Painted Smile: The Return of Jeffery Woods

The hunted becomes the hunter...

Becky wasn't too far into the woods yet. If she looked behind she'd still be able to see the road and her house peeking through the trees. However, Becky didn't know where she was going. For all she knew, she could be venturing deeper and deeper into nowhere. She knew she was searching for Bella and her brother but she didn't know which way to go, or if she was even heading towards them. But she wasn't going to give up. She can't let Jeff think that he's won his little game. Besides, she had a gun in her hand, and also Bella's teddy in the other. Anyone who dared to try and stop her or get in her way would be sure to get a bullet in their head. Further and further Becky went in. It was hard to tell if it was getting dark, or if it was just the illusion of the trees surrounding her. Birds were singing their songs and the small breeze slipped through Becky's hair. She heard a twig snap from her far right, causing her to suddenly raise the gun. But she put the gun down once she saw who it was. It was Jamila. Jamila walked over to Becky once she saw her. "Jamila? What the hell are you doing this deep in the woods?" Jamila looked around her before replying, "I could ask you the same thing." Becky sighed and replied, "Jeff took Bella. He tricked me, Amy and Dr Winters by breaking her bedroom window as a distraction. I found her teddy lying outside the entrance to these woods. I took this gun off Dr Winters. I'm gonna kill this freak once I see him." Jamila was disgusted with Jeff. Becky then asked, "That's my story. So tell me, why are you here?" Jamila told Becky that it's better to keep moving and not just stand around. "I've been trying to, get away." Becky questioned, "Get away? Get away from what?" Jamila sighed, "Taylor."

Becky asked what she meant. "He's not what you think. I mean, when you saw him. When you came to my house this morning, he might've seemed nice and, caring. Protective. But he's not like that. Not like that at all. He went back to his normal ways once you and Amy left." Jamila then showed the cuts on her arm. "No. He did that?" Jamila nodded with a frown. "That's why he and Kieran call themselves the twisted brothers." Becky then interrupted, "Wait, Kieran's the same?" Jamila replied, "Well, to be honest, I'm not really sure. I don't know if he really is just as mad or, Taylor makes him. I don't know. But if Kieran really is mad like his brother, I feel really sorry for Amy." Becky thought about the words being said. Hopefully Kieran isn't as mad as Taylor, at least then there won't be anything bad happening with Amy. Becky and Jamila didn't really know where they were going, but they weren't stopping. The silence around them was broke when Jamila spoke, "That's a cute teddy bear. I'm guessing that one was Bella's favourite. God, your brother makes me sick. Kidnapping his own daughter, and for what? Probably to ruin her life and not give her a reason to live probably." Becky recalled something that Jeff told her when she encountered him in the garden, giving her the need to ask her friend. "Jamila? Do you think I'm gonna... gonna… gonna go back to my old ways? Crazy?" Her friend looked at her in surprise, "No. I could never think you're gonna go back to your old self. Why would you think that?" Becky said that it didn't matter.

Suddenly, they heard a twig snap in the far distance. Both women looked in front of them to see a boy. It was Taylor. He headed towards them, but Becky didn't raise her gun. First she'd need a reason to do it. As soon as Taylor was in front of them, he spoke "Look at you two brave girls in the woods by yourselves." He then started walking toward Jamila and stopped when he was behind her. "Jamila, what are you doing here? In the woods all alone, don't you know about the things that can happen deep in the woods? Especially to girls?" Taylor placed his hand on Jamila's shoulder, making her shiver. He continued, "Maybe I should show you what could happen to pretty girls in the woods." After hearing this, Becky commanded "Take your hand off her." Taylor looked at Becky with a glare, "Why should I? She belongs to me, I can do anything I want with her." Becky replied also with a glare, "Too many bad things have happened in this world and I'm not gonna let a freak like you cause another one. So take your hand off her and walk away." Becky was getting defensive of Jamila and Taylor took his hand off her shoulder. "Jeez, what's happened to you? You're like a crazy psycho." Taylor turned his back and walked away but Becky caught up behind him and threw him on the floor, pointing the gun at his head. "Listen to me, asshole. You don't know what hell I've been through. Right now I'm going through the same hell I went through when I was thirteen. I've seen things. Things no child should ever see. Now my own daughter is going through the same thing. She has to live in this unforgiving world because of people like you. So because I'm not as crazy as you think, I'm gonna let you go. But if you even dare to lay one finger on my friend again, I promise I'll make you regret the day you were born."

Becky then stood up but kept the gun pointing at Taylor. The boy stood up, looking more scared than fierce. He hurried to get away, not knowing where he was going. Becky looked at Jamila, who was shocked at what she did. "Becky, thank you." Becky managed to break a smile and nodded her head. Both of them then continued to walk. Jamila now knew that, because of Becky, she wouldn't have to worry about Taylor now. But what they still worried about was, if Kieran was like him, or if he was worse. Hopefully he was the total opposite to Taylor. Right now, both of them needed to focus on finding Bella and Jeff. To finally end all of this.