to seven. I get my shoes on, a coat and head down to the alleyway. I get there at 7pm and I can spot the dark shadow in one of the streetlights waiting for me. I don't know how long he has been standing there for but I don't think it has been very long. He slowly starts moving towards me. I don't speed up my walking because the whole setting of the place he told me to meet him at is scaring me. My parents don't know I'm here so I'm hoping I can meet up with Jacob find out this mystery and then go home , go to my bedroom and forget whatever I got told. Something tells me it won't end like that.
When he gets close enough I can tell he's relieved to see me. "Hello Cara, right on time" he says. "Yeah I guess so where are you taking me?" I say sounding nervous. We are walking deeper into the alleyway. I stare at the graffiti on the walls to help calm my nerves. I can feel the coldness in the air which is making me see mine and Jacob's breathes. Every single one of them is a grey cloud of CO2.
"Why me?" I ask Jacob. "Why you?" he asks repeating my question. "I cant answer that right now". "Why not? I feel like it's an important thing for me to know about," I say nervously sensing his irritation. "Just stop asking questions," he says while combing his hair with his hand. As we near the end of the alleyway I start to feel calmer. Out in the open where everyone can see us.
I want to ask where we are going but I know I wouldn't get a clear answer from Jacob so I don't bother asking and continue to follow him. It isn't until now that I realise he's in all black. Black converse, jeans, hoodie and top. We are soon at a random hill a good 10-15 minutes away from the alley way we started at. The further we get the more harder forgetting what I know is going to be. The nearer we get to the top of the hill the clearer I can see where exactly we are heading. We are heading in the direction of the woods which I have been to many times with my friends and family. When we get to the entrance he finally breaks the silence.
"We are getting closer to answering all of your questions if you must know" he tells me. I just nod and continue to follow him through the woods I know so well but right now it doesn't feel familiar place at all as if I just came here for the first time. As we go through the woods I'm aware of everything, every crunch my foot makes as I go over a pile of leaves and twigs. The sound I make every time I breathe. The sudden sound of a owl hooting making the hairs at the back of my neck go up. I look up to see the moon fully out. I then direct myself to focussing straight ahead. I have been going through reasons as to why Jacob asked to meet me at that alleyway and I'm in these woods.
We are starting to slow down which means we are close to where we are meant to be. "There is something I need to tell you." He says, nerves slowly creeping into his voice. We both sit down on two tree barks and as he tells me I cant help but scream in horror.
I stare at the body, not believing what I have just seen.
My face and body have been drained of all colour.
