The Proxy Trials...

CHAPTER 1 - The Woods

Violet's P.O.V.

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I'm about to dance with the devil. 

The woods were dark and mystical, a place I would go to often - whether it was just for a little myself time and inspiration, or maybe just to clear my thoughts. Either way, I knew the place inside-out. The wind had kicked up a rather violent breeze and I hugged myself, shivering. The trees towered above my head, and elongated much more than usual. This dangerous, wild sensation spread through my veins, like I lived for this thrill. As I walked, whistling gently to myself, I thought I heard a rustle and crunch of bracken behind me. Slowly, I swiveled round in a daze. It had been like a whisper through the trees.

A week later, I am in the woods all over again - but this is different. Now I am face to face with a Killer, the one with a striped nose and the clown resemblance. My mouth doesn't form any words, but I suddenly just uttered the words just as he decides to pounce on his prey.  

No one was there. It was just me, the lumbering trees, and the crispy chestnut-brown leaves replacing the ground. A bird of some sort cooed in the distance, and I sharp, discouraging twigs snagged at my clothes, my hair, my skin.

Then I heard it again though - like someone had just sprinted through the stirring leaves. My heartbeat kinda sped up a little, and I swallowed, trying to keep my cool. I did get scared often. That's because you see, I have these scary dreams at night - these haunting images of...a mansion. And this secret coven of freak killers who wanted me to burn with them. Every day I would wake up gasping for breath, and realising I wasn't dead. I'd be completely normal and stay my calm, collective self in front of others -  I was brave. You can see why I had grown really scared suddenly - was someone spying on me or something?

Without warning, I could see him clear as daylight. A shock of dark hair and a white, expressionless mask. I gripped the pocket knife I always kept and held my honour. For some reason, I felt a connection to this freak - like I had seen him before. Then it finally snapped - he had been one of the guys from the Nightmares.

I should have known at that moment - should have realised that my mind was NOT playing tricks on me.That moment when the masked figure's eyes and mine had met, I should have turned and ran.

Running wouldn't be an option, I didn't think. This man was the one who kidnapped me in the first place during the Nightmare, and it would make sense if that was the reason he was here in reality. Suddenly I felt my breath catch in my throat and I felt kind of faint.  Then I flicked open my pocket knife and pointed it at this man.

"Who the hell are you? S-stay away from me, I have - I have a weapon." I didn't even dare blink.

Seriously, why couldn't I have just turned and ran?

Before he even bothered to reply, he turned and ran like a bullet himself. I blinked, knife still shakily pointed at the spot he last stood at. One second he was just standing there - the next, he had disappeared through the bracken.