Burned

Chapter 1: Into the Woods

I looked at Sam from across the room. I wasn't sure why she was here, but for my sake, I was glad she was there. She caught my eye and made a face, which made me laugh. My father heard and shot me a glare.

Being the mayor's daughter had its perks, but mostly it just added more stress to my already full plate. I liked being able to be included in the town's meetings or decisions, but at the same time, there were things that I didn't like about my position. I had to keep my image perfect, so it didn't affect my father's image. Everything had to be neat in our house, just in case anyone decided to show up unannounced. I had to keep an eye on my friends and where we went, to make sure that it wouldn't be talked about around town. I hated being disciplined by my father. He never hit me, but I didn't like being under his disappointed look.

"Something funny, Abigail?" my father turned towards me. His green eyes cut into my blue ones. His black hair stuck to his head from sweat. His voice had a bit of a bite to it. The comment stopped everyone in their tracks, making them look at me.

"N-no, sir," my voice cracked. I hated being in the center of attention, especially while being called out by Father.

"Why don't you run along and make yourself useful at the house?"

I nodded, getting up as quickly as I could without falling over. I was a bit of a klutz if I rushed. I left the Center House, glad to be out of the meeting. A few moments later, Sam followed me.

"That was tense, huh?" her voice was steady. Her long, brown hair bounced while she walked. Her green eyes shone with laughter and pure joy. She lightly pushed my shoulder, "Just chill, Abbie. Everything's going to be fine. It's no big deal."

"To you it isn't!" I sighed. She didn't understand what it was like to be in a higher position. Her father was a farmer, so she didn't have to watch everything she did around town. She was free to be herself, something I hadn't done in a while.

Sam spun me around to face her, "Abbie, don't worry about one little mistake. Live a little. What's one harmless mistake?"

She was right. One mistake didn't hurt. I started thinking, but what if there were more? What happened when I made a worse mistake?

"Abbie, stop. You're over thinking everything." She put her hands on my shoulders, smiling. Her eyebrows were raised, as if daring me to contradict her.

I smiled, "You know me too well."

We both started walking in silence. The way the path went, we had to walk right by the Salem Woods. No one knew what was on the other side of them, only that no one that went in came out again. We were told to stay out of the Woods if we wanted to stay in Salem. There were dark legends surrounding the Woods, tales of murder and sacrifices. I didn't believe them, but Sam's father did. He warned us all the time to stay away from the woods. They kept people out, but also kept kids in Salem.

Against every word from our elders, Sam and I always walked on the edge of the woods. This time, there was a boy in the trees. I could've walked right by him, had it not been for his red hair. No one in Salem had red hair! I could see gold streaks at the ends. This wasn't a boy I knew. I stopped in my tracks, studying him. He looked so familiar, but I couldn't place where I had seen him. He saw me staring and waved. There was a writing on his arm. I had never seen one before, but the Great Book said not to write on one's skin. He smiled and beckoned us over. Did I dare make a greater mistake?

I took Sam's arm, "What was that about living a little? Want to do something different for a change?"

"What has gotten into you? What have you done with Abbie?" Sam laughed.

I gestured to the woods. "We've never been there, have we?"

Sam's eyes went wide, "The Salem Woods? Are you crazy?"

I smiled, not sure of what came over me. "What's one mistake, right? Isn't that what you just said? C'mon, Sami. Live with me."

She smiled, "You haven't called me Sami in years. Last time was when we got in trouble for disturbing the preacher's sermon at Tabernacle." She started laughing. "Let's live a little, Abbie."

We entered the woods, against all warnings from growing up here. I wondered briefly what my father would say, but at that moment, I no longer cared. As we walked, we were silent. Only the cracking of the twigs beneath our feet could be heard. Our breathing became synchronized, like we wanted less noise.

The trees around us were like none I had ever seen before, but they weren't unfamiliar. It seemed like everything today had been done before today. I felt like I had lived today, but I knew in my mind that I hadn't. There was no way that I would go against my father's direct orders before today. I was always a good girl, but I supposed that would change. I ran my fingers across a fern leaf as we walked. It was smooth in my hand. I started giggling, unsure of what caused me to start.

Sam gave me a strange look, but then she started laughing too. Was this why people stayed out of the woods?

Suddenly, the boy with the mark was back. He was smiling, his green eyes shining in the light. He was sitting in a circle of only grass. For at least one hundred feet around the boy, there were no trees. It was a perfect circle of nothing but field. "I didn't think you would show up, Abigail. You must be Samantha." He smiled at Sam.

Her eyes went wide, "How do you –"

"Know your names?" he finished. "Don't worry. I'm from here. We just haven't met yet."

"You can't be from here!" I argued, "I would've seen you before. No one has red hair here. I would've seen you before."

"I said I was from here, not that I stay here. I live somewhere else. In another town." He shrugged. "I don't see why I need to stay here."

I felt my heart beating quickly. There were other towns? How did he escape the woods? I could be free. There was nothing holding me back anymore. But what would father say? "How do you escape? What's your name?"

He smiled, "My name is Castiel. I escaped a long time ago, I never felt the need to come back."

"Then why are you here now?" Sam snapped. "Why come back now?"

"I get the feeling you don't like me, Samantha."

"Don't call me that! You're not allowed to say my name! You know nothing about me! What's to say you're not a creepy stalker trying to trick us into leaving? You might be wanting to sacrifice us, like Dad says." She trailed off, her eyes wide. "Abbie, c'mon. I'm leaving. Are you coming or not?"

Castiel smiled, "Go if you will. But remember me, Abigail."

I nodded. Something brought him back, but what? I followed Sam out of the woods. I looked back to the circle but Castiel was gone. I could no longer see his red hair. For some reason, I wanted to run back to ask him to help me out of this place.

"What a creep," Sam was muttering.

"I think he was nice."

"N ice? He knew our names. He knew everything about us. He could be stalking us, trying to kidnap us and take us from our families."

"Would that be a bad thing?"

She gasped, "Abbie, you can't be serious. Think of your father. What would he say?"

"We're not going to tell anyone about Castiel. I don't want to get him burned."

Her eyes went wide. "No, we don't want that. But we won't seek him out again."

I nodded. "Who needs to know?"