The Gathering

Chapter Two: Well Hello There

There’s no way I can be lost! I’ve practically grown up in these woods! Dammit, why couldn’t I have just stopped at my usual spot? My eyes frantically search the surrounding area for anything familiar, but that’s useless. In the woods everything looks the same. I guess that’s just what happens when you start to panic.

Without thinking, I start walking. I have to come to the end eventually. Even if it takes a few days, I can’t be lost forever. Right? Tree’s, bushes, leaves… Tree’s bushes leaves… It’s the same thing over and over again. Finally a small pond comes within sight between two dead looking willow trees leaning into each other. At first it was creepy but I decided to dismiss it, I have other things to worry about right now.

The pond looks eerily clean and clear. The trees around the pond surprisingly don’t hover over it; instead there is a bright patch of sunlight seeping through the large gap. It feels good, the sun that is. It’s like an escape from the darkness surrounding me. I wonder how it would feel to swim in it, it looks clean enough, and all I want to do is relax, to think about how the hell I’m going to get out of here.

I strip down to only my undergarments and lay my clothes on the oak tree branch next to me. Not like I have to worry about anyone catching me, it’s just me, all alone in these stupid woods. I slowly walk into the pond only focusing on the coldness of the water reaching from my toes to my knees. After closing my eyes, I quickly dip underwater and come back up for air, letting the water roll off my body. I let out a sigh of relief while I rest my knees against the bottom of the pond. Cupping my hands to form a bowl, I put them under water and let if fill completely before splashing it across my face.

“Enjoying that?” My body freezes as an unfamiliar voice comes from the direction I came in. I look over at the teenage boy leaning against the tree. His ruffled brown hair matches what looks like his deep brown eyes. I look him up and down; he’s wearing only a pair of dark denim jeans and black sneakers. I have to admit, he was quite good looking, definitly a charmer. He runs his long fingers through his ruffled hair while he leans off the tree and walks closer to the edge of the pond.

“Are you just going to sit there all day and check me out or are you going to speak?” He say’s while rolling his eyes.

“Um.” Is all I manage to choke out.

He leans his head out a little ways to show as though he’s waiting for me to say anything. “Look,” He says, “I just saw you out here alone, thought I’d ask if you were ok. No one comes out this far.”

I just now realize that I’m practically in only a bra and underwear. I cross my legs and cover my chest with my arms. “Uh, yeah, I- I got lost.”

He nods, understanding, “Ah, well, how about you come out, get dry, and take an actual shower at my place.” I nod in agreement. For a second I consider asking if he could just take me home, but then I remember I probably wouldn’t wake up in the morning if I did due to mothers lack of ‘love’. I slowly rise out of the water, pull on my clothes ignoring the fact that they’re completely soaked now, and followed him deeper into the woods.

“What were you even doing out here anyway?” He asks from beside me. He’s a little taller than me; I’m about at his neck line.

“Um, just running.”

He looks over at me, “Just, casually running through the state’s largest forest? I don’t know, doesn’t sound too normal to me.”

I shrug, “I guess I wouldn’t say I’m normal.”

Cause I’m really not. I’m far from normal. Normal people don’t have an abusive mother. Normal people don’t eat in the bathroom stalls for lunch. Normal people don’t follow random, hot, teenage guys to their place when lost in the woods.

He smiles, “Normal’s overrated.”

I guess so.