I Tried

Chapter Nine

How did it end up like this?

Megan's POV

It was still rather dark when we started walking. But Elizabeth and Mark didn't want to stay in this forest any longer.

And I really couldn't blame themselves.

Heather had fallen asleep in Elizabeth's arms and I offered to hold her her but Elizabeth said she wouldn't like that. 

I guess I was still just another monster to that little girl. Something that would hid under her bed and haunt her nightmares.

When I was younger, I wanted to change people viewpoints. I wanted to make humans to see more than a monster, I wanted them to see a doctor, or a painter. I wanted them to see a human that just happened to look a little different.

But I guess that didn't really end how I wanted it to. At least I managed to change James's and Elizabeth's minds.

And now look where that got them... Maybe they shouldn't have ever befriended me. Maybe if they just left me alone we wouldn't have ever gone on this hike. Maybe James wouldn't have died... 

I was glad it was dark. So that way, Elizabeth and Mark couldn't see me cry. I wasn't quite as worried about them hearing me sob. I learned a while how to not make a sound.

I wanted to lie down on the ground and just fade away. I wish I didn't exist sometime... Because if I never existed, no one would get hurt.

"Stop." Elizabeth said suddenly, and it almost scared me when she thrust her free arm in front of me.

"What?" I said in my croaky voice.

"Did you hear that?" Suddenly my chest felt sick, like ice was churning inside of me.

"No..." I said in a very quiet tone as I tried to see what she meant.

"Oh... I guess I'm just going crazy. I think this hiking trip has gotten me paranoid." The sun was beginning to come up as the three of us continued through the field.

"No kidding." I muttered probably a bit too sarcastically for my own good.

"It's still beautiful though."

"What?"

"The forest, I mean. It's still beautiful. It's kinda sad though, that I'll never come back here."

Mark told her something in sign language as we walked. I didn't know what he said to her but it must have been pretty nice to make her smile.

"Yeah... I wish I you could have experienced it without those... things..." My mind started to wonder off again as she kept talking. I knew it was rude to not pay attention but my mind kept heading back to that cliff.

"I'm sorry." I blurted out right in the middle of her sentence. She didn't respond for a long moment and I could've sworn that I heard her cry. It was probably just my which imagination though.

"You don't have to be sorry." She finally said in a low tone. "It's not your fault."

"It sorta is, though." I wasn't sure why I was arguing with her. She wasn't mad. She didn't hate me. So why am I so determined to change her mind?

"Shut up." Elizabeth blurred the words together in a harsh tone. But those words seemed so alien coming from her. I don't believe I've ever heard her say that.

But alien or not I shut up.

It was times like this where I wish I could read minds. Maybe Elizabeth really did hate me. Mark probably hated me too. I bet the two never wanted to see my weird face ever again.

That didn't really make any sense though. Mark barely knew me and Elizabeth said she forgave me. But no matter what my head told me, my heart said I was garbage and that was all I could hear.

"Woah, you heard that right?" Elizabeth said out of the blue.

But I didn't hear anything.

"It was so... strange."

"I still can't hear it. What did it sound like?" I asked. I really hoped she was just paranoid and it was just an owl or something.

"It sounds..." Suddenly Mark pointed to something off in the tree line. Elizabeth seemed to notice it right away and her face turned pale. But I still couldn't see anything but bark.

"The town is just around this hill, right Mark?"

Mark did something strange with his hands and I could only assume he told her something I didn't want to hear.

"Oh... You think we can make it?" Elizabeth started shaking as she spoke.

Again, Mark made some strange hand gestures and I still wasn't quite sure I even wanted Elizabeth to translate.

"Okay. He says that if we run fast enough we should get a head start and... Hopefully make it." She said as she shifted Heather to her other hip. "Ready?"

"What are we getting a head start on?" I probably shouldn't have asked that.

"Umm... Maybe it's better if you don't know. On three okay?"

"Wait, let me take Heather. I'm a lot faster." I blurted out. I didn't want Elizabeth to get hurt because I didn't help her.

"Umm... Sure." Elizabeth said with a faint smile as she handed Heather to me. Surprisingly she was still asleep. But maybe it wasn't so shocking after all that she's been through. "On three okay?"

No, I'm not ready at all. I thought bitterly. But before I got the chance to say it Elizabeth shouted 'three' and the rest of us started chasing after her.

As I ran I started to picture all the things I wanted. I couldn't wait to go home to a nice and safe bed. Even though my apartment is crummy, it would still be better than this. I wanted call up my parents and say hello. I want to tell my annoyingly awful siblings I love their stupid faces.

I wanted to... tell James's parents what happened... I still couldn't believe I had gotten us into this mess...

It was just a little hike... How did it end up like this?

Suddenly there was a loud noise and I looked back and saw a living nightmare charging after us.

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Ooo it's getting pretty exciting right? I hope so anyway lol. Tysm for reading and making it this far. The next chapter will be the final and I plan on publishing either some time this week end or Tuesday. Anyway, bai!