It Started With a Partnership (discontinued)

two: the boy

"I can't believe I went into the woods." I shook my head at my own stupidity.

It was already getting late, and I still hadn't found the ball. Gideon was probably waiting for me, unless he went home. That would suck.

I searched through the woods, keeping my eyes on the ground. It couldn't have gone that far, could it?

That's when I heard the crunching sound from behind me. I stopped abruptly, and froze.

No way was I about to get killed like in a horror movie out in the woods. I started to walk out in the direction of the golf course, but it still sounded like someone was following me.

Or something.

I started walking faster, ignoring the fear growing in my mind like a wildfire. But when I realized that I was absolutely lost, I almost broke down and started crying.

"Crying isn't going to help anyone." I shook my head at myself. But how could I have been so stupid?

I heard a growling sound coming closer to me than I'd hoped and quickly ducked behind a tree, hoping that it would just move right on past me.

A few moments passed and I couldn't hear a single thing.

Thinking that whatever it was had disappeared, I got out of my hiding place and continued out of the woods. Until I saw something in the bushes next to me.

It growled loudly, and when it popped out of the bush it looked like the size of a mountain.

It had in-grown patches of fur spaces all around its back and the rest of its body.

Its fangs dripped with a green liquid, and when that green liquid dropped onto the patch of grass nearest to it, it turned brown and died.

The worst thing, was that it was staring right at me, not blinking.

I sucked in a breath of air and tried to scream. But was terribly surprised when nothing came out of my mouth.

This was it. I was a goner.

I closed my eyes and prepared for the worst, until I felt something snag my wrist. It felt like a. . .hand.

I opened my eyes and was surprised to find that my feet were actually moving, I was running! Well, more so I was being dragged by the person who was running ahead of me.

"Keep moving!" a voice shouted. A. . .boy.

It didn't snap me out of my daze. "Who. . ."

A loud howl from close behind me did and I continued running. The boy pulled me along, and he only seemed to be running faster with every step, it was a wonder I could even keep up.

"Duck!" He yelled back to me, and I quickly followed his command.

The creature, who couldn't understand English however, did not hear his command and ran straight into a tree.

The boy and I kept running until we made it into a clearing. How long had we been running? It felt like forever, but it was probably no more than five minutes.

I sat down on a nearby rock and tried catching my breath.

"Who are you?"

I looked up and saw him standing there. His brown hair was swept up away from his face, showing a very peculiar birthmark on his forehead.

His icy eyes trained on mine, almost glaring. But they showed mild curiosity.

"I-I," I stammered, still trying to catch my breath.

"I repeat, who are you?" He said again, his voice cold as his eyes.

I took his the rest of him and noticed that he was tall too, maybe he was older than me. After all, I was only fifteen.

Maybe he was fifteen too, maybe even sixteen? But the way he was dressed made him look even more mysterious.

His legs were clad in black pants, that seemed to have a gazillion pockets on them But what was covering the top half of his body was even more interesting.

Wearing a cloak of black, he looked like a rogue from a fairytale my parents had read to me as a child.

"I'm Pacifica." I finally managed to say. "Who are you?"

"You shouldn't be here." He continued, ignoring my question. How dare he! "How did you even get here?"

"I was looking for my golf ball!" I protested. "If I shouldn't be here, why the heck are you?"

He ignored my comment once more and ran a hand through his hair. "I'd leave if I were you, and forget that this ever happened." He pulled his hood over his head and started walking out of the woods.

"Hey! Wait a minute!" I yelled, chasing after him. "Who are you? Why are you here? Why can't I be here? Do you know about the creatures, too?"

He whirled on me in an instant, eyes blazing. "None of your concern, none of your concern, because you cannot. None of your concern." He fired off, answering all my questions at once.

"You saw that creature, didn't you?" I continued to walk with him out of the woods. "You know about them, too?"

"Yes." He finally gave in and admitted. "But you shouldn't have to worry about it." He looked at me once. "Don't worry, there are those who can take your memories away."

I stopped walking and stared at him, eyes wide. "W-what?"

His eyes widened, too, and he shook his head. "Ignore that."

"Who can take those memories go away?" I demanded, louder.

"No one." He stated, coldly. "I'd just avoid this wooded area all together. Because if they know that you know, they'll take one look at you, and stir your brain with a fork."

Now that I had that image in my head, I shuddered. "Who are you?" I whispered. "You a least owe me that much."

His lips formed a thin line and he uttered a single phrase. "Dipper." He stated, quietly, "call me Dipper."