Into The Forest

Chapter 9: Deja Vu

             I was ten years old and staying at Saint Mary’s Home for the Lost or my orphanage. I was the quiet one that never liked making friends or never really had any to begin with. All the friends I made ended up leaving so I didn’t find a point in further heartbreak. There was one friend that never left though, his name was Keith Holton. We grew closer over the years because we both came into the orphanage around the same time and every year was never chosen for families. He had light brown hair and dark brown green eyes. When I became thirteen, I was chosen for a family, but I didn’t want to leave the orphanage because I had found my family here and with Keith. Terry, my father, came in to check me out and see what kind of kid he would be “purchasing.” “You don’t have to go Kass, maybe you’ll get another family next year.” Keith would say, even though it was never true. It was the first time either of us had been chosen and I wanted to get out and explore the world. “I’m sure I’ll see you around someday, right?” I asked back as I turned to see Keith staring off out of a window. He looked lonely, but calm as he spoke softly, “I’m sure I’ll find you someday.” He held out his arms and embraced me. We stood there in a hug that seemed to last a lifetime. “I’ll find ya Kass, don’t worry.” That was the last time I heard from him.

A cold breeze blew past my feet and I woke up in a frantic state. “Well…that was a great memory, the reliving of my past, oh boy.” I looked down and saw the rest of the guys sleeping. We stopped in a small nook underground for the morning to catch up on rest. I started to get up and felt a piece of paper in my hands. A note? But there wasn’t JUST a note…there was a note covered in blood. I gasped out of surprised and then unraveled the paper. It read: “You tried to leave the forest. The death of that Lost Boy is on your hands. Go back before it’s too late.” By this time I felt as if I was shaking in fear. “Ryker!” I whispered loudly. “What?” I saw his head move to face me and his expression became like mine as he saw the new note in my hands. “Hey, guys. Get up!” He called the rest of the guys to show them my discovery. Cayden took the note and showed Jack and spoke up, “This some serious stuff…what do you want to do Kass?” Wait…what did he just call me? Déjà vu moment huh? Rinji’s face looked surprised at that comment, but went on to minding his own business. “Uhm…let’s see if we can make it to the city alright. If something even has the slightest bad feeling, we find a different way.” They nodded heads and said in sync, “Agreed.” Ryker stood up with a smirk, “Let’s get a move on then!” The guys took the lead and it was Rinji and I rounding up the pack. “So…” he started off, “Guess you have a new nickname, huh Kass?” It sounds so weird having these guys call me that. I looked up at him and noticed his beautiful eyes, they felt safe and secure to me. “Ha ha I guess, but I don’t mind. I used to have that name back at the orphanage I lived at.” His eyes widened, “You lived at an orphanage? Then I’m thinking those crazies are your adoptive parents? We’ve never helped out a stray like you before ha ha. Guess Cayden knew what he was doing finding you guys at the highschool.” His laugh was deep but innocent sounding, totally different from his appearance. “Yea, I’m grateful he did, I feel like I would have been dead without him helping us out. He’s pretty nice too.” His face turned serious again and he let out a small chuckle, “You have not met the real Cayden then, he’s rarely as sweet as you make him out to be.” I looked up to the front of the pack and saw him smiling as he found the ladder up to the streets. Not sure who the ‘real Cayden’ is, but I know that this Cayden is one I can trust. “Come on guy’s it’s this way!” He pointed up to the hole in the ground. “Alright Princess, let’s get a move on.” Rinji said jokingly. We got in line and started climbing, the light from above ground blinded us for a second, but as soon as we were out, we could see it all. The streets filled with honking cars, people out and about jogging, and the smell of fresh food. “Breath it in boys! Breath it in!” Cayden said with a huge smile and laugh. “We made it…” Ryker said. Pfhh, says the guy who doubted our every move. Jack held up a wallet, “I’ve got ten dollars! Who’s up for sandwiches?” I bet ten dollars that wallet isn’t even his. “Wait, wait wait.” Said Ryker, “We aren’t even going to find a safe place to be? Just going to be out and about while there’s a possible crazy hunting us?!” Jack put the wallet down and looked over at Cayden who swiftly commented, “What? Do I make allll the decisions now or something?!” Jack grinned a grin bigger than the Cheshire Cats’. “I suggest, if you agree.” He said as he gestured to me. “I suggest that we go about our day as if nothing happened. We’ll stick together and at night, we’ll go to the safe house more by the coast. It’s perfectly safe there, alright?” Sounds good to me. I looked over at Ryker who still looked unconvinced. Rinji stood in and said, “If it makes you feel any better, I don’t know where the safe house is either.” I held in my laughter as hard as I could, but a little squeak came out here and there. “Fine, but I want to travel by the subway.” Jack stared him with a look in his eye, “You think we’ve got that kind of money to ride a freaking subway to the coast? Nah, we walk.” “Hey!” called out Rinji, “We’ll take the bus, it’s cheap and public transportation so it’s not we are going to be walking around in the dark like the last two days. Sound like a plan?” I looked around and everyone seemed to nod anonymously in agreement. “Alright, we take the bus.” Jack walked ahead of the pack. Well ain’t someone’s a bad sport ha ha? Cayden grabbed the wallet and preceded to the bus stop, “I’ll take 7 tickets to the Coastline por favor.” He gave the driver money and motioned us to hop in. “Adventure is out theerree!!” One of the Lost Boys yelled as he flew onto the bus. These dorks. The guys sat in the front by windows and I headed for the back of the bus since it seemed “safer.” I sat down in a somewhat empty section. There was a pregnant lady with a stroller and a man reading the newspaper. The bus started and was dead quiet for the next hour until I heard some rustling by the older man, I turned around to see he was wearing sunglasses and looking right in my direction. Another five minutes had past and I looked behind me again, the man’s eyes still focused on me. “Hey Kass, what’s up?” Cayden said as he sat in a seat next to me. “See that man back there?” I subtly pointed in his direction. “Yea, what about him?” “He keeps staring at me, I have a bad feeling about him.” His face looked genuinely concerned and he spoke up, “Come sit upfront with us, we can keep an eye on ya and that old buzzer.” I smiled to show my appreciation, “Thanks.” We went up to the front and I started to fall asleep on his shoulder. He’s so warm. I was finally feeling safe again. We were on our way out. A way out to true freedom.