The Forest

Chapter 8

It was two days before school would start and I was feeling extremely anxious and impatient. I was excited to finally see new faces, actually I was excited to see any faces. However, I was afraid for my brother. As mother said, I'm afraid of how he'll interact with other children. I've tried convincing my mother that something was wrong with him. I was absolutely positive it had something to do with the forest as well. She's convinced that he's just going through a phase, but a phase shouldn't last this long. It has been months.

I will be going into the eleventh grade, since this school's grades are according to age and I'm seventeen years old. Since my brother is nine years old, he's going into the fourth grade. I could believe, before we moved here, that he was going into the first grade. When we first moved here he seemed so curious and he appeared to be excited about everything. He was always so full of wonder and was very cheerful most of the time...even during our parents divorce. He has changed entirely now. I wish he was still the kid that moved here almost three months ago.

My room and Sammy's room aren't very close.Besides that, I can hear my mother's voice echoing through the hall. She was talking to Sammy. I get up off my bed and slowly make my way to Sammy's room. I stand outside the door. The door is slightly vented so I can see through the outlet. It's the first time in a while that my mother has been in Sammy's room.

"Are you excited about school?" she asks him, as I watch her picking up his clothes bin to take to the wash.

he doesn't answer.

"Aren't you ready to make new friends?"

he still doesn't answer.

My mother leans in next to him and says, "There's no need to be afraid honey, you'll make friends if that's what you're afraid of. It's always tough moving to a new place and starting fresh."

"What if they don't like me?" he finally says in a somber tone.

"Honey, of course they will. You are wonderful."

"I'm just sad for them.. it would be a shame if they didn't like me"

"How come?" she asks in a suspicious voice.

"Then bad things would happen to them"

There was a pause from my mother.

"What do you mean...? Sam, you aren't thinking about hurting anyone are you? I wouldn't condone that type of behavior."

"No mom! I wouldn't do that...it'd just be a shame if something happened to them though" he says, a smile creeping across his face.

"Yeah..." she continued, "it would" she answered. "Just look on the positive side, okay?" she asks him.

"okay" he answers.

As I heard foot steps coming closer to my room I heard a voice.

"I love you mom" Sammy says

"I... love you too sweetheart." she answers and I can hear her coming towards the door again. I make a run for my room before she could notice I was listening. My door stays open as my mother walks past. We make immediate eye contact and I can tell from her eyes that behind them there was fear.

"Still believe your son is just going through a phase?" I ask in a whisper.

She takes a long glance at me that felt like eternity. She let's out a heavy sigh, and walks away. What mother doesn't take their sons thoughts into consideration? Did she think I was crazy for assuming something like this of my brother? Why was she so set in not believing? What was holding her back from the truth? In a strong way, I feel betrayed.

As I lay in my self pity I hear something. it sounded like a slight tapping noise. I hear it again. The sound was coming from my window. I look over and I see tiny rocks banging into the glass. My stomach dropped to the floor instantly. Who was throwing the rocks? Who ever they were...they seemed to have wanted my attention.

I move slowly towards the window. I swallow hard and try to see out the glass. It was so dark. The rocks stop hitting the window after a while and the noise disappears. I start to think maybe the person has gone.... but then something strange happens. A huge rock flies though my window. The rock hits me right in the shoulder.

"Hey!" I scream out the window, as I grab my shoulder in pain.

I hear footsteps running in the opposite direction of my house. I try so desperately to see who it is, but I have no luck. I look at the rock that landed on my floor. I noticed a piece of paper wrapped around it. I cautiously bend down, holding my now bleeding shoulder, and pick up the rock. I wipe the dirt off of it and silently read the note out loud. It read:

Jasper is watching.