The Forest

Chapter 14

I couldn't understand or even begin to process everything that was happening. I had become used to the feeling that I couldn't breathe and that someone was always watching me. I was always in danger. I always had to pay close attention because even the slightest off thing or presence, everything starts to fall apart. I just haven't learned how to pick up the pieces yet.

I looked down at my schedule and noticed my first class was English 11, room 209. I had missed home room, or at least I thought, because I could hear a sound becoming increasingly louder as I moved through the hall way. It was the sound of people screaming, yelling, laughing and their foot steps beating against the ground. It felt more like a stampede was coming coming and I took a left to the closet stairs to escape the crowd.

When I reached the top of the staircase I opened the door to the hall and I crept inside. Odds are no one would even notice me if I kept quiet. As I walked I scanned the door numbers for 209. I kept looking, as I went further down the hall the numbers went up...205,206,207,208...and then I saw it, room 209. I knocked on the door, but then I realized how stupid it may have looked and people started to stare because they wanted to get in too. I open the door and see a bunch of empty desks, except for one kid in the far right corner who didn't seem like he wanted to be noticed. Join the club.

I didn't want to sit in the front, but I definitely didn't want to sit in the back. I decided to take a seat in the middle, but I knew I could feel people staring at my new face. If only they knew where I lived, would they stay away then? These big, tall guys came in front. They were most likely football players. They were laughing about something and the curly blond haired one said to the black haired one, "Sam, shut the hell up" and I felt myself shudder.

My stomach started to turn just hearing Sammy's name. It made me wonder what he was doing right now, I wonder if those kids know their safety is at risk? Will he lash out at them? Threaten them? Scare them? Hurt them? I wasn't one hundred percent sure, but I was sure that no matter what happened, my mother would make an excuse for it.

I'd hope there were some new students, but the area seemed so remote. I'm pretty sure they don't get new faces everyday. I could still see them glancing at me, some making snickers and a girl winked at me wearing a short purple dress that appeared skin tight and pushed her boobs up so high they almost hit her chin. I was almost grateful for her, she was the only other person everyone was staring at besides me.

I observed the room and noticed how stuffy it felt. There were no windows and the door was shut. There were so many people there and the desks were so close together, I began to sweat. There was a bulletin board on the right wall and one it were some papers that read, "Try out from the football team!" and, "If you're interested in playing an instrument, band is for you!". Outside of all those papers I saw one that caught my attention. It was Suzie.

It was a missing poster with her face on it, her description, and a number to call in case someone finds her. Where did she go after she left me? Where doe's she go after leaving my house? I know it's not home with her family. What will sheriff do if he catches us and doe's she ever plan to return? I need her and if she really went missing I wouldn't know what to do. I feel like a bad person for wanting her around for me, but It's for my brother. I have to do something.

I wondered when she'd come back. I didn't know her enough as a person to tell if I could trust her words or not. That was something that frightened me, the fact that I didn't know whether or not she was playing tricks on me and her mother was playing along. I think I may have become paranoid.

When the teacher came in the quietness started to take over the room. I assume these students knew this teacher and he probably had a no tolerance for talking or misbehaving. They seemed to freeze in mid sentence and step to take notice of his presence. His name was printed on his I.D. card and it said, "Mr. Brown". He looked around his early 30s and he had a slight, black beard. He was tall and thin and his face appeared stern besides his young years. I quickly considered the idea of switching out of this class, but then quickly dismissed the thought when he started to talk.

"Hello everyone, my name is Mr. Brown for those of you that dont know and I will be your English teacher this year" he starts to say and strolls around the room. He starts talking some more and I start to fade out of the conversation because I noticed some guy in the hall way. He was staring in through the window on the door. I didn't know if anyone else noticed him. I didn't know if he was real.

He hissed and clawed at the screen. He beat his hands so hard against the glass I thought It's shatter. No one even flinched. I leaned over to a brown haired girl next to me and whispered, "Do you see that guy in the window?". She frowned her face at me, glanced at the window, and said "What are you talking about?". I looked back at the window and smeared in red were the letters S-A-M-M-Y.