The Forest (Complete Unedited)

The Forest chapter 46

5 YEARS LATER

ALICE

I'm staying with Matt most of the time, helping with his business. We helped Mr Nankervis (I call him Gramps now) renovate his manor so it's part of his themed weekends. Gramps is getting older but still going strong.

It's murder mystery weekend in the manor tomorrow! That's my favourite. It's taken a lot of work but it's so successful. We live at the B&B together. The Manor is a hotel now, though a small one. Matt still rents out two of the rooms here, when it's not filled with my family.

It's funny how life changes. I used to think my life was the best but now I'm right where I want to be. I just wish Aiden was here. I miss him so much, I will always wait for him. I know that one day he will come back.

Wiping a tear away, I shake off my sadness and make my way to the kitchen. Gramps and Matt are chatting. They are fast friends and now business partners. They're planning a masquerade ball with a Victorian theme for next weekend. It's so fun that we usually crash the party.

Mr Nankervis's old chef now works full time at the Manor, with two helpers, sometimes Matt is the assistant. He loves to cook. It depends on whether other stuff needs sorting, he's the co-manager after all.

Tracy's coming to visit later, with her twins. The girls are a handful but so cute. They are so lucky to have such loving parents. I'm kinda jealous. Sighing, I wonder what things would be like if Aiden was still around. My heart aches so much.

I get like this every year the date of his disappearance comes around. Well also every time I see a jar of peanut butter. Oh yes and whenever I talk to Gramps, and well alright. I'm always like this!

At first no one believed me. They thought he was dead. They charged Ian with murder but I refused. They couldn't call it murder if there was no body. Gramps shut himself away but I'd convinced him to let me in. I didn't give up. Mum was really supportive, surprisingly even Brian was.

A month after he went missing we all went to visit the forest without him. Gramps had to use a wheelchair but he walked for some of it. The forest let us close but not to the centre. It felt like it was waiting for Aiden just like me.

I spoke to the trees out loud. It felt a bit weird, even Matt and Gramps joined in. I tried to walk in on my own but it got harder the further I went. I hugged the nearest ancient trunk, imagining it was Aiden instead of a mossy old tree.

In the end we promised to protect the forest and Aiden too, he was part of the forest after all. We left, feeling hopeful that Aiden would be with us the next time. That first year had been so hard.

Well to change the subject, it's time to get ready for the twin tornado. I remind Matt, he knows what to do. When all breakables have been hidden and locked away he gets the kids toy corner set up. Then Matt will give gramps a lift to the manor, he'll come round tomorrow.

Matt is good with kids, he's lucky he found out about his boy before he got that much older. Matt's girlfriend had left him suddenly with little explanation several years before. It was because of Aiden that he went to find her. Though they didn't get back together straight away, he'd discovered his son.

I keep thinking of things that make me sad and jealous! I need to go for a walk, Tracy will be here soon and I need to derail this train of thought.

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IN A SMALL WOODLAND NOT THAT FAR AWAY

A group of teenagers are camping in a familiar clearing. They may have been drinking something intoxicating, from a bowl filled with several alcoholic drinks mixed together. One teenager moves away from the group to pee against a tree trunk.