The Woods

Chapter 11

(Day 3-Night 4, Victoria)
     I tried to move, the boards cutting my back and I stopped, the splinters cutting deeper into my body. Tears begged to be released, but I held them back, silently cursing at the pain. I used my right arm to pull the heavy board off my back. I stood with pain attacking me sharply.
     I brushed off the debris and shook out my shirt and reached up to touch my face. My soft fingers ran over cuts and blood. I looked around in a panic, pain begging for me to lay down and rest. The darkness was too much, the only light came from the hole in the floor above us.
"Janet!"
"Help!"
     Someone called in the darkness. I couldn't make out who but continued to follow the direction from which I heard the voice. I began to move the large pieces of debris off of the person and they tried to stand, me helping them. It was Amber.
"Thank you."
"Yeah."
     Her leg was seriously injured and I helped her sit down in the light to rest her leg. I could see the pain on her face and I could relate to that feeling. I began to think about earlier as she tried to look strong and pretend like she was okay.
     The reality had hit me. I decided, trying to justify my crying earlier. I stumbled through the darkness until a hand wrapped around my ankle. I almost screamed, but caught myself. I helped Janet stand and she hugged me quickly and quietly before moving over to Amber, regaining her composure, helping Amber with her foot.
     I continued through the dark, finding no one else. Where is Parker and Diane? I tried to scan the darkness but found nothing and I sat down in defeat. Maybe they already made it out? I felt the sting of tears again, but shook my head, forcing myself to stand and return to Amber and Janet.
"Where's Parker and Diane?" Amber asked frantically.
"I-I couldn't find them." I explained.
"It's getting dark and Amber needs to get this disinfected." Janet spoke as she finally moved away from Amber's leg.
"We can't leave them!" Amber protested.
"We can't do anything without light." I tried to calm her.
"But…" She trailed off quietly.
"Victoria." Janet started, pulling me aside. Her eyes were wide and she had a few tears in her eyes. "I will take Amber and leave. You need to find them, we can't let them die down here, at least give it another chance. I'll take Amber to the hospital, find a place to go and call me from there."
     Janet moved away before I could speak, grabbing Amber's hands, helping her stand and boosting her up to the first floor. Amber moved away and brought back the box from earlier, allowing Janet to use it to climb up as I looked through the darkness again. My heart was beating quickly. Where is Asher? Why didn't he come back?
"Victoria!"
     Suddenly Diane was next to me, holding her stomach. She pulled me toward the faint light of the setting sun. She began to take deep breaths, trying to calm down. Tears flooded her face and I knew something was wrong.
"I-I couldn't find Parker, anywhere."
"I'm sure he's…"
"I don't think he is down here, he can't be, he must have gotten out or something, or he-he's dead."
"I'm sure he made it out on his own, he'll be okay."
     I grabbed her shoulder as she wiped away tears, nodding in agreement. I helped her onto the first floor before climbing after her. On the floor was Parker's keyring. I picked it up, examining it as Diane approached me. Diane pointed at the car key.
"We can go to his house and stay there."
     A saddened look was on her face and I knew all of us had that same look. Diane moved towards the front door and I followed, checking my surroundings one last time. My eyes fell upon a picture, the picture from earlier that contained all four members of the family. I quickly pocketed it and then met up with Diane at the truck.
     We climbed inside without a word and I sat at the driver's seat, unable to think clearly. Diane looked over at me and I started the truck, turning the key completely. I can do this. My hands wrapped around the wheel and gripped it tightly, my knuckles turning white.
"You've driven before right?"
"Yeah, yeah, I drove down a driveway a few times when I was younger."
"Do you want me to drive?"
"No, I need to do this."
"Be careful please."
     I put the truck in drive and began to move forward. The car moved softly down the road and I pulled into a driveway pulling back out and heading back towards town. Diane directed me to Parker's house and as we pulled in, I quickly stopped and killed the car engine. We moved in unison to go inside the house. As we entered the house I turned to Diane.
"I need your phone to call Diane…" I trailed off as I realized I didn't know her number.
"I'd love to give you my phone, but there is a problem. I don't have it."
"Great. Is there one around here?"
"Maybe, I'll help look."
     We split up, exploring the house carefully. I looked with searching eyes, following the walls until they landed on a framed picture of Parker with some woman. Her long black hair beautifully accompanied her face. For some reason I felt an eerie vibe from the picture and moved on. Suddenly Diane called from the other room and I moved quickly over to her, almost tripping over the rug, which suspiciously was raised.
"I found a phone."
"So what does Janet do? She was wearing hospital staff clothing."
"Yes she is a nurse and she helped me with my problem."
"What's your problem?"
"Hold on, let me call first and then I'll tell you okay?"
"Fine."
     She said with a sigh as she moved into the living room and sat on a chair. She reclined in the seat and laid back, relaxing. I grabbed the phone and dialed the hospital's number and began the slow redirect process until I managed to get ahold of Janet.
"Victoria where are you?"
"I'm at Parker's house with Diane, we are safe."
"Thank goodness. Okay, in about two hours call me again and give me the address."
"Alright."
     With that Janet hung up and I put the phone back stepping away from it and moving over to Diane. We sat across from each other in silence, keeping our problems to ourselves. Diane's eyes suddenly began to roll into the back of her head and then blood started to rush from her nose.
"What the hell?"
     I stood quickly and moved to go grab tissues. As I rushed back I noticed that she seemed to be relaxed. I quickly wiped the blood from her face, but more blood continued to flow from her nose.
"What's wrong Diane?"
     I searched her face for some kind of answer, but got none. She's just bleeding! What's happening? I stood and backed away from Diane. Suddenly her eyes rolled back and she stared up at me with tears in her eyes.
"What's wrong? What happened?"
"Madeline is with some old lady."
"What do you mean? How do you know?"
"I can see through Madeline's eyes on occasion. And this time she was in a house, with an old woman who apparently can see how people die."
"Why are you crying then?"
"She said, she said Madeline was going to be stabbed."
"No! It can be avoided right?"
"I-I don't know!"
     I yelled in rage as I fell back into the seat. What are we gonna do? I couldn't stop thinking about it. Maybe it can be avoided, but we have to help her and fast! I took a deep breath trying to relax, but it was in vain.
"We gotta help her! Where is she?"
"I don't know okay! I can only see through her eyes and there was no hint as to where she is! Now please stop yelling, we need to stay calm, we can't lose our heads."
     I got ready to say something else, but stopped myself and sighed instead as I stood and began to wander the house. The walls were a nice bright white in the kitchen and the counters were almost spotless. Parker really liked a clean house. I thought as I moved my hand over the bar.
"So what are we supposed to do now?"
"I don't know? Well, we could explain each other's situations and then move from there."
------------------------------------------------------------------
(Night 4-Day 5, Madeline)
     I awoke to complete darkness. I didn't know where I was or why, there was only darkness. Scenes of me being stabbed, falling, running flashed before my eyes and suddenly I remembered everything that had happened. He had tried to kill me.
"My best friend had tried to kill me."
     It felt weird to say it out loud, it almost sounded ironic. Your best friend, someone who would die for you, is the one trying to kill you. I laughed briefly, but then felt the need to stand and explore. As I moved across the room the mirror scared me, the faint light of the room, reflecting my figure back at me. I placed my hand over my chest, stepping closer.
     I reached over and wrapped my finger around the metal chain of the lamp and pulled tightly, the light illuminating the bedroom. I did a quick scan of the room, my eyes finally falling on the mirror, which made my eyes look as though they were sparkling.
     The dresser the mirror hung over had many drawers, reaching down I opened the top most drawer. Inside was pictures of Mary and other, younger, people. I took one and examined it, and noticed a strong resemblance between all of them. Family.
     My memories brought tears as I remembered my father. He would carry me around the house when I was younger, letting me pretend like I was driving a car. He was so tall, but I still barely remembered him. The fire. My heart began to hurt and I fell onto the bed behind me. The flames that reached the stars, the heat that burnt my skin, causing it to turn red.
     I blinked back tears and replaced the photo in the drawer and shut it before backing away and moving to the hallway. As I moved down the hallway I realized I should probably warn Mary I was up and about. I approached her door, which was already partly opened.
     I peered into the room and by the small light of the lamp I saw Mary looking into a tall mirror. She reached out with her old, worn hand and touched the mirror, her head snapping back and her eyes turning white. I jumped back, gasping at the sight before rushing in to help her as she fell to the ground.
"What's wrong! Mary!"
     I kneeled beside her as her body convulsed. She seemed to be outside of this reality, like she was living in an alternate reality. I held her head up and brushed her hair out of her face, talking softly, asking what was wrong.
"I have seen my own death."
     She spoke in a monotone voice and through my tears I saw an understanding look in her eyes. Mary nodded before hugging me and I hugged back, we sat there hugging in tears. After a moment we wiped away our tears and moved away from each other, standing up.
"I'm sorry."
     We apologized to each other before I left, shutting the door behind me as I did. The moonlight shone in through the windows, stretching across the hallway, casting my shadow against the wall on the far end. I quietly slipped into the bedroom and turned off the light, sliding into the bed afterwards.
"It isn't over yet."