A Shrill Cry Echoed From the Mist

Hey, this is really old but I thought I'd publish it just for the craic, idk. I'm probably never going to write more and it's kind of unfinished but here ya go.

Running through the misty forest, xe heard a faint cry coming from deep in the trees. Xe spun around quickly and waved xyr torch in the darkness, checking to see if xe had been followed. Xe decided that xe had either imagined the noise or the darkness was concealing a monster that was going to kill xem. Xe continued running and tried to get the thought out of xyr head.

Xyr bag was starting to feel quite heavy now and xe was getting thirsty from running, so xe decided to take a break. Xe slowed down and leaned against a tree to catch xyr breath for a minute before swinging xyr bag off xyr shoulders. Xe'd have to leave the torch xe was carrying on the ground to get anything out of xyr bag (xe only had two hands), which xe didn't really like. It was terrifying out here and gripping on to the torch was comforting to xem. The texture of it felt nice, and it was one thing xe knew for sure, one thing that could ground xem. This forest was scary and new, but this torch, it was constant and familiar.

Peter didn't really think it made much sense, but neither did anything relating to xem.

Xe rooted through xyr bag quickly for a water bottle. There was a growing feeling of restlessness in xyr chest and xe couldn't stand staying still. Xe pulled a bottle out of xyr bag and took a swig of water. Xe really needed to get moving or xe felt xe would implode.

Xe shoved the bottle back into xyr bag and was about to swing it on xyr shoulders when suddenly, xe froze. Xe had definitely heard it this time, a shrill cry echoing from the mist, making xyr blood run cold. Suddenly xe couldn't move or think and xe was frozen in place holding onto one strap of xyr bag.

After a couple seconds xe processed what xe had just heard and the panic started to sink in. Xe remembered where xe was and realised xe had stopped breathing. Xe forced xemself to breathe in and out and tried to calm xemself down. Xe picked up the torch with shaking hands and xyr bag, which xe swung onto xyr shoulders.

Peter started walking again and forced xemself to think. The noise seemed to have come from xyr right, but it had sounded far away, so xe probably wasn't in any immediate danger, though xe had no idea what the source of the noise was so xe couldn't be certain about this. Xe moved in the opposite direction from it, and even though xe wanted to run because that seemed like the logical thing to do, xe didn't want to run into a tree. Once xe had finally come fully back to reality and started breathing properly, xe picked up xyr pace a little. Xe still couldn't move too quickly though, because there was no path.

Peter tried to figure out what that horrifying sound was. Maybe the kids at xyr school weren't bullshitting and there was a banshee in this forest. Or maybe xe had made up the sound and it wasn't real at all. That seemed like something xe would do. Xe was pretty weird or, messed up, whatever. That was why xe had decided to run into the fucking forest without a plan or proper supplies, wasn't it?

When Peter ran away, xe just ran. There were rumours of places in this forest where you could get lost in the realm of magic, or something like that, but xe wasn't sure if that stuff was real or not and it sounded like bullshit superstition. Even if it was real (not likely, but xe was hoping), xe wasn't sure how xe would even go about finding a way there. The only reason xe had decided to run through the forest was because it would be hard for anyone looking to find xem in the mist, if anyone even noticed xyr absence. If the magic stuff was real that would be a plus too, and it would probably save xem.

Peter wondered who the first person to realise xe was gone would be. Probably someone at school, although maybe not on the first day. If they saw xyr empty seat they probably wouldn't think anything of it. Missing one day isn't that odd for xem. Xe would often skip school if it was too much that day. The other kids in xyr class ignored xem completely and the teachers said as little as possible to xem. Xe took a lot of sick days.