In The Dark

five

The darkness around me seemed smothering, but I remained calm as I trudged through. It was thick, like a dense mud and it coated my legs. It tried to rise up my arms but I swatted it away. It burnt at my legs in response, almost like a punishment. I hissed at the pain but it faded quickly. As fast as the pain had come, it left.

The dark clung to me and like a parasite, responded to my every action. I found myself looking around, trying to find where it ended. It seemed that wherever my eyes landed, the dark continued. It was a limitless abyss.

I heard a familiar sound behind me, and as I turned to it, I felt the burning pain travel up my legs again. It didn't fade. I turned to see the dark hand reaching out to me, almost like a statue. I took it quickly, hoping to be pulled out of the emptiness. But instead it stayed still and like before we seemed to slowly fade into one. The dark, almost rock appearance of the hands skin became my own and vise versa.

In response, the dark began to squirm uncomfortably, still trying to burn me but failing at the protection from the unknown figure. I felt a gentle pressure, like I was being led, and without resistance, I followed.

I woke up with a start, again. I could vaguely remember a dream, but it seemed less like a dream and more like an opening episode to American Horror Story, which was impressive but also deeply disturbing.

I didn't bother putting on the socks before my feet touched the ground, but instead hopped down and walked towards the window. I sat down on the cushions, watching the woods. The dark trees seemed to sway a bit in the wind, which was likely more of an optical illusion than anything else. But the woods seemed to breathe, seemed to exist in a way all their own.

In a way they reminded me of cornfields in horror movies. The kind that lure people in and trap them. At least that's what it had felt like. It was easy to get lost, so easy that I had managed it while I was on the trail. I got twisted around so subtly that I ended up back in the center when I had been running towards the treeline.

I pulled myself away from the window and walked downstairs. I found different kinds of tea when I rummaged through the cabinets, and thanked god that grandmother must've been a tea drinker like me. After the kettle screamed at me, I poured the water and tossed in the tea bag. I grabbed some leftover lasagna from the fridge and thumped down at the table. The lasagna was cold, but it was also two days old and at it's peak flavor.

I sat there for a while, long after the lasagna was done and the tea had gone cold. I picked it up and chugged it down before getting up and shoving my boots on and grabbed a pocket knife from the living room. I walked outside and was greeted by the chilled air and grey sky.

I looked towards the woods and was stuck in a debate between the rational and irrational. The woods were clearly not well mapped and marked, there seemed to be an animal that was territorial, and in general the woods were just creepy. But on the other hand as soon as you walked in, it felt like walking into a different world, one that until danger strikes is safe and warm. It's one of the only places one can stand and soak in the sun.

But to be honest, I made my decision before I even walked out of the house.

I stalked towards the woods carefully, my hands shoved in my coat pockets. In what seemed to be a shorter distance than last time, I had reached the treeline. I could hear chirping inside, along with the gentle sounds of leafs hitting things on their way down. I didn't give myself time to second guess before I stepped in. As soon as I stepped past the first trees, the chirping stopped, and I was left in silence. I turned to look behind me and saw that the trees I had just stepped by were at least twenty feet behind me. Like I said, the forest seemed to have a mind all its own. Against my will, I felt anxiety build in my gut and an instant regret for following the exact opposite of Cyrene's advice.

"Come on Paige," I whispered, "Don't be a pussy now."

I stood straighter and kept walking. I moved past the clearing this time, hoping to avoid the events of the last encounter and if there were any whispers, I ignored them. I strode past a few different paths, coming to a stop in front of one that was strictly dirt, and seemed to be warn down from time, stooping nearly a foot from the earth around it. I went down it with caution, and found myself traveling down a winding path. I caught glimpses of stones between some of the trees, and while I didn't stop to investigate, I assumed they were headstones. The graveyard seemed old, which made sense as it was the only one in town. At least that I'd heard of.

From a few feet ahead I could see movement around the graveyard. Before I had time to think I had shifed to stand behind a tree. The person stopped moving and I took a sharp breath in. I realized if anyone saw me I would look crazy, but it was too late to get down. If I moved now, they would know I had been lurking like fucking Ted Bundy.

I peaked around the tree and paused. There was a boy walking through, sticking flowers on bare graves. He was tall and slim and moved with what was almost an aged confidence, even thought he couldn't be more than nineteen. He wore a maroon long sleeve shirt, and I shivered, wondering how anyone could walk around in this weather without a jacket. His blonde hair was a mess, like he hadn't brushed it in a couple days. To be far I hadn't brushed mine either because the last thing I wanted to add to the first week from hell was a frizzy mop of angry curls. I watched him curiously and found myself wondering who he was. I hadn't seen him at school, but he could've graduated, but I'd only been there a few days so I could've just missed him in the crowd.

He moved carefully but smoothly, and kept a watchful eye on the woods around him. I had to fight myself not to duck when he looked my way. If he saw me, he didn't react. I watched him walk around for a minute and leave before I came down. I blew out a breath and felt relief flood me.

I brushed leaves off of me and pulled my hood back up over my head, ready to get back to the house before I made myself look like someone elses stalker. I wondered who the boy was here to visit, but decided to leave it be.

"Hey there," A voice called behind me and when I spun I was met with blonde hair and hazel eyes, and a nice up-close look at the boy who I had seemingly been stalking.