What We've Become

The Welcoming

 Danny stared at the collaboration of random people. They all seemed to be from different eras of time, and his skin crawled at the thought of it.

A couple hundred years of innocent people, slaughtered for someone's fun. It's so sick! Danny thought bitterly.

"Danny, you comin'?" Kasey's voice sent Danny out of his thoughts.

He looked up at his two friends who were a ways down the spirit trail towards the groups of strangers. "Uh... Is it safe?" He asked them.

The random girl that had been with Kasey nodded. "Yes. None of them are the bad guys."

Danny sighed and followed after them. Just at the end of the treeline, one of the aspen's leaves trembled.

"RAAA!" A strange voice screamed as a man dropped out of the branches.

Danny screeched, jumping back away from the new person.

"Haha, very funny, Zack," Annie growled. "You know not to scare newcomers."

The jumpscarer, or Zack, leaned against the trunk of the tree, laughing. "Yeah yeah. I thought it was pretty funny."

"How old are you?" Danny snapped angrily.

"Well, I guess I'm stuck at twenty-one," Zack replied.

"Then maybe you should act like it!" Danny shot back.

Zack growled lowly. "As if. I'd rather not." He shoved Danny back. "You're a pissy person. Watch yourself, new boy! It is better to have fun out here, rather than be uptight. And if you think that you can stop me from having fun, then you're mistaken."

Danny stumbled back, catching a glimpse at the man's face. Something about it was so familiar, so sickeningly familiar, though not the same. And the irrational behavior based on a temper... He had long, blonde hair, and his eyes were an odd shade of blue-grey. He was wearing a purple letterman jacket and baggy jeans. Even his style was vaguely familiar.

Danny glanced at Kasey. "Okay..." He mumbled weakly. "I'll try to be more upbeat."

Zack nodded before forcing his way past the two friends, his figure disappearing into the trees.

"Who was that?" Kasey asked.

"Oh. His name is Zack," Annie explained. "He was killed around thirty years ago. He used to be a popular boy, if you couldn't tell by the jacket. Now, we have the pleasure of experiencing him as our resident asshole."

The three boys nodded. Danny leaned close to Kasey. "Didn't he look familiar... He almost looked similar to Arrow..." He whispered in Kasey's ear.

Kasey tensed up, shooting a quick look back at the screen of trees in which Zack had disappeared. "You're right... That nose... And the eyes... He really did resemble Arrow."

The three boys looked at Annie who was scanning the area with her big, brown eyes. "What is Zack's last name?" Kasey asked.

Annie grunted and returned Kasey's gaze. "I dunno, Caligan or Calison, or something along those lines. I'm not sure."

"Calihan," Both Danny and Kasey said in unison.

Annie narrowed her eyes at them. "O-kay? What's it matter anyways?"

Kasey smiled a bit. "He looks like my brother. And Calihan is Arrow's last name. So then, that means they have to be related."

"Ah," Annie nodded. "You'd be surprised by some of the connections out here."

The two boys grinned at one another.

"Wait. So you think that Zack is related to Arrow?" Terrence asked. "How so?"

"I'm not sure," Danny mumbled.

"Then how do you know that he doesn't come from another family? Calihan is a fairly popular last name. You didn't see the spelling."

Kasey sighed and slouched his shoulders. "Fair point."

"How about we continue to search for Arrow and ask him?" Terrence suggested.

With that, the group started their way into the meadow plaza filled with the souls of the unfortunate.

Okay. Where are you?

You really think that I can't seek you out.

Even if you aren't in these woods, I will wait until you come back.

I'll make you pay for all the wrong you did.

I'll stand up for those you took from the world.

I'll be a hero.

And you...

You'll be nothing but a twisted memory.