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Chapter 5

Cameron was running through the woods grateful she knew the way home without having to think. Her head was filled with images of the dark figured man, the sickening sound the bag made as he tossed it off his shoulder, and the image of the dead woman lying just a few yards behind her. There was no room left to map her way home.
Darkness was starting to take over the sky by the time she made it to her back door. Cameron was shaking so hard that opening the door was impossible. Frustrated tears fell from her eyes blurring her vision. She wiped them away with her mud covered hands. The door opened and Mary stood there. "Cameron, what is it, what's wrong?" She cried out. Mary's face almost mirrored Cameron's feelings. Shock and horror as she took in the sight of Cameron. Crying, her face covered in muddy tears, her green eyes wide in horror and trembling. "Dear Lord, child what is the matter?" Mary asked again grabbing Cameron by the shoulders to shake her from her muted state.
"Where are my parents? Are they home?" Cameron croaked. "Yes, your father is in his study Miss Cameron. Should I go get him?" Mary pleaded to offer what help she could to this child. "No, I'll go to him." Cameron said starting to regain her self again. She came in and hurriedly shut and locked the back door. She left every inch of the door she touched covered in mud. Running from the room, leaving a horrified house keeper in her path.
"DAD! Dad. There's something in the woods that...." Cameron was almost screaming as she open the door to her fathers study. She was cut off as she saw her father sitting at his desk, hunched over a drink sobbing. "Dad? What is it? What is wrong?" Cameron asked feeling her emotions go flying all over the place.
"Cameron, your mother.." he started to say as he looked up from his almost empty glass. "What happened to you Cameron? Are you hurt?" He quickly change the conversation as he stood up fast at the sight of his child. "Wait, what about mom? No, I'm not...hurt. But tell me about mom." Cameron answered him.
"I dropped her off this morning at Shades of Green. She's been so sad lately. She woke up and packed a bag and told me she needed a spa day. Why on earth she insists on calling it a spa is beyond me. Maybe she feels like it isn't so bad if we think of that place as more of a retreat then a hospital." Her dad explains. Sitting back down in his chair. He seems so sad. Cameron is so use to this news by now. This is the fourth time her mother has gone to Shades of Green. She goes and spends a few months getting put on new meds that are supposed to make her better. It works for awhile, until it just doesn't anymore. Then her mother goes on another "spa trip".
"Dad. It will be okay. We can go visit her in a few weeks. She will start feeling better by then. Maybe we can plan a trip for when she comes back. Mom would like that." Cameron knew her part in this. She will take care of her dad now. He will spend most of his time in his study pretending to be working from home, to be there for Cameron. Instead she will be reminding him to eat, shower, and to go the bed. "Yes, yes your right. A vacation will be great for all of us." He replied.
"Dad, there is something else. I found something in the woods today. We need to call the police." Cameron said. For a second she forgot about the body in the woods. "What did you find in the woods Cameron?" Her dad asked. His eyes focused on her every word. "A body....there is a body buried in our woods."