The Sight

Chapter Four: Sinister Nature

     Clara and Anna frantically make their way through the front entrance of the house to the gloomy, fog covered ground outside. "What was that?!," Anna asks Clara with jitters. Clara just stares at the doll and back to the house. Clara bravely makes her way over to the doll, to see what the outcome might be if she were to approach it. Slowly bending over, inching her way to this mysterious, dark doll, she snatches it up. To Clara and Anna's amazement nothing happens.

     "Well, that was a little dramatic," Anna tries to hide her fright with a joke. Still, Clara has said nothing this entire time, but her mind has been racing with thoughts, "But, I don't understand, why, I'm just so confused, how, or even, what...." Anna grabs Clara's attention by hollering her name multiple times. "Do you know what just happened," asks Anna. Clara answers Anna with a simple, short no. They both gaze upon this huge, brick house. "How can I call this my home, what have I gotten myself into..." Clara ponders to herself as Twie makes his way out of the house. "Maybe it was an earthquake, no, that wouldn't be possible," Clara tries to make sense out of this situation.

     Meow, meow, purrr, Twei rubs against Clara's legs as if he knows she's upset. "Maybe, it was the pipes or something, you know, it's an old house," Anna tries to take control of their fears by coming up with logical explanations. "The pipes," Clara mumbles unsure. "Yeah, the pipes," she says a little louder, sounding more sure. "But, the windows... could that have been the wind..." Clara wonders.

     As Anna and Clara stare at this house, they wonder if it's safe to go inside. They slowly make their way to the front door. Clara looks inside and sees nothing out of the ordinary, "it must be okay," she thinks. Anna looks around and walks through the door and into the living room, with Clara following behind her she turns around and grabs the doll from Clara to see if anything would happen... nothing. "Well, I guess it was your old pipes," Anna jokes to Clara. With a chuckle they both make their way upstairs, due to it getting late. Anna tosses the doll onto the chair in the corner.

     "I'm glad you came over," Clara says to Anna. Anna smiles and replies, "Me too." They situate themselves on the bed and turn on the television. Twie makes his appearance at the end of the bed, snuggling Clara's feet. "So have you always had him," Anna asks Clara in reference to Twie. "No, it was strange, he just popped up out of the blue, he actually almost gave me a heart attack the first time we met," Clara says while giggling. "Well, he definitely likes you," Anna notices while Twie purrs loudly. Clara smiles and puts on a show.

     Clara awakens to static on the tv, she looks over to the clock as it reads 3:16AM. She glances over and Anna is sound asleep. Wanting to quinch her thirst she quietly gets up, to be sure not to wake Anna. Creaking down the steps she makes her way to the sink and grabs a glass of water. Looking out onto the misty, glowing field, brightened by the full moon, she glances at the dirt path and it looks like someone is walking into the woods. She puts her water down on the counter and rubs her eyes, when she gazes back up, she sees nothing.

     Clara wonders if her eyes are playing tricks on her or if she really saw someone. She reaches over to grab the cardigan that was hung next to the back door to put it on. She decides she's going to explore the path. Clara then grabs a flashlight and loudly shuts the back door behind her. Slowly making her way on the path, only a few feet away from the woods, she begins to wonder if she made a mistake. "What if someone is out here, I have no way to protect myself, what would I do," Clara frightens herself. "Regardless I'm already almost there, I need to grow a pair," Clara thinks bravely.

     Clara is now standing at the forest. She looks back to the house and it seems so far away, but yet it was less than a couple yards away. She looks toward the cramped, mist covered trees. Without the flashlight she wouldn't be able to see but a couple feet ahead of her. Clara gradually takes her first step into the woods. "Well, that wasn't so bad," Clara thinks to herself.

     A few steps into the opaque forest and Clara begins to worry again, but continues on. Crack, crack, brings Clara to a halt. She moves the flashlight around to see if she can pinpoint what cause that noise. "It almost sounded like something stepped on a twig," Clara wonders, "but, that would make sense, I mean I am in the woods after all, it was probably just a deer." Clara continues through the woods a little while longer.

     Clara stops and begins to enjoy how peaceful her walk has become. She closes her eyes to listen to the forest. The tremendous, magnificent cedar and pine trees are swaying with the gentle, enchanting breeze. The air is fresh, tame, and has the delightful aroma of evergreens. She can hear the crickets singing in the background, as well as a faint, pleasant swishing, as if water is nearby.

     A quiet thud in the background brings the moment of enjoyment to a stop causing Clara to open her eyes. She looks around to see what could have caused the small rumpus. "Hmm.. must've just been a branch falling down," Clara wonders to herself. Wanting to continue appreciating the nature Clara decides to continue through the woods to see what's further. After wandering for a few yards she is brought to a stand still. The cramped trees open up to reveal a murky, muggy pond that impedes her way. She looks down at it's peerless beauty. The algae in the pond makes it a faded turquoise color. Clara can hear the water striders softly gliding across the pond, as well as the soothing sound of the wings of dragonflies flying and landing on the dew covered leaves of the plants around the pond.

     Crack, Clara hears another branch break in the distance. She takes her eyesight off of this majestic beauty and flashes the light toward the other end of the pond. Due to the mist and humidity from the storm the other night her light reflected back to her. "What is that... I cant see..." Clara turns off her light to tries to figure out what's on the other side of the pond. As the artificial light fades, the moon hovers above. "What, what could that be, is that a man..." Clara squinting to the distance she seems to see a black, foggy apparition of a man standing on the other side. She tries to inch a little closer accidently stepping in the pond itself, she immediately looks down at her now wet slippers and backs out. Bringing her attention back to the shadow like figure she realizes it disappeared. "It must've just been fog," Clara concludes. "What, what i-is this," Clara trembles in thought.

A piercing, frigid hand clutches onto Clara's shoulder.