Elise leans down on my body, pressing her knee into my chest and crushing it beneath her weight. She leans in closer, as of to enjoy watching me die slowly and painfully. My arms and legs flail in the air, trying to get her off of me. I don't want to die. Not yet. Not like this. I struggle to breathe for a moment before she is knocked off of me.
I sit myself up quickly, knowing that by saying down, if only increases her ability to pin me like that again. Elise and Jackie struggle beneath a nearby tree.
"Go grab me a branch!" Jackie instructs me from several feet away as she keeps Elise down beneath her, not looking away from her target for even a split second.
"A branch?" I wonder what that is going to do. What could s branch possibly do to help us?
"Just grab a fucking branch Roslyn!" Jackie fights to keep her hands around Elise's throat.
I stand myself I'll hesitantly and run to search for a branch like I have been instructed. I search tirelessly for something that could assist Jackie and I in the fight for success over the evil temptress Elise.
My hands shake with fear as I push my way through piles of fallen leaves to find what I am in search of. My breath is labored yet calmer than when I was actively running through the trees that surround me in every direction.
A strong hand is slipped over my mouth, stopping me from completing the task at hand. I scream against the firm fingers trying to keep me quiet. I kick at the legs behind me, hoping to knock the attacker down and free myself.
"Shh. Roslyn, it's me."
I turn around quickly as the large hand is removed from my quivering lips.
"James?" I ask, wondering if it is really him or if I am just imagining things. He nods and smiles, pulling me in for a hug.
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"But?" I shake my head, holding on to him as I shake, not wanting this moment to end. I truly thought I would never see him again. I thought he was dead. How can this be real? "You- you were dead. I saw you. You were dead. You were dead."
"It's going to be a long story. One that I definitely need to add to the list of things to explain to you after this. But I'll explain later. Where's Jackie?"
"This way, come on. I'll show you." I grab on to his hands, squeezing his fingers and dragging him behind me. "She's going to need a lot of help."
We arrive at the scene and find it to be very quiet. James' father kneels over Elise. She lays on the cold, damp ground with a large wooden spike plunged deep in her chest.
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James's mother holder her daughter in her arms, rocking back and forth slowly as the pair sit together on the forest floor.
James' father looks up at me and his son. "You all have a lot of explaining to do when we get home."
Author's notes: what do you think?
Are you happy that James is back? And did you like the moment he and Roslyn shared?
