The Wicked of Wicker Woods

Don't Wake the Dead

"𝚈𝚘𝚞𝚛 𝚙𝚊𝚜𝚝 𝚒𝚜 𝚊𝚕𝚠𝚊𝚢𝚜 𝚢𝚘𝚞𝚛 𝚙𝚊𝚜𝚝. 𝙴𝚟𝚎𝚗 𝚒𝚏 𝚢𝚘𝚞 𝚏𝚘𝚛𝚐𝚎𝚝 𝚒𝚝, 𝚒𝚝 𝚛𝚎𝚖𝚎𝚖𝚋𝚎𝚛𝚜 𝚢𝚘𝚞."

Reaching her car around the bend of trees, Anna slammed the door and plugged her keys into the ignition. The engine of her wrangler wouldn't turn over as it made a slight ticking sound, acknowledging that the battery was dead.

She has been asking her father for weeks to change it, but his schedule and hers couldn't a lot for the time to get it done. That's what she got for taking his hammy downs. 

Quickly checking her phone, she noticed the black screen, indicating it was also dead. She was officially cut off from anyone that could get her out of the sticky situation.

It seemed to be a good night for all things dead.

Including her friendship with Claire, which seemed the most lifeless of all.

Letting her head fall to the hard leather of the steering wheel, Anna closed her eyes and took a deep breath. She was drenched, clothes soaked from the heavy downpour she was standing in just moments ago and no way to get dry.

It seems the shelter of her car would only do her so much good.

The last thing she wanted was to go back into Reese's house, only to ask for help or a ride home.

Listening to the to rain falling against the windshield, Anna knew she'd have to wait out the storm before she could attempt to hike home. It was her only option given the circumstances.

But the more her mind replayed the events of the night, the quieter the rain became. The crackles of it against the car was dulling to a light tap as it fell gently from the sky.

Lifting her head, she opened her car door to test the intensity of the rain. It was now just a slight mist as she stepped out onto the glistening pavement.

The loud banter and raging music resonated in the background as she moved away from her car, careful not to attract attention from the people who had just banished her for the night. She huffed to herself as she began her walk down the empty road.

She had been walking for what felt like miles, and from the street sign she glared up at, she knew it had been around two.

The tall bright green sign for Cold Creek Lane stood tall on the corner of the street, a welcome for most people.

A warning for Anna.

Along the left side of the road, was a blanket of trees that was one of many entrances that led into the woods.

The woods where Molly was found.

Opposite of them, were rows of wealthy homes nestled on well-maintained lawns. A perfect example of knowing never to judge a book by its cover. For inside are detailed pages of a heinous murder beyond the forest.

Anna felt a pit on her stomach as she crossed over into the street. The faint whistle of hidden crickets guided her path along the sidewalk. Her footsteps radiated behind her, tricking her into thinking she wasn't alone. An eerie feeling fell over her as the air became so thin, it was difficult to suck in a breath. 

A sudden fear of being watched fell over her.

Stopping abruptly, she turned around to the darkened street that was just as empty as before. The darkened windows of each home gave her both comfort and distress, knowing that the residents were sound asleep in their beds.

It meant no one in the neighborhood was outside, but it also opened up the possibility of there being no witness or heroes in the case that someone had been following her.