Farther Into the Woods

Chapter One

Chapter One
I Never Go Under the Knife,
I Have a Phobia of Needles

My parents always would tell me things like “Life can surprise you, be careful.” or “Don’t forget to look before you turn life’s corner.” In my opinion, it seemed like a bunch of hogwash. Just things parents told their kids when they’re worried about them. Which is great and all, but at the time I wished my parents would be a little less cautious.
 If you’re a kid like me, wanting to learn about the mystery of magic, magic is real and dangerous. Right now I warn you to close this book. It could affect how you live forever. But if you’re a book loving kid who thought, “Hey this looks like a fun fantasy book! I think I’ll give it a try!” Then by all means, go ahead and read it. Please remember this book is dangerous, but I really needed to get all this off my chest. Please, don’t ever go looking for magic. Things will track you down and try to kill you. Horrible things you couldn’t even imagine. When you actually see their image, you’ll wish they were imaginary. They hate Believers. If you find yourself in this dreadful situation, don’t tell people I didn’t warn you. I’d warn you even with my last dying breath. Close the book!

My name is Alexander Perry. I never go by Alexander, just Alex.
I’m thirteen years old and I’m a hated student at my Middle School, Sierra Middle School in Charlotte, North Carolina. I should have been expelled, probably hundreds of times. It’s not my fault. Okay, it kind of is, I can’t help it though. My brain’s always filled with the dumbest questions. In World History class, if I don’t bring up at least three questions about ancient magic, you’re doing good. In Chemistry class if I don’t happen to blow something up or catch something on fire, you’re doing better than good. I think you get the idea. I’m not a troubled kid, I’m just a curious kid who happens to get in trouble. A lot of trouble. Pick any day of my never ending MIddle School horror life and I’ve probably gone to the principal's office that day. I guess I’ll start with the day in early Spring that I don’t think anyone in my class will forget.
It happened when we were taking a field trip to Rock Hill, North Carolina. For all of you kids who don’t pay much attention in Geography class, that’s right next to Charlotte. The bus was packed with shouting, laughing, and singing kids. I sat next to my best friend Chris, who kept sticking his tongue out at the kids sitting behind him. Now Chris was in the same boat I was. The trouble boat. He was different though, Chris looked for the trouble. I pulled him back down onto his butt. His dark bangs fell into his gray eyes while he looked at me. He always had this gloomy look I really didn’t understand, like he was always trapped in a dark building.
“Dude, I think it’s time to stop harassing those poor kids.”
He rolled his eyes at me. “She threw a lip balm stick at my head.” His voice was flat as usual. A snicker sounded from behind us in response. Chris immediately stood up and stared the girls down coldly.
I wanted to punch him. What was he doing? Trying to get himself expelled? Chris’ arms were crossed like a little kid about to throw a fit, his jaw was tight. The girl behind me was squealing with delight at the angry boy. I realized who they were immediately. The pug-faced squealer, Sandra and her Jiminy Cricket sidekick, Rose.
“Mr. Kinghart!” Sandra giggled to the bus driver, “Chris’ bullying me!”
The bus driver growled, grabbed his speakerphone and before I could stop him, he yelled, not spoke, yelled, through that tiny little speakerphone that increases sound by at least forty decibels,“Would y'all just be quiet?” He paused and when I thought we were going to get gracefully off the hook, “Chris, Alex, I’m mostly looking at you.”
Laughter filled the bus, yet no one laughed as hard as the girls who sat behind us. It was bad enough that Chris got in trouble, but me too? That was pushing it. I’m pretty sure my face got red. Actually I know my face got red. Redder than red. Is that even a thing? I glanced over at Chris, he didn’t seem to mind the laughter. Just sat staring out the window. I couldn’t bear the laughter, which had been going on for the last minute or so, anymore. Then for some reason, I said something really idiotic,
“Does anyone know Welsh? Oes unrhyw un yn gwybod Cymraeg?” They were staring at me. The pealing laughter had stopped. An eerie silence rang throughout the once chattering class. Chris was staring at me now. His face was emotionless, except for his eyes. They were filled with curiosity and confusion.
A girl from my science and math class by the name of Katherin spoke up finally, “No, why would we?” She paused then laughed. The rest of the bus went back to talking and singing, even laughing as though nothing abnormal had happened. Was I weird? Sure I was weird, nothing but weird. Still I had absolutely no idea where that came from nor how I knew Welsh. ‘Does anyone know Welsh?’ Why? How? Probably was in a book I’d read. I read a lot of books in my free time. I made up my mind to stick with that. 
The rest of the ride was torturous. Chris refused to talk to me and people kept glancing nervously at me. I focused my gaze on a new student, she kept flicking her fingers at the ceiling of the bus. Left and right, left and right, left and right, and so on. Once she stopped and looked at me. Her hair was blond and she wore black sweatpants and a grey Undertale sweatshirt. She smiled then went back to flicking her fingers at the ceiling. Weird. The bus stopped so abruptly that I thought my eyes may have popped out of my skull.
“We’re here, y’all,” Mr. Kinghart said, stating the obvious over shouts of excited kids, “Hope y’all know who your partner is.” 
We had been given a number before piling on the bus like bulls gone mad. I’d gotten seventeen. Yup, one-seven. Nothing more lucky than that. For the first time during my horrible experience with this trip, I thought I was going to enjoy myself, until I saw who I was with. Jacob Mongar. Also known as Jacob redhead. He refused to listen to literally everyone. That’s not the worst of it though. His favorite game was, ‘pretending Alex doesn't exist.’ This was going to be a long week. I looked around at the familiar faces with a look of longing. Chris was teamed up with Jacob’s best friend Tyler. Katherin was teamed up with the Undertale girl from the bus. Tyler was droning on and on, as usual. About baseball probably, maybe Fortnight. Chris didn’t know anything about either of those topics, so he didn’t talk, just naturally responded with nodding. Another kid then walked up to them, one I didn’t know, and started chatting with them. A group of three kids, not two, but three. That didn’t make sense. Out of two grades, one hundred and sixty-four students had come on this trip. An even number. I looked around myself as far as I could. No one seemed to care, like they didn’t even know he existed or something. My thoughts were swirling in my head. 
Had he forgotten to sign up and the teachers gave him grace? Was he on a different field trip and decided to join ours? Or did I miss hear the teacher?
For a second I forgot I was in this horrible experience. Jacob quickly snapped me out of that thinking with a blow to the shoulder. 
“Ow! What in the world?” I shouted at him.
Jacob grinned a big toothy grin, “Sorry, didn’t see you there.” 
I must have snapped or something cause the next moment we were wrestling on the ground. My arm didn’t throb anymore; it felt good to be hitting him. I had him pinned to the ground once, but he broke free of my grasp with a quick kick to the stomach. 
People started to gather around us. Three or four at first. Before long the whole class was watching us. Screaming, shouting, cheering. Sometimes they’d cheer for me. Most of the time for Jacob. It didn’t bother me though. I felt like a knight tackling a bear and winning. Until, I wasn’t.
Jacob had me pinned, that toothy grin showing. I tried to push him off. He being a full head taller than me and probably a half of me heavier, that was not an easy task. I was trapped. The bear was winning.
My face started to feel hot. I had a sudden urge to yell and I did not what I was expecting, “Gadewch fi!” 
Jacob had this look on his face that looked like he was either confused as all get out or about to barf, maybe both. I felt like I might have also. This was the second time today I had said random Welsh. Before I’ve said little phrases like “Hi” or “Fine”. Basic, fun to learn words. Never before have I learned or said “Leave me!”
Suddenly; too sudden. Jacob was flung backwards as though getting hit with a baseball bat. He tumbled through the air for a second then hit the ground in a backwards somersault. 
The kids went quiet. Another eerie silence rang out and I tried to slink away. From the silence a voice broke through. It was Chris surprisingly.
“I didn’t know you could shove someone that hard.”
At once people started clapping and hooting. Even Tyler joined in with the cheer. I had no idea what they were talking about. I hadn’t done anything, wasn’t that obvious? Jacob flew off me without me even attempting to strike him. I laid there, a coward, he was pinning me. Nothing else.
That clapping stopped so abruptly it was terrifying. People slunk away. Voices quieted and sadly I knew why. 
“What’s going on?” Said Mrs. Clapson, the dumbest teacher perhaps in the universe. Seriously, she was supposed to teach band, but she didn’t know how to read music or play an instrument, it’s a nightmare. “What in the World happened here? We teachers step away for one second and you’re already in a fight.”
Jacob was sitting up now. Not many people had stuck around. People had gone back to doing their own thing or mingling. 
I stared blankly at Mrs. Clapson’s face. It was a pure frown, nastiest I’ve ever seen. I hated having her as a teacher and she hated having me as a student. We never spoke. Life was fine between us, until now.
“So, Mr. Perry. Mind explaining to me why Mr. Mongar is on the ground?” Her eyes then slanted into slits.
“It was his fault!” Jacob screamed. He jumped to his feet and was instantly trotting towards us, “He started it!”
“I understand. Mr. Perry I’d like you to come with me.”
I stood to my feet, swallowed deeply and followed her to one of the rented cabins we were staying at. Cabin number thirteen. An old, dull place with plain windows. Mrs. Clapson pushed me inside. Once she was inside, she shut the door and whipped around to glare at me with piercing green eyes. Her tight brown bun was coming slowly undone. My exits were closed.
“Bored him with another one of your stories did you, ya’ smart mouth.” Mrs. Clapson was leaning over me now. Her crooked nose looked sort of like a hawk's beak. My eyes flicked to her hand as she slid it in her pocket. 
“No, ma’am,” I croaked, “He pushed me.”
Her hand slowly started slipping out of her pocket. 
“I understand,” A look of malice crossed her pointed face, “although you really need to get that temper of yours under control. Before you get yourself killed.”
I nodded then paused, “I’m sorry. Killed? That’s a little extreme.”
“Alright then, how about stabbed?”
Her hand flew from her pocket, in it was a knife. Not a butterknife. A big, stinking, man-killing knife. Sorry, pink knife. A big, stinking, man-killing pink knife. Well, wasn't she sweet.
I fell backwards on my butt. My mouth gaping in a silent scream. She looked like a crazed beast. Her black dress was wrinkled and her bun was almost completely undone now, but nothing was more terrifying than her eyes. They weren’t green anymore, but black. Pitch black like a glossy marble. And my mom said this would be a fun experience. 
“I told them not to invite you,” Mrs. Clapson’s voice echoed in the cabin, “They didn’t listen though. They never do. I knew this would happen.”
I glance back and forth. Looking for anything to help me. No broken windows. No wide gaping holes. Nothing, just nothing. You’d think there would be though, in a crumbling death trap. This was too unbelievable, my band teacher had a knife pointed at my throat and to make things better. I have a phobia of needles. I’m never going on a dumb field trip again. Heck, I’m never going to a public school again! 
I needed more time. I needed to keep her talking. “What do you mean?” 
She glared harshly at me, “Nothing of your concern. Now use your little Welsh words and say your last prayers.”
Whatever I’ve ever said about this woman, I take it back. She’s not dumb she’s plain out terrifying with a capital T. All I could do is be plain out honest.
“I have no idea what you’re talking about! I don’t know Welsh!”
Mrs. Clapson gurgled a laugh. When she spoke, it was raspy and hard to understand.
“Rrright, boy,” She hissed, “Yourrr little trrricks don’t work on me.”
“Honest!” I screamed.
Mrs. Clapson raised an eyebrow and lowered her knife a bit, but she still had a firm grip on it. Her knuckles were white. She seemed to be contemplating something. I looked around. If I was to do something, I had to do it right now!
I could try to knock the knife out of her hand, but that would be an instant fail. I could try bolting for the door, but I wouldn’t get very far. Augh, come on brain! Work! Too late.
Mrs. Clapson raised her knife again and leaped for me. I moved back as best as I could and she missed me by an inch. My hands felt grimy from the dirt covered floor. That’s it! Dirt!
I grabbed a handful of dirt as she was straightening herself and threw it at her eyes. She screamed in agony and dropped her knife. I dived for it and held it in my hand, making sure she couldn’t grab it. Not that she would have thought to though. She was too busy rubbing her eyes while screaming. 
I got to my feet and walked backwards holding the knife in front of me. As I was reaching for the door handle, Mrs. Clapson came to her senses and came rushing towards me. I shot like a bolt out the door and back towards the rest of the kids. Shockingly, she stopped following me the second I stepped outside. Her eyes were green again and she straightened her dress and re-did her hair. Put on a slight smile while walking back to the teacher’s cabin. I watched her until she was out of sight then continued to walk towards the group of kids just as Mr. Roberto was calling boys with numbers ten to twenty to cabin two. I slid the knife inside of my coat and hurried up to Chris.
He looked at me as though I had died and was alive again. “We thought you were dead meat!” He hissed.
“To be honest, I did too. What do you mean ‘we’?”
“Doran and I,” His eyebrows creased, “After seeing you walk off with Mrs. Clapson that is.”
Doran walked forward from the crowd of people and nodded. He was the kid talking to the teachers before. What? Were he and Chris besties now? Doran's face was covered in freckles and he had bright red hair with a hint of brown to it.
He reached out his hand and hesitantly, I shook it. “Pleasure to meet you,” His voice had a hint of an Australian accent to it, “Your name’s, Alex right?”
I nodded.
“I saw your fight earlier with that kid, Jacob right? That was pretty ace!”
“Right,” I smiled. Even though I had almost gotten killed. “It was pretty ace.” Wait! Almost gotten killed! Golly! I can’t believe I already forgot about that! I needed to tell Chris what happened.
“Chris, Mrs. Clapson⎯”
“‘Kay kiddos, listen up!” Mr. Roberto interrupted, “If you’re in my group, boys with numbers ten through twenty, come with me! I want people to be quiet. Don’t disturb the wild life.”
This was coming from a guy who had animal skins all over his classroom, but the death stare he shot us meant he was truly serious. Nobody ever wanted to get on his bad side. There was a rumor floating around that once a kid named Noah Van Waterloo disappeared from the school after mocking Mr. Roberto’s mess of a beard. It turned out he moved, but still it gives people the creeps.
While walking down the path to cabin number two, I noticed something off about each cabin. No two were exactly the same. Which is definitely different if you’re used to seeing the same types of cabins at your aunt and uncle’s resort. They were fantastic!
Cabin eight was made of cherry oak and had delicate carvings of trees down the sides. Cabin seven was made from maple and had a large porch out front. Cabin six was oak wood and had a dome roof. Cabin five was aspher and was in an A frame shape. Cabin four was willow and spattered in splotches of vibrante paints. Number three was sycamore and was engraved with silver. Number two, my cabin, was amazing! It was made from white oak wood and had a battle scene between two gray wolves painted right on the front of it. Storms raged above looking so real, you could almost hear the thunder roar. The roof was made of a black colored wood I didn’t know, and the door looked almost split with a giant lighting bolt flashing above it. I would have liked to have seen the other cabins, besides the ones I already saw, but that could wait.
“Chris, we really need to⎯”
“Find your partner everyone!” Mr. Roberto yelled over me. With a grumble, the kids went over to who they were teamed up with. For a second I was terrified that Jacob would try to kill me, but was relieved to find that he went back to ignoring me… almost. He kept looking at me and when I returned the glance he cringed, then turned back to the boy, Silas, he was talking to before. 
After counting us, Mr. Roberto nodded and opened the split looking door. The inside of the cabin was just as cool as the outside. The wood floor was black and the ceiling was painted to look like stars. The beds were normal cabin three level bunk beds, but their sheets had a pattern of trees on them. There was a large carpet that looked like grass near a fireplace draped in fake vines. The walls had a forest painted on them and the dressers were in the shape of small boulders, each a little different. We wouldn't just be sleeping in the woods, but actually in the woods!
The nineteen other boys also stood in just as much awe as I was in. Excited whispers started to fill the air. Mr. Roberto rolled his eyes at the kids who stood on their tippy toes to get a better view. 
“What’s the point of renting a cabin for you boys, if you’re just going to stand outside and stare at it? Go! Go inside!” 
Levi from eighth grade pushed his way through the crowd and threw himself on one of the beds. “I call this one!” Yelled Levi gleefully.
At once, kids were toppling over each other as they pushed themselves through the split looking door way. The place turned chaotic instantly. My classmates were running around the room, calling beds, and checking out the sweet artwork. If the room could make noise, I’m pretty sure it would be screaming in terror. Even Chris’ usually bland eyes were lit up. As he followed Doran around the room looking for an open bunk-bed. They found one in the left corner next to the window and waved me over.
“Aye, mate. You looked stressed,” Doran said, “What’s the matter, this place is a beauty! You’re acting like a Galah!”
I shook my head in confusion. “A what?” My voice came out sounding a little mad.
“Fool, silly person.” He retorted.
I opened my mouth to argue, but stopped, “You’re right.” 
“It’s genuine though! This place is ace and you don’t see, wait, what?”
“You’re right, absolutely right. I’m worried about something and I need to talk to Chris.”
Chris nodded and I continued. “And you.”
We snuck out the door while Mr. Roberto was yelling at a kid who was hanging upside down from his top-bunk bed by his legs. Slowly we crept into the trees making sure we could still see the cabin.
“You know when you said, ‘We thought you were dead meat.’” I pulled out the knife from my jacket. “I did too.”
Chris stifled a laugh and Doran stared at me in confusion.
 “A rose?” Doran began.
“She tried to kill you with a rose? Be real. So who’d you get it from? I bet it was that Jasmine girl, she obviously has goggle eyes for you.” Chris finished.
“What? No! What are you even talking about?” That was definitely not the reaction I was expecting.
“Alex, you’re blushing!” Chris said in a sing-song way. Yeah, that was not in the slightest true. My face was red with rage.
“It’s a knife you guys! You know. A deadly weapon?”
Chris smiled, “If that’s a knife then I’m Donald Trump.”
Doran and Chris both broke into laughter. How could they not see that it was a knife. Were they crazy? Or was I? I looked at the dagger again. They were right, it was a rose.
At that moment a rustling sound sounded behind me. Doran and Chris froze. A turned around and saw what they were looking at. A creature’s glowing red eyes shown through the thick leaves.

That's the end of this chapter guys! If you guys liked it, I'll post anouther one very soon! I'd love to hear if I made any grammar mistakes or your thoughts on the story! Sorry that this chapter ran a little long. This is my first time doing something like this. Thank you guys so much for reading! You guys are amazing!  Ace Kabel out! Peace!