The Woods

Chapter 2

(Night 1, Madeline)
"Not too much longer."
     He said as he picked up pace. What is my surprise? Why is it so far in the woods? My thoughts filled my head and my instincts told me to run away, but I trusted him. I had known him for years. He passed me and I followed, the dark consuming his figure among the trees. I quickly followed and weaved my ways around the trees, the darkness impeding my progress.
     I entered into a clearing, in the middle of which he stood. I slowly approached, my eyes darting to the treeline. Watching, waiting for something, someone, to jump out at me. The wind blew and I thought for a moment I saw a tall being move through the trees, very quickly, so quickly that I only saw blurred darkness.
"S-so what is my surprise?"
     I said, forcing a smile as I approached his still frame. He was faced away from me and I realized something in the moment before my hand touched his shoulder. This is what happens in horror movies. The final girl is supposed to grab their friend's shoulder and turn them around to discover their dead body, and then the killer jumps out from behind. My hand still reached forward, my heart racing, my hands sweating. My breath become caught in my throat. I stopped as my hand hovered over his shoulder.
     I turned around looking behind me, checking, just to make sure that nothing was to jump out. The large figure from earlier rushed through the treeline again and I shivered, deep down knowing it was the wind, but that reassurance faltered when I thought again of horror movies. They always try to explain away, to reassure themselves that no danger is there. Even if it is staring them in the face.
     I turned back to him. My hand grabbed his shoulder and I turned him around. His face was in darkness, his hood was pulled down over it. I was too busy focusing on his face that I didn't notice the knife in his hand. I felt something in my abdomen and then it was gone. I reached down and felt it. A warm fluid flowing from the wound. I looked up at him and watched as his mouth moved.
"Happy birthday."
     My hand was still on his shoulder and I quickly pushed him, but he barely moved back. He pushed the knife into the same spot and pulled it back. He was about to do it again when I moved back. He faltered and fell and I started running. Adrenaline rushing through my veins. The darkness played tricks on my mind and I thought he was everywhere. My side hurt badly, and blood still flowed from the wound.
     He'll be able to track me. Was my first thought and I moved my hand to the wound, blood no longer fell to the ground as far as I could tell. So I changed directions, tripping over a root, barely able to keep from falling. I looked behind me and felt myself falling. Looking back I was met with a tree branch to my face.
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(Night 1, Diane)
     Not now! Not while I'm driving! A pressure behind my eyes made me take my right hand off of the steering wheel and rub them. Even though it did nothing to ease the pain. As I took my hand away from my eyes I noticed the stop sign and slammed on the brakes. My head going forward and hitting the steering wheel. I slowly sat up holding my head.
"Why?"
     I heard the cars behind me come to a stop and then start pressing on their horns. I rolled down my window signalling for them to go around. People these days. The pressure travelled to the back of my head and I leaned back against the seat, reclining so I was lying down. I unbuckled my seat belt and curled up into the seat trying to get comfortable.
     I grabbed my phone from inside the cupholder and pulled up the camera, flipping it so it faced me. Pushing my long blonde hair back I stared at my brown eyes. I watched as they began to become dull. Everything began to darken and I put my phone down, pressing the power button as I did. Within a moment I could see through her eyes.
     I didn't know who it was or why I could see through their eyes, but it had been happening since I was very young, becoming more and more frequent. I couldn't make them move or communicate with them, all I could do was watch.
      It was a nice fall day, oddly similar to today. She did a quick spin and some man was there. I couldn't tell due to how quickly she turned, but he seemed somewhat familiar. Everything faded to black before I saw a treeline and something large moving right behind the trees.
     Why was she here? She moved towards a figure in the clearing and a moment later he was stabbing her. Saying "Happy Birthday" to her before she finally started to run. I could only watch in terror as she fell off a cliff and hit her head on a branch, I screamed and my vision returned to me.
"Are you okay ma'am?"
     I turned quickly to look at the man standing outside the car window. I began to roll it down, looking past him at the dark sky and remembered, I need to get home. I was intrigued as to why this man had stopped to check on me. I've never met anyone so caring, even my parents, but then again he could be just asking for some kind of reward. I hadn't trusted many people, everyone I meet always seemed to want something, they didn't do anything good if they knew that there was not a reward in the end.
"Yes, I'm fine."
     I said as I sat up in the seat, returning the seat to its original position and gripped the steering wheel. I looked at my hands and noticed something on the tips of my fingers. Blood. How did that get there? What is he going to think?
"Do you need any assistance or should I go?"
"I-I think I'll be okay, thank you."
     I replied with a smile as I put the car into drive. I waved goodbye as he walked off. He got into a large white truck and was gone. I silently made my way to my house. I need to get some more gas tomorrow. I told myself twice more in my head, so I would hopefully remember. If I didn't I knew I would forget.
     I stepped out of the car and locked it, looking around the front yard. The darkness hiding the bushes and trees I knew were there. I walked towards my house, but had the feeling as though someone was watching me. Quickly I turned around to see nothing behind me. I swiftly approached my front door, inserting the key and turning it, my heart racing as I kept looking behind me to see whoever was watching me.
     I stood within the door frame, staring into the darkness as I took a few deep breaths. I'm okay. I shut the door, locking it as I looked out the nearby window. I flicked the light switch on and turned around, to watch in horror as something passed by the entryway. I couldn't believe my eyes.
"W-Who's there!"
     I said weakly as I criticized myself for being dumb. Need to be quiet. The police! My phone! I reached down to my pocket only to feel nothing. The car! I turned around and looked at the car. Not an option. Not enough gas, someone is out there. Defend myself! The kitchen, a knife.
     I ran for the kitchen, footsteps close behind me. I slammed into the counter and grabbed the largest knife, turning around to point it at nothing. My lungs filled with air, and I sighed with relief. Am I going insane? My emotions took over and I sunk to the ground, dropping the knife at my feet.
     I couldn't stop crying, my hands went to my eyes and I wiped away tear after tear, trying to stop. My breath was erratic and it was difficult to breathe. A loud noise came from upstairs and I stopped, looking up at the ceiling of the first floor. I watched as it shook with another loud thud. I grabbed the knife and wiped away the tears, standing.
      After I stood I made my way towards the steps, looking up into the darkness. I started to call out, but caught myself and stopped. I began to ascend the steps, but was halfway up the stairs when there was a knock on the door, causing me to scream.
"Hey! Is everything okay?"
     The voice sounded familiar and I calmed down, but didn't answer. I quickly made my way down the steps and looked behind me one last time before unlocking and opening the door. It was the man from earlier, the man that was outside of the car, that asked me if I was okay. I wasn't sure what inside of me made me do it, but I hugged him.
     I felt safe, I felt as though nothing could harm me. I'm lying to myself! Everything could hurt me! The knife. I suddenly realized the knife was still in my hand. I dropped it, a metal clang as it hit the ground behind this man. I didn't realize I had started crying again, and as I let go and stepped back I wiped my tears away, trying to recover from this terrible night, when suddenly a thought emerged deep in the back of my mind.
     How did he know where I lived? I hadn't told him! Did he follow me? Why? I'm thankful, but why? He looked at me with a confused face, but with eyes of softness, as if he understood what I was going through. Although I knew he most likely didn't understand at all.
"What are you doing here? Did you follow me?"
"Back on the road, you didn't look so good. I wanted to make sure you made it home okay. I watched as you ran up to your front door and unlocked it in a panic.  I stepped out of the car and, the weirdest thing happened, but I finally was able to come see if you were okay, I heard running and crying."
"Well thank you, but next time… you should warn someone."
     We both smiled weakly and with that I invited him inside, not wanting to experience what I just had gone through all over again. I don't know why, but my mind said to trust him, he obviously cared about my well-being. We sat in different chairs in the living room.
"So, what is your name?" I asked awkwardly.
"Parker Strum."
"I'm Diane Varga."
"Well, it is nice to meet you Diane."
"Same for you too, Parker."
"So what exactly happened tonight?"
     I told him what I could remember, starting with getting out of the car. He listened intently and looked curious. I never had someone listen to me as he was now. My parents never listened, well my "parents". I was adopted and I never knew who my real mother or father were.
"I saw something in your yard," he started quickly, "what if it is the same thing as what you heard?"
"I don't want to worry about that now, please. I just want to go to bed, it was nice of you to assist me."
"No problem at all. I live up the street a little, if you need me, then just come by the house, I should be there."
"Thank you."
     He left and I grabbed a book off of a shelf of the bookcase. I sat down in a chair with all of the lights turned off except the one next to me. I needed this, to escape into another reality, if only just for awhile.