6. Lake and Willow
When you are mad, you could not think straight. So, roaming the woods alone seemed like a good idea at the time.
I was so angry earlier, I vaguely remember of going home straight after the last bell rang. I remember of dumping my stuff at the study and sat there alone for who knows how long. I was sure that somebody walked into the room and asked me something but the confusion, Sneering Satan! made me reply with a yell. I jogged out of the room to avoid any drama and stopped at the big painting of the Lake and Willow on my way out.
The gigantic piece of art hung on the wall contentedly, the generous amount of colour warm and welcoming people into the grand foyer. I stared at her.
Beautiful. So, very beautiful.
I felt a smile creeping up on my face. An idea formed.
I know where I can be petty and let the family play hide-and-seek-for-Alex for a while.
But now, here I am standing alone, feeling the deadness of the forest pulsing around me. I feel lost though I know how to track back where I had come from. The only thing that kept me going was this confined anger. I waded through the wilting weeds, waltzing along through naked trees and crunched the dry leaves under my boots.
I feel tired. Not physically, but rather mentally. There were a lot of things going on and I could not understand any of it.
I walked around for a little bit more, when a weird feeling came over me, making every hair on my body stood in response. Then, as if somebody was guiding me with an invisible hand, my muscles locked and then moved a second later without any hesitation, my every movement choreographed, ghostly directed where to go. I went, because I could not think of any reason not to.
When I stopped, a manic-like energy was humming in the area. I inched my boots forward bit by bit and this wild aura was pushing and pulling me at the same time. Also, did I mention that the obstacle race act made me see spots of black and white dancing to some samba?
Bewildered by the crazy energy and being temporarily blind, I took a step backward and tripped on something hard and definitely with a lot of needle-like points. I felt a slight pain and fluid rushed out from my right elbow, both palms and a little of my back.
I was bled? What was this sorcery? Nature, you got some ‘splainin to do.
A little light from the fat moon then made everything clear. Briars were in front of me, back of me, everywhere surrounding me. Thick emerald briars were supporting yellowish thorns and scarlet petals of blood-coloured roses.
I was stunned for a second. If I had a camera with me by then, like a Kodak moment, it would sell with a gothic scene I was in.
Then, a sweet smelling fragrance bloomed; it did nothing else but soothes me. But it just didn't feel right, as if something dangerous was about to come. My stomach turned at the thought and I went to my side, heaving something dry.
Suddenly, I heard a loud growling. I turned my head back and fro, heartbeat pulsating like something caged and it wanted out. I froze out of fear, even breathing felt like it would kill. The sound was getting obnoxious, impatient. What am I to do but accept the fact that I was going to die?
My fear melds my body into a fetal-position. I noticed that there were no tears, there was no sweating or felt if I pissed in my pants but it will not matter if I were dead, would it?
I waited and waited longer. But to my relief/confusion nothing happened. Was the owner of the growling really gone? Or was it a trap?
I lay there unmoving until just this little bit on my side started to feel irritated and my left butt starting to feel numb. Tired of the shite, I braved myself to take a peek (which I just realised was shut tight).
