Hollow Woods ✔

Willing Help

'It ran cold as the night fell atop the town. Tears fell over my cheek as I struggled to get free of the ropes that help me down. Blood ran over my eye as I tried to pull away into the light that the moon brought upon me. The silence was my only friend, for I knew it was safe to struggle and cry out in pain.'

"Wait, hold on, how do you know this?" I looked over at Dean and smiled at him.

To be honest, it was all in my head. That little description was just my head going to work. Hey, names Ex, I know, weird. I'm 18 and I just can't seem to get away from trouble. I just get sucked into the cruel side of this world, it's like I belong here. My little description has to do with a kidnapping, you see, it's trouble.

The victim's name is Betty, she went missing only a year ago but no one ever found her body. I'm not new in town so this report hit my desk real fast. Warnings never kept me away, so why should this time be any different. If anything I was more determined to find out what happened to this girl. Everyone that knew about me and my troublesome habits told me to keep a watchful eye.

In this town anything can easily slip and land in the wrong hands.

This town was one that everyone knew everyone.

No secret has ever been held for long, not possible with all the snooping old ladies and the gossiping crows.

From what I have learned, Betty was a bright girl, although she gave off a way to trusting attitude. This is probably the reason she got taken in the first place. I don't blame the people for taking an easy target, you get what you get.

If only I knew the girl personally, that would make my data collecting a hell of a lot easier. So far everyone is saying that she didn't have many friends, in fact, she only had one close friend that she shared everything with, so they say. The day after Betty's disappearance her friend committed suicide, not even leaving behind a note. She left with no warning, but if you ask me it was because of all the stress of the old ladies asking her to spill everything she knew about Betty.

Now, I'm not working for the police and if I or anyone finds out what happened to her they where to receive a reward, after all, this was an open investigation that anyone was welcome to try and solve. If you would like to ask me I would say that the police are wasting all their time asking the students at the school. Teens are the worst, they say nothing to no one, they all think that they're above the law, especially the rich kids who get everything handed to them as soon as they ask for it.

From my time in this town and this school I know how the school hierarchy works, and let me tell you, it's like every other school. Nothing special, just pain and misery. Bullying is just another part of the school. We had the jocks, the bitches or the cheerleaders, nerds, and everyone else that doesn't fit into any group, the outcasts. That's the group I fall under.

That doesn't matter though, this school alone looked to be in a bad and broken part of town. When I first saw this place it was no shock that a young girl went missing.

Dark alleyways, foggy streets, and what's worse is all the druggies after school hours. All they do is buzz around looking for a few bucks to buy more drugs. Poor little Betty, if what I have heard about her is true then surely everyone saw her as an easy target, this, of course, includes the druggies. It must be hard growing up around here, not to say I grew up as a privileged child.

Hell to the fucking no!

If anything, I grew up in rougher conditions. My parents died when I was very young. The same day my parents died I was kidnapped and forced into a gang life until I was 13. Ever since I was little I fought gangs and got wind of my skills at such a young age that they took an interest in me. I was forced to fight for them and do other shady things.

At 12 they used my body for their needs. Only Dean, my best friend, knew about my past. I do admit that at times it's so hard to hold back tears, only allowing myself to feel weak around Dean and my sister. A few years later I live as much as a normal life as I can.

My past only made me even more determined to find this girl, her being two years younger and the fact that she was so innocent didn't help. I could imagine her face full of terror as whoever took her hit and did awful things to her. Out of anyone in this godforsaken town I knew what this girl was going through.

I can feel my eyes start to water up as a tear falls down my cheek followed by another and another. Dean walks over to comfort me as we are at the school library that is filled with students. I wipe away my tears and start to pass over the memories of my past, trying not to be selfish in a situation like this.

Just as I began to focus again, the school jock showed up. The assface walks over with his crew, he looks down at my computer to see what I'm doing, I guess. "To what do we owe the pleasure of your presence, Rhydian?" I ask in a bored tone.

He signals for his goons to leave and they do. "I thought I could help you out on your investigation." He stops, allowing me to process a response, looking at Dean for confirmation. He continues, "I didn't know her personally, but on a few occasions I would catch her talking to some shading looking guy. He was much older than her, even much older than us from what I could tell. I saw them exchange some sort of package. Al-"

Dean cut him off as he noticed I was deep in thought, typing on my computer. Rhydian scoots his seat closer to me then leaning over my arm. I snap out of my focus and without thinking, I ball up my hand into a fist and hit his jaw. His face snapped to the side, a shocked look on his face. Dean didn't waste a second, he pushed away from the table, bashing my laptop shut and finally grabbing my wrist and pulling me up and out the library, leaving Rhydian shocked in his seat.

"What do you think you're doing?" Dean rushed us to the janitors closet. "Why on earth would you dare lay a hand on the drama queen that is Rhydian! You might be the fighter around but no one can know!" He gives me a concerning look and I knew as well that Rhydian wouldn't let a punch like that slip by.

I would have responded to Dean but the door flew open and a hand grabbed Deans' wrist, pulling him out. The person that pulled Dean out came in and locked the door behind them. I could hear the worried cries of my best friend, he knew that me and a guy in a room alone is bad for me.

"I'll be fine, go to class and if anyone asks, I have girl problems I had to take care of." I reassured him. I heard him sigh and then start his way down the hall.

"What now?" I say, a bit annoyed at him.

"What now! You fucking punched my face!" He spat in my face, this closet was too small for someone of Rhydians' build.

"First off, stop yelling. Second, stop spitting in my face. And third, I'm not sorry, to be honest you can't just get up close to someone's face without saying anything. Especially if that someone is trying to focus." I can't believe this guy!

I push myself against the wall, trying to make space between us. He opens his mouth to say something but nothing comes out. "Now, if we are done here."

"No. Look, I have info on Betty. I just want to help out." I could see the desperation in his eyes, that and a few forming tears. I step up in front of him, taking my thumb and wiping his fallen tear.

"We can't talk here but come to my place after school today. Dean and I will be arranging what we have thus far." I reached in my bag and pulled out a pen and paper, as I wrote down my address and phone number I can just slightly see Rhydian pull himself together.

I hand him the paper and move around him to unlock the door so that I could escape the small space. We exchanged smiles and then split in opposite directions. I turn around so that I don't run into something.

Holy shit! I just saw the school's biggest player cry! I'm not one to overreact but this was huge. If it weren't for his willingness to help in my search then heck, I would be making my way straight to the office, yelling into the speakers, telling everyone. He got lucky today but if he bails on me after school everyone will know.

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I hope you enjoyed the first chapter of Hollow Woods. It's been hard to find time to write but I'll try my best to update weekly!

I don't have much to say but I hope to see you next week. Have a great day, or night.