I sleep for a long time until I suddenly wake with a horrifying realization: it has been a long night. Not figuratively, literally. In this night alone I have probably walked an estimated four miles while stopping to sleep (several times) and stopping to catch my breath (more than I can count). What I now can't understand is how is it not morning yet? I sit upright and start to get up off the hard ground. It's still dark. I decide I need to go look at the horizon, “It has to be daybreak by now doesn't it?” I whisper to myself. I start to walk back towards my house to catch a glimpse of the sky. I finally reach the edge of the woods and look up. Darkness. Not a single sign of day. I am horribly confused.
“How in the world is it not morning yet!” I scream out in frustration. My voice echoes through the trees, and I think I hear footsteps along the tree line, but I don't even care anymore. I look back up at the sky, and squint really hard, desperate for a sign, something, anything...and then I see it. I see the sun.
No amount of courage could have prepared me for this sight. I should be happy looking up at the sun - this means daytime has come right? I am horribly wrong. As I look at the sky I see the sun, but it has become dark. No longer do the sun's bright rays shine down and bring light to the world. To me, all it brings is darkness. It is still very much night...
I think I actually sink to the ground in fear, but I don't know for sure, my whole body is numb. I am trembling. My lip begins to quiver. I am scared.
As I lay on the ground, thoughts go through my mind at a hundred miles an hour. Was it like this for Annie? For two whole years? Will this be the rest of my life? More random thoughts race through my mind; If it is daytime, is my family...awake? This last thought stops me in my tracks. My family. I am sure now I have been gone for more than one night. They have probably been worried sick about me! I decide I have to see them, even if I can't stay with them. I start in a dead sprint towards my house. I feel the wind push me back, but I push harder. I hear footsteps behind me, and I look back. “Look, you have already taken me away from my family, I just want to see them, I don't care that I can't stay with them, I just want to see them.” I feel the wind die down and hear the footsteps fade away slowly, but he is still here, I feel his haunting eyes watching me. As I near my porch, I jump. I think I can see a vague figure sitting there in the dark. Wait, is that...?
Annie is sitting right there! She is staring up at the sky, crying. “ANNIE! GET INSIDE!” I yell, “I HAVE ALREADY PRACTICALLY TRADED MY LIFE FOR YOURS, AND YOU ARE GOING TO JUST THROW IT AWAY BY SITTING OUTSIDE!” She does nothing. “ARE YOU DEAF! I TOLD YOU TO GET INSIDE!” She just sits there. Maybe she can't hear me? I think to myself. I look closer and I can see she is twirling a piece of paper in her hand. As I am staring at her, I see the front door open, and Jason steps outside.
“Jason!” I yell, full of excitement. No reaction. This is so depressing. I finally see my brother, yet I can't even talk to him! As he walks out Annie turns around, and wipes the tears quickly so he won't see.
“So you were with Nessie?” he asks.
“Yes, she helped me escape...” Annie replies.
Wait, so they can't hear me but I can hear them? I don't understand....
“I'm sorry your sister is still out there, I...tried...” Annie explains, but can't help but cry. At that moment Jason comes and sits down by Annie. I can tell he is struggling with something, but I don't know what. Then I realize Jason has had no experience with girls...at all.
“Come on Jason, this is your chance!” I say encouragingly (but of course he can't hear me).
Then Jason slowly, but cautiously, slips his hand into Annie's. Annie then looks up into his eyes as if to say “thanks for trying to help,” and then gives him a quick smile.
I'm not sure if this is sweet or disgusting, but at this point I don't care.
“If you don't mind me asking,” Jason starts, “what exactly did you have to escape from?”
“You wouldn't believe me if I told you.”
At that moment Jason notices the paper, and takes it into his hand.
“What is this?” he asks.
“It's how we are going to get your sister back.”
He quickly reads the paper, and then hands it back to Annie, obviously confused. Annie takes it into her hand, and then lets it go into the breeze.
“We are going to get you back Nessie… I promise.”
I now have all my concentration locked on finding that paper. I watch it as carefully as I can; the breeze doesn't help,and it is so hard to follow. On many occasions I almost run into a tree, or several trees I guess. I stub my toes on rocks and sticks and pain shoots like fire up my into my ankle. I continue to run after the paper for what seems like hours however, until it falls to the ground right in front of - my tulip poplar tree. I hastily pick it up and suddenly feel...weird...like someone is watching me...
I try to forget about the haunting feeling that has come over me, and try to only focus on each word on the paper. It reads:
Nessie, you have saved my life once, now I will save yours. I'm sending help; I won't let you stay out there, we will save you...
At that moment I feel a breath on my shoulder, but I don't have time to react. I feel a hand grasp me by the throat, and to my horror, hear that dry, scratchy voice: “Theyyyyz can'tt savve you if theyyyyz can'tt findz you...”
And then I am being dragged through the woods to my possible death bed.
YOU ARE READING
The Endless Night
Action"...never walk out alone..." Rumors have haunted the property around the little cottage for years. Vanessa Görtz and her family have just moved in and her parents are taking these rumors seriously. Vanessa decides to take matters into her own hands...
