The Ritual To The Beast | ✓

Chapter 2: Forest Strangers

Chapter 2

Wednesday.

The days were going by in a blur and my days were literally numbered. For the past two days my mother had me shopping from makeup down till underwear. Seriously mom, I don't think the beast wants to get to know my undergarments.

I barely spoke to any of my friends because they were either fiercely competitive or they were on the same boat as me and their moms were forcing them to go shopping. I haven't even had time for my boyfriend Jake.

I had been so busy I almost forgot about him.

Jake and I had been good friends since childhood because it was a small town and everyone knew everyone. He was my best friend and we shared everything with each other. When we started high school we decided to date. At first it was all romance and relationships but now during senior year, I felt as if the spark kind of blazed out.

I finally got my mother to let me have a day without shopping and grooming. Jake and I had a date today and I couldn't wait to see him and just let all this stress go.

Jake' house was on the other side of town and closer to the forest that surrounded half of our town. Jake's family was one of the few that hunted for the beast. When I say hunted, I mean full on guns and ammunition, crossbow and arrows and very sharp daggers. Jake tried to teach me to shoot a gun one time, since his father has been teaching him since he was old enough to handle one.

His ancestors believed that the beast was something that was sent by the devil to kidnap the women in our community therefore it should be sent back. His grandfather also had a very close lead last forty years which led to him and the rest of the lunatic hunters into the forest in search of the beast.

But strangely enough they never returned and weeks after their bodies were found on the edge of the forest. I had to admit hearing Jake tell me that story only heightened my fear. That is a main reason for the hatred both Jake and I held for both the beast and the ritual.

When I pulled up at Jake's house I saw him approaching from his garage with his favorite toy, the crossbow.

"Emery!" He called when I got out.

"Jake. Oh my gosh I missed you so much. You have no idea what kind of torture my mom had me through." I said rushing into his arms.

"I'm so sorry pumpkin, I know how much you hate this, as much as I do. But I promise you that you wouldn't get taken, and if you did I would do what I'm best at and hunt down that godforsaken creature." He said smiling down at me.

We may be lacking our spark but boy did he have a way with words.

"Come on I want to show you something." He said taking one of my hand in one of his that didn't hold the crossbow, and pulled me towards the forest.

"Jake where are we going?" I asked, it was unlike him to take me into the forest even on the edge.

"Just come on." He said pulling me and I followed hesitantly.

When we finally stopped, it had been about ten minutes of walking and there were duffel bags on the ground where we stood.

"Jake what are these?" I asked carefully.

"These are our equipment, guns and arrows to teach you. Emery, I love you and I can't risk losing you."

"Oh so you're going to play the love card? Jake I'm not going to get taken, seriously." I can't believe he thought I was going to get taken.

"But you said yourself that you hate the beast. I'm not saying that you're going to be chosen but we have no chance of knowing that for sure. However, you do have to attend this ritual." He said as if he wanted me to be apart of the ritual.