The Woods

Chapter 3

(Day 1, Victoria)
     My eyes fluttered open to reveal a ceiling fan, everything else was a slight blur. I sat up quickly, looking around trying to process everything about where I was. I didn't know where I was or how I had gotten here.
     The walls were a dark red and the floor was wood. A glass door was to my right and through it I saw a cement path surrounding a large pool. Outside of the cement was grass and beyond the grass was a tall wooden fence. Who? Where? A voice interrupted my thoughts, the voice coming from someone who seemed familiar.
"Calm down, everything is okay. I promise."
     My mind couldn't process what he said and I backed away from him as he sat on the bed, my back hitting the wall. Why did he bring me here? What happened last night?
"You are back in the city, away from your family, in fact I don't think they will come after you again."
     That's right. My family, the darkness I discovered. I took a deep breath and last night returned to my head, causing my head to hurt. My right hand went to my head, rubbing my temple.
"They'll come after me still. I know what they do behind locked doors."
     Curiosity showed on his face and I sat more comfortably, knowing I was safe for now. Should I tell him? The question pounded against my skull. I know it would help him understand, but then he will get caught up in this mess too. He spoke suddenly interrupting my thoughts.
"Do you want to tell me what is going on?"
"I… I really don't want you to get caught up in this mess."
"I think it is too late for that. I mean, that man"
"My brother."
"Your brother, he knows my face."
     I sighed, looking over into the backyard. Through the wooden planks of wood I saw movement. My heart began to race, thinking back to last night. I tried to hide it from the man in front of me.
"You never told me your name." I stated, still looking into the backyard for more movement.
"My name is Asher. You never told me yours."
"Victoria Walker."
     I answered sharply as I turned to look out the door, down the hallway. Asher turned around to look down the hallway too. We both stared for awhile before he turned back to me. An obvious look of confusion across his face, although I could sense some sort of fear as well.
"Hey!"
     He snapped his fingers in front of my face and I turned back to him. What's gotten into me? I looked away and stood, starting down the hallway. He called after me and asked where I was going, but I was too transfixed on what I saw. Someone was there, someone else was in the house with us.
     I turned a corner and found myself in the kitchen, a rotten stench filled my nose and I pinched my nose, and headed for the front door. I stared at the cracked door with fear. I approached it and placed my hand on the doorknob, but stopped when I felt a hand on my shoulder. I turned quickly to find Asher.
"What are you doing? Where are you going?"
"Just!"
     I stopped and put my finger over my mouth, so that he would hopefully be quiet. I opened the door slowly, trying to make sure that it wouldn't creak loudly. I stepped out onto the sidewalk and then stepped on to the lawn, moving towards the side of the house.
     Had they found me? My family! They can't have! I thought as I turned the corner to watch as a cloaked figure stared in through the boards of the fence, right into the room we had been in. What a creep. Suddenly I was pushed to the ground as Asher ran past me towards the figure.
"Get off my property!"
     The figure took off in a quick sprint, Asher following close behind. I stood just in time to watch as Asher pulled the hood off of the figure, revealing a very familiar female. Without thinking I shouted loudly.
"Mom?"
     She looked back at me, her blue eyes transfixed on mine. She seemed to smile kindly, but I knew it was a sinister smile, a taunting smile. I turned away, but in that moment I knew I couldn't let her get the best of me. I looked up to find that she was gone and Asher was lying on the ground, holding his abdomen.
     I quickly made my way over to him, looking around cautiously for my mother. I didn't see her, but I knew that she was watching from somewhere, I could feel it. I dropped down next to Asher and tried to find the wound. Finally, I managed to find it and started applying pressure hoping the bleeding would be slowed.
     Asher pointed towards the house and I realized I needed to get him somewhere safer. Unless he is pointing towards where she went! I stood looking over towards the house, but didn't see anyone. I looked down at Asher.
"I'll call an ambulance!"
     I reached for my phone only to remember. I had thrown it down onto the dead body. I'm such an idiot. I knelt back down and reapplied pressure. Telling him to hold on.
"I'll go get help."
"N-No."
"What? Why don't you want help?"
"Stay here. The phone is over there."
     He pointed again and I crawled over there, grabbing the phone from the ground. Brushing off some leaves and grass and turned on the phone, pressed the phone icon. Dialing 9-1-1, I waited impatiently. Please hurry, please hurry!
"This is 9-1-1, what is your emergency?"
"My friend, he's been stabbed!"
"Where is your location?"
"I-I don't. Hold on."
     I stood and then started running towards the street. I looked both ways, looking for a street sign. I couldn't see one and I ran into the road, following it. Finally I found a street sign and relayed the house address to them.
"Help is on the way, is your friend still alive?"
"Yes, he is okay, but he is bleeding a lot."
"How did he get stabbed?"
"Someone was trespassing and he went to get them off the property and they stabbed him!"
"Do you or your friend know this person?"
I hesitated, if I told them it was my mom, surely there would be a big problem, I couldn't say that.
"No."
"Ma'am you hesitated."
Of course.
"I was trying to remember, it all happened so fast."
"It's okay."
     I heard the sirens down the street and hung up. I sat in the grass next to Asher and didn't leave his side as we were rushed to the hospital. We got to the hospital after a while and I heard someone ask for our names.
"He is Asher and I'm Victoria Walker."
------------------------------------------------------------------
(Day 1, Madeline)
      It was so cold, so dark, so… empty. My eyes opened, expecting a bed, but instead leaves and dirt. The events of earlier flooded my head and I reached down to touch the wound. Pain surged through my body, causing me to start crying. Why?
     Why would he do this? We have been friends forever, was he hired? Was he insane? I didn't think it was possible for him to do this. I can't believe he would do this without a strong reason. Stop sympathizing with him! He stabbed you!
     My mind was right, and I was wrong. He wanted me dead, why? I didn't know, but I wasn't about to let myself die in the middle of the woods. I can get up and run for help, just keep running in one direction! I pushed myself off the ground with much pain.
      Managing to stand I used a nearby tree to steady myself. I used my left hand to hold my wound and reached into my pocket for my phone, with my right hand. My hand went into my pocket quickly and I pulled it out as shards of glass cut the tips of my fingers.
"Oh God!"
     I watched helplessly as blood dripped from my fingers and landed on the leaf covered ground. Nothing is going right. The sun is low in the sky, where did I run from? If I knew I could run that way and back to town, but where did I come from?
"No! No, no, no, no, no!"
     I couldn't remember. Why can't I remember? I don't remember running. I only remember getting stabbed. I reached up to my head and felt the dried blood on my forehead. What happened to me? Why can't I...
     I listened to the birds as they began to chirp and I knew I needed to get to moving, so I picked a direction and began to start limping that way, hoping that someone would pass by, see me, help me.
     Who even am I anymore? Remember name… Madeline, Madeline who? I felt annoyed and unconsciously moved my hand to my wound, causing pain to spread through the area. Inhaling sharply, my thoughts wandered back to my phone. Is it too broken to call someone?
     I reached back into my pocket, this time with my left hand and found the bottom of my phone and pulled it out. I couldn't believe my eyes, it was broken, the entire screen was broken beyond repair.
"Well, no calling for help."
     Unsure why I said it so calmly I tossed the phone to the ground. I continued on my way, limping in the same direction I had started heading. I had wandered for some time, reasoning that I should be approaching some town soon.
     Suddenly the sound of voices caught my ears and I started heading towards them. As much as I wanted to call out, I couldn't, my mouth was too dry. I'll have to get closer before I call out. The hill next to me was large, but I could see the old, wooden house on the top of it.
     My hands went to the ground to start climbing, but my right hand was cut and pain shot up my fingers and hand, recoiling I almost fell backwards. My hands shot outwards and I managed to find a tree to steady myself and I looked back at the hill. This is going to be a problem.
     I could take a running start. I thought and backed up, preparing to run and I took three steps and fell, the pain in my abdomen too much to bear. I groaned in pain and laid there awhile as I watched the sun reach its highest point.
Beautiful birds flew overhead and I listened to their songs among the trees. I almost felt like staying there, but I needed to get medical help and soon. I could bleed out. Looking down I noticed I was still bleeding. Not good at all.
Trying to stand, the world began to spin and almost falling over, I knew I needed to rest more. I put my back to the tree and slid down it, resting my head on my knees. Gotta think this through, can't hurt myself anymore than I already have. I'm losing blood and fast, these people can hopefully help me.
     I tried to think of the ways I could get up there. Climbing will hurt my hands, but I won't have to worry about that once I'm up there, I could try to find a more natural way up, but that could be awhile. Leaving isn't an option, I'll die. It's supposed to be getting cold soon. I guess that leaves climbing, but I'll have to wait until this dizziness leaves me.
      I wasn't sure how long I was there, but my side insisted on hurting the entire time and I couldn't adjust myself to where it would stop hurting. Do I remember who stabbed me? I couldn't think his name, only his features. He is so familiar.
     I couldn't put my finger on what his name was, but he seemed so familiar. Memories of long before flashed before my eyes and quickly looked up and realized it was now closer to night. I-I fell asleep? That's not possible, I've wasted time!
     I stood with too much haste and hurt my wound again. Slowly I slid back down the tree. This isn't working, I've never been so helpless, and I'm so close! I just have to get up this hill. Standing more slowly my abdomen didn't hurt and I approached the hill, and began to climb, my fingers on my right hand hurt, but I was not about to die out here, alone.