Deadly Woods

Chapter 1 : The Last Day

As I start to wake up, I can hear the birds chirping outside my window and the smell of breakfast in the air. I fully open my eyes and I am blinded by the beautiful sun shining through my white curtains. I begin to stretch and yawn a few times and then it hit me, I remembered that it's the last day of my junior year in high school.

I jump out of bed and sing at the top of my lungs "I'm gonna be a senior!! I'm gonna be a senior!!" over and over again until my mom bursts into my room thinking I must be dying or something. I stopped screaming when she came in and she just looked at me like she was about to cry. "Please don't cry" I thought to myself.

"My baby's gonna be a senior already!" she wept as she grabbed me in for a hug.

"Mom!" I said struggling to get out of her tight embrace. "I can't breathe!"

"I'm sorry, i'm sorry honey." she said as she let go and wiped her tears with her t-shirt. "you're just my only baby and I can't believe how fast you are growing up!"

Sometimes I hate being an only child but then again it feels nice being so loved by my mom. I wish my dad was still alive though. He died when I was 13 and still to this day we have no idea what happened. One day he went hunting in the woods with his buddies and never came home. His friends said that he said he needed to go look at something, walked into the woods and they were never able to find him. They looked for two hours before calling the police. Then a whole search party was called out and there were still no traces of him. I really wish I knew what happened to him.

Before I could think too much of it my mom snapped me out of my thoughts and said "You know your dad would be so proud of you right?"

"yeah, I know. I just wish he was here to tell me himself" I replied trying not to cry.

"I know sweetie, me too" my mom said while pulling me in for another hug. This one not as tight, but very comforting. "Come on now, lets get you ready for your last day of junior year!" she spoke and I could feel the vibrations on her chest.

We pulled away from the hug and I told my mom that I was gonna get ready and I would be down for breakfast in a little bit. She nodded while keeping a huge smile on her face and walked out of my room.

I couldn't believe that I was going to be a senior already. I always talked about how excited I was for my senior year of high school and all the fun things I would be able to do and now that it's just about here, i'm actually a bit terrified. I try to push the fears of growing up and going to college off as I do my makeup and get dressed into my favorite black skirt and this really cute blue top I got the other day.

I finish up by curling my hair and spraying it with a little bit of hairspray before I throw on a light jacket, since I usually get chilly in the morning, and I walk downstairs to see what my mom is cooking. Once I get to the bottom of the stairs the smell of bacon cooking really hit my nose and my mouth began to water. I walked into the dinning room and sat down at the table while my mom finished preparing breakfast. Everything looked and smelled so delicious. My mom finally finished cooking and brought the food to the table and we both dove in and started devouring what was on our plates.

After my mom and I finished our breakfast, I helped her clean up the table and then went upstairs to get my bag ready for my last day of school. I don't really need much so I just grabbed my yearbook, a few markers, and a book that I need to return to the library. I headed back downstairs to say goodbye to my mom and per usual on the first and last days of school, she wants to take my picture.

"Please Maya" my mother whined for me to stand in front of the wall for a picture.

"Okay fine" I huffed, "but make it fast please, I have to go."

My mom snapped as many pictures she could before I walked over to her, gave her a hug and headed out the door. I got in my car and started it and then my phone started to ring. I looked down at my phone and saw that it was my best friend Avery calling. I quickly answered the phone and said "hello".

"Maya!!" Avery exclaimed "i'm at school, where are you?" she asked

"I just got in my car, i'll be there in a few minutes" I replied

"Awesome! i'll be out front waiting for you. See you soon, bye!"

I said goodbye and then hung up my phone. I buckled my seat belt and got music playing before I backed out of my driveway. The drive to my high school from my house is maybe 5 minutes so before I knew it i was pulling up the hill and parking in my usual spot. I grabbed my bag and started walking towards the front to meet up with Avery. I got close to where Avery was standing and the next thing I knew she was running towards be to give me a huge hug.

"Can you believe it's the last day of school already and we're basically seniors now!?" she screamed and started to jump around.

"I know! It's so crazy, I'm so ready to be done with high school though honestly." I said as we started walking into the school and to our lockers.

"same" Avery agreed "the only thing that gets me through the school year though is our summer camping trip!"

"yes! I am so excited" I replied "speaking of, did you book the cabin we always stay in at Red Oaks?" I asked and by the face Avery made i'm going to assume that she didn't.

"shoot!" she yelled "I completely forgot with finals and everything going on. I'm sorry"

"It's okay" I said trying not to be mad at her "I will just call them and see if they have any openings for this weekend."

"I really hope they do" Avery said "I really don't want to sleep in a tent" and I nodded in agreement.

The way that camping works where we live is a little confusing because we are surrounded by a whole forest called the Red Oak forest and because so many people go camping they have different sections. So there is a section called the cabin section that has log cabins for you to rent out and stay in which also has some extra things like a pool and rope swings to jump in the lake. There is a section specifically for hunting and then in between those two sections, there is one made for trails to take walks in the woods and they have a few different places to set up tents and build fires.

We always rent out a cabin for our camping trip because first off, it's easier to live in for long periods of time and you don't have to go to the bathroom outside. The other reason is because it's the section that is furthest away from the one where my dad disappeared in. I can't even bring myself to go near that section of woods because it just makes me wonder where he went or what happened to him.

it's now lunch time and I decided I would step outside and try and call Red Oaks to see if they had any cabins available for this weekend.

Just as I thought, they don't have any available..

and my biggest fear has now come true. Looks like we're going camping right next to the section where my father disappeared.. how fun.