The Forest

Loren's Gone (Clover's POV)

I woke up in my bed, with my door slightly open. I crept throughout the house, trying not to wake anyone up. I went into the kitchen, throwing empty bottles of beer and strawberry stems away. I sighed at how many stems and leaves there were. I noticed that the sliding door leading out on the the balcony was open. I figured someone just forgot to close it last night, after I went to my room and fell asleep. 

I ran back up the stairs and woke every one up at 12:30 p.m. It was the afternoon, and I wanted us to get a fresh start on the day before the sun went down in eight hours. I first went to Alex and Jinx's room, making sure to knock first. I heard a quiet "Come in" from Jinx. So went in the room, and told them to get up and make something for lunch. I went to Delilah's room and woke her up as well. She was taking selfies on her bed, so I just left her be, and told her that we would be having lunch soon. She gave me a peace sign, so I just took that as "Okay, you're boring me. Get the fuck out of my room." I slowly backed out of her room, and went to go wake up Loren. I stepped into her room, and everything was exactly how it was when we got there. Loren doesn't clean, so she couldn't have done this. I saw a note beside her bed, "Going out for a jog, L 5:30 am." I am so glad that she puts the time she ends anything. I ran out of her room, and raced down the stairs, almost slipping. I called the police, frantic. 

"What's going on, Clover? Are you okay?" Delilah asked, worriedly.

"L-Loren... She's gone.. I don't know where she is. She left a note and said she was going jogging about seven hours ago. She's not back yet," I said, trying to be calm. 

Alex wrapped me in a tight hug and calmly said, "She's going to be okay. She probably jogged for a while and fell asleep on a rock or something under the stars. Let's just go out and look for her."

The others joined in and we decided to go out and look for Loren. We called her name, over and over, time and time again. We never got a response. Alex and Jinx had the idea to get away and go search in pairs. I thought that was probably a good idea, so Delilah and I paired up, trying to split up and search. I saw a foot on the pathway nearest to the lake, and I almost cried. "Please don't let it be her, please don't let it be her,"  I thought to myself as Delilah and I inched closer. I screamed, and pulled Delilah into my chest as she started crying. "HOLY SHIT!" This can't be happening. This cannot be happening right now. Oh shit. How the fuck? This was supposed to be a good fucking time. This was supposed to be a good week out with my four closest friends. How did this go so wrong so fast? 

Alex and Jinx came running to me and Delilah. They gasped and I'm pretty sure Alex almost lost his Tequila from last night, while coming upon the body. Loren looked so bad; lacerations to her neck and legs, at least twenty stab wounds, and ligature marks on her neck. I almost hurled looking at her. She was half naked, and I've never seen her like that. I never want to see anyone in the way she was. We all got into a big huddle, and just cried for a while. I pulled Delilah aside, and hugged her tight, then we all ran back to the house so we could call the police. 

"Call 9-1-1! Now! I'm not pl-pla-playing.." Delilah screamed, trying not to show that she was terrified.

"I'm calling them right now, DeDe. Sit down, and Jinx will go get you some Iced Tea," I said, trying to calm Delilah down. Alex sat down right beside her and just held her, until she stopped crying. 

"Hello, this is the Marshall County Police Department. Police, Fire, or Ambulance for you ma'am?"

"I NEED AN AMBULANCE AND THE POLICE! WE FOUND A DEAD BODY, OUR FRIEND'S BODY, ON THE WALKING TRAIL!" Delilah screamed into the phone.

"Okay miss. Calm down, what is your name, and what is your location?"

"Um.. 1511 Sledd Creek Road Gilbertsville, Kentucky.." I said, taking the phone away from Delilah.

"Please hurry!" Delilah screamed.

"We're sending someone on your way n-"

Delilah hung up the phone and sat by the door, wiping tears from her eyes.

We then heard the sirens and waited on the porch for the officers to get out of their cars.

"WHERE IS THE BODY LOCATED?" An officer said through a megaphone.

"Out back, come hither and I will show you," Jinx replied, clearly shaken up, but trying not to show much emotion.

The four officers followed us to the backyard, and down a few trails to where Loren was located. I swear I heard a few officers say "Holy shit, What the fuck" and then one officer I clearly heard say, "I want to fucking shoot myself! This is awful." 

"Can you please keep it down, this isn't helping Loren's older sister. She's going through with a lot." Alex said, clearly annoyed by the Officer's speech and behavior. 

"Just shut up, sir. We know what we're doing." An officer replied, sarcastically (obviously pissed off).

We didn't know the extent of her injuries until the person from the morgue came to take pictures of the body.