Overcast Night Stars

16: Disappearing Trees Hide Dark Truths

Chapter 16- Disappearing Trees Hide Dark Truths

Behind dark roots, people hide their darkest truths, secrets and identities. Feeling the secrets crawl into their skin; is much more impactful. Alice was sitting in her kitchen, cooking dinner for Daughter, Elizabeth. She hears a strange creaking sound come from the basement. Nothing seems alarming, so she proceeds down the old creaky staircase. It's late at night, she could also hear chipping of the crickets outside. She looks around the basement to see that the window was left open. She turns to close the window, reaching on top, pulling down and locking it right before heading back to the kitchen.

Still nothing seems alarming, that's until she hears the tv blaring in the family room. She stops cutting the veggies, sets the knife next to the cutting board and disappears into the hallway. She slowly inched her feet closer and closer to the blaring tv. She heart begins to beat faster and faster as she approaches the corner. Nothings wrong besides the television was playing Scream 2 in the background. She sees the remote on the coffee table and reaches to turn it off.

As she turns around, her stomach dropped. Then she felt something cold in the room. Before she could even turn. A cold force plunged into her side. She feels herself falling forward. She fell to the ground with a thud, arms feeling like jelly and her heart pounding louder then the ringing in her ears. She hears an evil laugh. With the little strength she had left, she tries her best to crawl away as fast as she can. Before she could get enough momentum, a huge force slammed her back down. "Not so fast." A chilling metallic voice interrupted her struggle. Another searing punch to her back. She was screaming bloody murder. It was the most painful thing she ever had been through, way worse then childbirth. "That's for all you're sins." What sin? She was confused then it clicked. The Black Hood just stabbed her. She whimpers as she tries to use her arms again. But it was no use. She was going to die. She wasn't going to lie.

"What s-in?" She sputtered out as she began choking on her own blood dripping off her lips.

Another brutal moment of silence. She heard nothing it was making her lose her mind as she felt with her hands the sticky red ooze seeping out the sides of back and out of her mouth. The silence was agonizing. She rather been dead then being taunted. "A little adultery." She froze. How did the Black Hood know about her and Fp? "By the way you're shaking I can tell you're afraid." He mocked as she felt chills. 

When she heard something break and the footsteps lightened. She took the opportunity to escape. With all her leftover strength she crawled all the way back into the kitchen. Her back throbbed, her knees burned from the friction, her throat burned from holding in the blood, her heart pounded and her head screamed from the blunt force. She gripped the island with her little strength, trying to pull herself upward from the floor.   A low growl escaped her mouth, she gasped when she was able to manage to get herself up. She looked around the area for anything she could use to defend herself. She saw a long steak knife on the island where she left it by the cutting board. She let out a terse whimper as she extended her arm to reach for it, gripping the handle with her two hands. Then she heard a distorted voice ripple through her ears. She gripped the knife as she feels more lightheaded. "Alice come out! I know you're in here!" She heard a familiar scent in the voice.

When she laid eyes on the hooded man, she froze. How could she been so blind? Was this all her fault? He looked at her and smiled sickly as he approached her.

"H-h-al." She stammers as she backs into the edge of the sink.

"Oh honey. I was looking so forward to that delicious meal." He got closer to her as she tried to move away.

Before she knew it the knife was across her neck, leaving indentations as it glided sharply. She couldn't breathe. And then in a spilt second she was screaming and then everything turned black and she felt herself disappearing. Then she knew what happened. She was killed. The Black Hood slaughtered her. More importantly Hal Cooper was The Black Hood.