FOREST OF THE LOST

PART TWENTY FOUR

44.

Things are tense, there is more than enough worry going round to last a lifetime. There is fear too, a fear that exists on many levels. A panicking fear that anything can happen at any given moment without any kind of warning. A hopeless fear that no matter what anyone tries, the same horrible ending will still come. A confident fear, we will take on whatever you throw at us and we will win, beat you at your own game ... but please be gentle.

Two members of this group are only fourteen; one who may have once thought himself to be tough now convinces himself he is not so tough at all. Missing a couple of hours or so of school seemed like a good idea to Jeremy but now if he could only take it back then he would in a heartbeat, he'd even be happy to trade a month of going to school seven days a week for to get away from where he is right now. Heck, he would even take on a full day of maths with Miss Bradshaw picking on him as much as she likes, which is not exactly what she does do.

A young lady went for an early morning run with her dog like she had done so many times before, if she had of known where the latest of her runs would have got her then she may have willingly given up her runs to prevent her looped entrapment from happening.

Imagine heading off to cut up some wood for yourself to make sure winter would not feel as cold as it might do if you don't do this one thing only to end up in a place of endlessness for years without getting an opportunity to go home. If Jason had known what was to come, then he most definitely would have been happy to endure an entire winter wrapped up in bed rather than having the life he had known taken away from him.

Then there is Terrence. Well, he was coming here one way or another, whether he knew it or not, wanted it or not, a destiny had grabbed him by the horns. This place, if it were possible, is written into his DNA. Without knowing it, his life before coming to this town had prepared him to come here. What can his life ever be if he doesn't get out of this park and out with all those who are in his company?

Out, if this were something he may accomplish alone, he would have his parents who he loves very much, he'd have his father to share expensive whisky with, his mother to fuss over him and he would endevour to ensure she doesn't become terminally ill and then there is Mary, his new town neighbour. Could she ever become anything else? Never mind what she might become if given the chance, a more immediate concern is as to how she is doing? Where is she? Is she alright? Is anyone alright?

Would making it out alone be considered a success? If success can complete and whole then, can any member of this group go on and have any kind of normal life if and when an exit can be made?

With a time of year currently in existence, if one could be put on this park as it were temporarily stuck in a particular season, you could say it was autumn. There are many fallen leaves, crisp leaves of various colours but then again you could also say it is spring for all the surrounding trees appear to be full with leaves despite what is on the ground. Winters are harsh for the surrounding town, so if that were to suddenly appear for any length of time ... without escape coming, anything is likely to happen.

But in this moment, Autumn, or Spring it may be. There are plenty of birds in flight and singing away, there always has been that. The place as a whole has never been particularly warm or particularly cold ... well not yet anyway.

This horse chestnut trail is a lengthy stretch of a trail. It mostly is a straight walkway, and it has its slight declines and slight rises, it is the only wide-open space within the whole park. There are, obviously enough, plenty of trees on either side of the walkway but they do not come close to stretch out far enough to provide much shelter for if it should rain for instance.

If it were to rain, then some sort of shelter can be taken among the trees but if you were out on the open walkway, you would most definitely get soaked in a matter of seconds. Terrence has noticed on a previous occasion the sound of rain hitting treetops while he remained completely dry, as if the sky and the ground were separated in time. With all that is and all that has happened would it come as a surprise the group to see and feel a sudden coldness and a fairly strong snowfall?