Caught In The Forest

A New Perspective

     With every day that passed, I felt myself dive more and more into the horror Wonderland. The house that reeked of death was no longer there, it was a mere home that greeted me everyday as I went and came from the desolate forest. Home sweet home. But I began to think of morality more often. Is this right? Should I accept these people? They have feelings, but as if we are lambs, they've butchered humans. I stared from a tree at a distance where I could only see a useless chimney that rose above the house. I'm living in the slaughter house.

     I jumped from the tree, tucking my knees in as I leaped from my high spot. E.J., outside with me one time, asked why I did so. I just laughed as he stared at me quizzically. I stopped when I noticed he was serious.

    "E.J., I'd probably break my ankles or even worse if I jumped like you did." All the Creepypastas did were leap effortlessly, if they got injured, no problem, they'd heal up quickly. However, I was not immortal nor did I have the magic of healing bestowed upon myself.

    "Oh," was all he mumbled before we trekked back to the house. 

    It was surprising how often the others ran around the forest, I used to think Slender was the only one who enjoyed it so much. But at the moment it was just myself who stood in the vast woods. Then an idea dawned on me, as though I had been brainless until that moment. Why don't I explore beyond that road I saw so long ago? The thought fit, I felt no side-effects could ride with it. So before another breath, I ran along the woods like I once had four years before. Memory flashed like lightening inside my head, and my escape route seemed to return. This time I felt no fear venturing, well, I was also not running away from a troupe of murderous creatures.

    Time swept by like wind, a curiosity filled the impatience. Finally, past the scratching branches and rough earth, I stumbled upon a road, as empty as before. This time no faceless man pulled me back, but that same faceless man did not know I was so far from the mansion. Seizing my chance, I jogged along the road, a grin spread across my face from a sense of adventure.

     Thankfully my second journey was not as long as the one through the forest. I found myself at an intersection, a car arriving in the distance. I looked straight across the intersection to see a a stone sign announcing in fancy lettering the town of "Evansville". I sprinted across the intersection, even though the car still rode a while to reach it. Pure joy greeted me, and excitement. I walked from there, ready to explore my new discovery. I wonder if the others come here. 

    The first thing I saw was a small plaza, it contained a dentist office, a store outlet, a gas station, and a restaurant. I wonder what Vietnamese food taste like, I can't remembering trying it. I walked along and saw big buildings and small buildings, official shiny looking ones and ones so rundown the windows were not free of a single crack. I gazed at a movie theater, the parking lot empty. The title of movies hypnotized me. I live in a house filled with electronics, but when have I last seen a movie?

     But what really caught my attention was the high school. Students ran around like bees on the campus. They're still at school, I wonder what time it is. I wonder what it would be like. Although I was twenty then, I still wanted to experience the remainder of high school, but I didn't want to offend the others by asking to continue. 

    I watched, from the safety of a fence, the normal living. They have normal friends. It wasn't until the school bell rang that I snapped out of watching, students began to pour out of the school. I heard bits of plans. It must be the weekend. After a few more minutes of watching I tore myself from the fence. But not a second later I bumped into one of the students. The binder he was holding struck the ground and a sole paper flew away. I quickly ran and snatched it from the sprinting wind. I returned to the boy and looked down at my shoes holding out the paper.

    "Sorry," I murmured. The boy only smiled and took his paper from my outstretched hand.

    "Thank you, it's okay," he said now holding out his own hand. "I'm Adam, and I don't think I've seen you before."

    I accepted his handshake. "I'm Penny. I'm from the next town over," I lied. "I just wanted to take a look around. I was bored."

   He laughed, and I looked at him questioningly. "You definitely won't find anything interesting here in Evansville. But there is the movie theater. Hey!" He said suddenly, throwing me off. "I don't know you much Penny, but I'd like to. My friends and I are going to go see that new horror movie tonight, I mean if you're up for it."

    I smiled then frowned,"I'm sorry, I don't have any money, I can't go."

    Adam smiled again, "Must have been that trip, right? Don't worry, there's a discount today and I can definitely pay. It'll be fun!" 

    For the first time in a while I felt so excited for something so simple. "Thank you, you have no idea how much this means to me."

    He grinned, "Oh, and we'll be hanging out at the park, the movie starts in an hour and half. You want to come with me?"

    I nodded with glee. "I'd love to."

    Adam laughed, "Penny, you're a cool stranger. Follow me!" This boy is so strange, we just met and yet he is so kind. I like him.

    As we walked we started a conversation. He wanted a back story so I told him one full of lies. He told me his and it was so humanely real, it felt tangible. I ended up telling me I was twenty. He smiled, "I'm a senior, eighteen." After some time we reached the park and I met his friends. Michael, Ross, Callie, Beatrice, and Giovanni. They were also so real and kind. The afternoon flew by so fast I forgot how we got the movie theater. Time flies when you're having fun. 

     The movie wasn't the greatest, but everyone else screamed in terror. The jump-scares, the murder scenes, the gore, none of it was frightening. But Beatrice almost fainted with fright. I took a philosophical point on the movie. I spoke to Adam as we walked out. "That ghost was just sad and angry, everyday is timeless. He must have felt like his murder was only two minutes ago." Adam laughed, and I was beginning to like this kind human sound of his.

    "Two minutes is a small amount of time to kill at least a hundred people." I nodded in agreement though, thinking about the fellows at home.

    "Thank you, Adam. I had lots of fun with you and your friends. Really."

    He smiled a perfect one. One filled with warmth and care, with life. Has it been this long since I've interacted with another human?  "Well, it was fun with you too, Penny. I have got to go to my job, but I hope to see you again." He turned to walk away, paused, and continued. His friends wished me goodbye as well, and suddenly I was alone in front of the theater looking at a dimmer sky. I felt happier then I had in four years. It was a happiness only gained from other people. Better start home. 

    I went back the same way I came, across the intersection, down the road approaching the forest. The sun was much lower in the sky, but I could still see. As I padded along the grass within woods, I continued to smile. But it was a simple hiss of my name that froze me when I was two thirds home. 

     "Penny."

    I looked to my left to see the tallest "man" in existence staring down at me. Slenderman didn't look like his normal self, a radiance of rage glowed around him. I knew that this was not going to end well.