The Forests Floor

Nine years later.

It had been over nine years since Anastasia was found on the roadside, dirty, timid and seemingly alone.

But just because she found her way to "safety", didn't mean her life would go back to normal.  Two years after her family had reclaimed her, The mother disappeared leaving Anastasia with her abusive father, and dirtbag brother. Shortly after she left, her two remaining family members were killed in a freak accident and Anastasia, having no more family willing to care for her was put into foster care.

But now that she was 18, had a steady job working as a manager in Target and ownd a car, she finally moved out of her foster parents home.

The apartment complex she rented into wasn't the most pleasant, but she made the most of it. It stood, a bit delapitated at the edge of town. There was just a living room, bathroom and kitchen, it was cozy, big enough for just her and maybe a pet of some kind. The living room had a baywindow which she placed her couch infront of, so that she could overlooked the dark forest. Dark tangled trees reached their branches up to claw at the overcast skys, that was dimming as night approached. Having no money for a TV, this was her replacement for it.

She shivered then stood and went to the small closet she'd put her cloths in. She pulled on a pair of grey fuzzy boots, and a charcoal grey sweater. Stepping outside her breath froze in the chilly air, she pressed her chocolate brown bangs from her eyes and decended down the stairs to the edge of the forest, where she walked, looking for a path of some sort to travel down. She came across an old deer path, stepping over fallen branches and tangled bushes she walked into the mass of trees.

The momment she stepped in, a heavy feeling hit her, followed by the sense of somebody watching her. She shrugged it off and continued on her way enjoying the brisk air and dead tangled trees, which were in a way a gruesome sort of beauty. Every once in a while a twig or branch would crack behind her, but apon looking back there was nothing in sight except for a squirrel or two. Sometime later, she began noticing how quickly daylight was fading, and turned around to hurry back. Suddenly, behind her leaves crunched as something big lept from a tree, and began coming her way.

Panic flooded her and she began running. What ever was following almost instantly lept into a sprint after her, slowly gaining in. Nearing the forests edge, she ignored the burning sensation in her lungs and legs that begged for her to slow and forced herself to run faster.

"Anastasia, Please wait!" a male voice called out.

Too scared to look, she burst of the woods before she turned around, still backing away. There was no one there, but for just a momment she saw florescent yellow eyes staring at her longingly, through the brush, which waved softly as what ever it was turned and padded away slowly.