The Tree

Chapter 1

The stifling heat inside the packed car was undeterred by the pounding wind that seemed to refuse to enter the open windows. The air was heavy and humid, thick with a taste of electricity that came right before a big storm. Alex had been watching the city slowly turning into nature, subway entrances fading into ditches and the buildings into trees. The traffic of the city was behind them, and the destination was only a couple miles further, for which Alex was grateful. She wasn't sure how much longer she'd survive in the hot car, crammed between two people, especially since one of them had decided to dump an entire bottle of an extremely sweet, cheap perfume that was making her brain pound in her skull, and her stomach convulsed in ways she didn't want to think about, in fear of its few contents being spewed all over the car.

A few days ago, one of her closest and only friends, Bren, had informed her that she was to stop being a hermit, and that she should throw an end of finals party at the upstate New York mansion that she had inherited from her great aunt.

Resigned, Alex agreed, too tired to really put up any of a fight. Regretfully, Bren had noticed and gave her a look that was so full of concern, Alex wanted to simultaneously cry and seek the comfort she so desperately craved, and get angry and punch them in the face and never look at them again.

She did neither of those things. Instead she sighed and looked at Bren.

"I'm honestly just way too tired from finals to argue with you this time. Plus a party to get my head away from the prospect that I most likely failed, isn't unwelcome."

Seemingly satisfied with that answer, Bren continued on talking about what outfits Alex should consider wearing, and which hot people are probably going to come, and what drinks they should consider bringing, and on, and on, and on.

Alex knew Bren sensed that something more was off, and she was grateful that they didn't keep pushing. Alex was being honest about the party probably being a good way to keep her mind away from the fact that she most likely failed her exams, but she wasn't tired from studying. Heck if she'd even studied half of the time she had spent having a breakdown or simply staring into space, she would have probably passed, but her brain was having none of that motivation and work bull. At this point she could barely sleep, anxiety suffocating her entire being, leaving her wondering where the hell her life was heading. What was she going to do?

A screech and bump from the tires of the car, startled her back to the present. They had pulled off the main road and onto a rocky, dirt covered road, one that led through the forest, through massive gates, and finally into a clearing that held the massive house. Several dozen cars were already parked and the slowly setting sun, glinted mischievously off of their windshields.

Bren and the other occupants of their car spilled out and began making their way into the woods, towards the light of a blazing campfire.

Alex hung back for a minute, glancing at the giant structure, she had spent most of her troubled childhood in.

It was a magnificent building. Towers reaching into the sky, enormous windows, and the sheer size of it, gave the manor a presence few houses possessed. With the vines weaving around it, the house seemed alive and asleep, as if at any moment it would take a deep breath and the lights within would once again come alive and the ghosts of those past would once again jump up and begin twirling and gliding around the rooms.

"Alex?" A tentative hand touched her shoulder, causing her to flinch and whirl around to come face to face with Bren.

"Oh. Bren. Hey. Sorry, haha. Didn't see you there," Alex hurriedly apologized.

Bren laughed, "Nah, I should be the one apologizing. Didn't mean to startle you out of whatever edgy thoughts you were thinking."

Alex rolled her eyes.

"Come on, the party's already in full blast. You're not going to be able to find a spot to chill. Plus... you know who's here," Bren began wiggling their eyebrows and winking suggestively.

Alex gasped. "VOLDEMORT'S HERE???!!?" She widened her eyes and gaped with faked disbelief at Bren.

"You asshole. Yes, Voldemort, except he now goes by Sam, and managed to grow a really good looking nose. And let's not forget those new golden locks, oh and those abs, and..."

"Ok, ok, ok. Shut up please. I don't need the whole junior class knowing who I like," she hissed, shoving Bren in the arm and slowing down her pace.

When they arrived and got their drinks, Bren was immediately pulled away by some people, and Bren, throwing an apologetic glance back at Alex, left her once again standing alone.

"You ass," she scowled at their receding back, as they wound their arms around the two closest giggling people.

"Who's an ass?"

Aleks felt her whole body stiffen and an immediate redness made its way to her face and neck.

Sam came around her right and glanced down at her mortified face.

He was waiting for a response, she realized. Crap. She needed to say something. Say something. SAY SOMETHING, her brain was screaming.

"Me!" Realizing what she said, she rushed out with a "Wait! Uh. I don't know. Sorry I gotta go use the restroom!" She took off into the safety of the trees and away from whatever the hell that just was.

As she began to cool and her head cleared from the anxiety, she decided that death may be a welcome option. Why could she not just have a normal conversation with this man. It's not like she hadn't had a normal conversation with him before. It was just that whenever they were left along one on one, she always made an absolute fool of herself.

Kicking leaves and rocks she followed a thinning path deeper into the woods. The cup of liquor in her hand was still halfway full, but Aleks was never one to really enjoy alcohol. Wallowing in self pity, Aleks aimlessly wandered into what appeared to be a semi clearing. Towards the end of the clearing, in the center, stood a massive tree. Its roots were enormous and exposed, and its huge branches sagged under the weight of its many twigs and leaves.

Upon further inspection, Aleks noticed that the bark pattern of the tree met in a peculiar formation, further up the trunk. It's twirls and lines came together to form a humanoid face, of someone who was seemingly sleeping.

Entranced Aleks approached it and placed a hand over the pattern, gently feeling it. The way the bark came together to form the lips, the nose, and the eyes. The eyes, which were now open, and moving around almost as if in a panicked state. The eyes that had sap pouring out of their eyes. And then the mouth opened and even more sap came gushing out causing Aleks to stumble back and then turn on her heel and run. Run away from the tree and its gushing sap and human eyes, as fast as she could. Blood pounding in her ears, and the only thought in her mind was run, run, run, run.