Whispers Beyond the Forest

Chapter 11

Emily sat on her bed, staring at her phone. Tom's number already lit up the screen, but she couldn't bring herself to press the green button. What was the point? He'd barely told her anything at all. She didn't trust him to tell the truth now.

With a sigh Emily threw the phone on the bed next to her. Tom wouldn't tell her anything, Eddy was keeping things from her, and now Maya and Dennis had lied to her, too. There was nobody left that she could truly trust.

Yet there still was so much she needed to know.

Emily jumped up off the bed. Maybe it was time to take matters into her own hands. To play detective herself. The only problem was, she didn't know what it was she was trying to remember.

Okay, think Emily, think! What is it you don't know yet?

Well, there was one thing she sure didn't understand yet: the Others. Maybe that was a good place to start. After all, how was she to understand herself if she didn't even understand the world she was living in? Besides, she couldn't shake the feeling that the boy hidden inside her mattress was more important than she realised.

But how on earth was she meant to learn more about them, when everyone she knew refused to talk about them? Emily bit her lip and stared out the window, deep in thought. Could Syl be the key to all this? He could tell her more, if he wanted to. He was an Other after all. But that meant having to get close to him again, and she wasn't sure she was quite brave enough for that. Who knew what he'd do...

Mum trusted them, though.

The thought popped into her head without warning. Eddy had told her that. Her mother had trusted them and helped them, before she died. Her mum trusted them. Her dad hated them. Who was right?

Emily stood in front of the mirror and stared at her pale reflection, worry lines creasing her face. Maybe she didn't have a choice. She had to be brave enough. Or she'd never get her memory back.

Hopping from one foot to the other, Emily looked out over the forest in front of her. Her palms were sweaty and her knees wouldn't stop trembling.

Am I really going to do this? She kept asking herself. Am I really going back in there?

The forest seemed darker than it did last time. Shadows loomed between the trees, wiping out every slither of sunlight that managed to get through. There was no movement, as if even the animals had deserted the place.

She wiped her hands on her jeans and took a deep breath, stepping bravely in between the trees. When the leaves rustled and a twig snapped only just ahead, Emily froze and let out a fearful whimper.

Why am I doing this again?

Emily slid her hand into her pocket and pulled out the A4 piece of paper. She stared down at those sad eyes. He could tell her more, she was sure of that. If she could just get over her fear.

Slowly, hesitantly, she took a few more steps, and then another few, shuffling forwards until she finally reached the clearing. There, she let her eyes shoot back and forth, searching for any sign of danger. Nothing. Yet. Syl wasn't there. A shuddering breath escaped her lips.

Emily waited, and waited, unmoving, until her legs hurt from standing in the same position for too long. The fallen log sat invitingly in the middle of the clearing. Yet even after what felt like hours of nothing happening, nothing at all, Emily was still too scared to leave her back unguarded. No, she'd rather stay where she was, with her back to a tree, her eyes continuously scanning the area.

Suddenly the sound of footsteps came from her left. She whipped her head around. As Syl came into the clearing, Emily took as many steps backwards. He paused, narrowing his eyes.