Dark Secrets of The Black Forest

The last glowing trails of red and orange light disappeared behind the trees as Megan opened her eyes. Something cold, soft, and wet pressed against her cheek. Moss. She was lying on the floor of the woods, an ache in her head and arms. And she had no idea how she got there. 

Not five feet away, she saw Deanna, also just opening her eyes. And Alicia. Why were they all in the woods, at sundown, with nothing but the clothes on their backs? 

“My head…it’s pounding. How did we get here?” Deanna asked. 

Alicia cradled her head in her hands and got to her knees. 

“Mine too. Where are we?” she asked, but not letting go of her head to look around. 

“I think…I mean, I’m pretty sure, this is The Black Woods.” Megan said in a whisper. 

As if on cue, a hawk swooped amongst the trees, shrieking its shrill call, and making all three girls jump. 

“Forget how we got in here, how are we getting out of here?” Alicia asked, fear and anger mixed in her voice. 

“It’s getting dark. And it’s not exactly warm on October nights. We need to find a path. Does anyone have their phone?” Megan asked, expectantly. 

“No,” the others replied in unison. 

“Then we need to make a plan,” Megan insisted. 

“Hmph, Miss Megan is willing to work with us again? Just like old times, right Alicia?” Deanna jabbed. 

“Not the time to rehash the past, Deanna. I don’t know if you noticed, but we are God-knows-where in The Black Woods at night. I think you need to bury the hatchet until we get out,” Alicia advised, annoyance in her voice. 

“Did you have to say ‘hatchet’, Alicia?” Megan asked, looking around nervously. 

“And by the way, Megan, how do you know we’re in The Black Woods? We could be anywhere. We were all passed out and have no idea how we got here, even what day it is. You seem to know an awful lot,” Deanna accused, stepping closer to Megan. 

Megan did not back away, but rather stepped closer to Deanna. 

“Do you honestly think I have something to do with this? You’re crazy! Just like always! I really don’t miss your nonsense. Best decision I made was cutting you out of my life,” Megan yelled. 

“Stop! Can you two knock it off while we figure a way out of this mess? Seriously, this is so Junior High! We’re Seniors now. Can we act like it?” Alicia said, putting herself between Deanna and Megan. 

“Fine. Let’s come up with something. And fast,” Megan said, crossing her arms and never breaking eye contact with Deanna. 

“Fine!” Deanna yelled back. 

Alicia thought for a moment and looked around. She knew there was an abandoned stone cabin in the woods. And she knew they had to get there. 

“Can you please get out of my way?” Megan snapped as Deanna stepped in front of her. 

“I’m trying to look for something familiar before it becomes pitch black, and I’d suggest you do the same. And I know we need to get out of here, but how did we all get in here? The last thing I remember is getting in my car after school. With you, Alicia. To go get food somewhere,” Deanna paused, remembering. 

“That’s the last thing I recall too! We were in the parking lot, and I was looking for music on my phone to play on the way,” Alicia added. 

“I was walking to Kevin’s car. I forgot my notebook in my locker, so ran back to get it, and he’d said he’d meet me at the car,” Megan said. 

“So, all of us were in or near the parking lot. Then…nothing until we ended up here. Megan, do you think Kevin had anything to do with this? I mean, he is the reason all these problems started with us,” Alicia asked. 

“What is wrong with you? How can you think he had anything to do with this? And he isn’t the reason we are t friends anymore. Both of you decided to ditch me as soon as I started dating him this summer,” Megan snapped back. 

“Us? You started hanging out with his friends instead and talking about us behind our backs! You can’t be serious!” Deanna yelled. 

The moonlight bounced off Megan’s face as a smile unfolded on her lips. Shaking her head, she started off down what appeared to be a path. 

“Believe what you want,” she said as she walked away. 

Alicia and Deanna looked at each other, then started to follow Megan. 

“Did you hear that?” Alicia asked, as the trio walked in silence. 

“I heard you breathing. I heard the leaves under our feet,” Deanna replied. 

“No, it was louder than leaves. Branches breaking, and I swear I could hear breathing,” Megan said. 

Deanna paused, and tried to listen. Nothing but the night sounds of the woods. Crickets chirping, wind rustling trees, maybe the croaking of distant frogs. 

“I don’t hear anything. Come on. Let’s keep moving,” Deanna insisted, and picked up her pace. 

Alicia and Megan followed, but were not convinced it was only the three of them lost in the woods. There was a palpable sense of evil in The Black Woods and it had been that way for as long as the girls could remember. It sent a shiver up and down their spines. But, who would bring them here? And then leave them for…for what, they still didn’t know. 

“If we can find the stone cottage we can use that as shelter for the night,” Alicia said, trying to get her bearings. 

“I was thinking the same thing,” Megan said, nodding her still achy head. 

Deanna reached back, put her hands on her lower back and stretched. 

“We’ve been walking for days. Do you think we’ll find it soon?” she asked. 

“You’re so dramatic. It’s barely been hours. Why do you have to cause such drama with everything in your life?” Megan asked, rolling her eyes. 

“I’m far from the…hey wait. Guys, my phone is in my pocket! Deanna shouted. 

“Quick, check our location!” Alicia exclaimed. 

“It’s dead. Gah! Just like we will be if we don’t get out of here!” Deanna said as she fell to her knees, defeated. 

“Why do you have your phone but we don’t? Seems a little convenient to me,” Megan asked. 

“And what good is a dead phone, Megan?” Deanna said, standing up again to face Megan head on.

“I’m a little tired of these accusations, Deanna!” Megan spat back. 

Suddenly, a loud cackle of laughter could be heard from the dark trees. The sound grew, and seemed to be getting closer. 

The girls screamed, then began to run with only the moonlight to guide them.

“Stay together and follow me!” Alicia yelled. 

Within minutes, the three girls could see something. A small clearing, and in it, a small stone cottage. 

“We found it!” Deanna yelled, still unnerved by the laughter in the forest. 

“Hurry, let’s get inside!” Alicia said. 

The girls easily opened the old wooden door, and stepped inside. It was not any warmer inside, and certainly darker without the moonlight to help them see. 

“Chances there are candles or matches laying around this place?” Megan asked, pretty sure of the answer. 

Just then, the sound of a match striking and the smell of sulfur filled the small stone cottage. A small candle in a glass lantern abruptly illuminated the tiny space. 

Slowly, Alecia blew out the match and held the soft glowing light up to her face. 

“Looks like we’re in luck, ladies,” Alicia said with a smile. A smile that Megan and Deanna weren’t sure of. They looked to each other, and back at Alicia. Not about to put aside their enemy status, Megan and Deanna ignored the unease that smile brought and took a seat at the table centered in the room. It was an old, hand-made oak table thicker than any table they’d seen before. Alicia ran a hand along the dusty surface and felt the smooth ridges and valleys of the warping wood beneath her fingers. It was beautiful once. But, beauty can be transient. Like so many things in life. 

“We may have more luck than we thought. Look!” Deanna said, gesturing to the hearth by the fireplace. 

“Who would leave drinks here? This is amazing!” Megan said, as she went for a closer look. 

“Kids party here all the time. You guys know that. Must have left in a hurry, and forgot their stash. I say we go for it,” Alicia said. She grabbed three bottles, found a bottle opener laying by the sink, and brought them back to the table. Setting each one down, the former friends offered a “cheers” to their unexpected luck, and finished the bottles quickly. 

Alicia smiled. 

“Remember when we used to sneak out and walk to get ice cream in the summer?” Megan asked. Suddenly nostalgic. 

“Yeah! And the time you thought you were going to get caught so you made me knock on the front door while you climbed in your kitchen window! Your mom had no idea!” Deanna laughed. 

“Oh! And the time my step-dad knocked me unconscious and neither of you were there for me? Remember that time?” Alica added with a twisted laugh. 

Megan and Deanna froze, not knowing what to say.

“Then there was the time I needed a ride home from school when nobody came to pick me up. I called you guys but you were just ‘too busy’ to come for me. Not just once, either. So many times,” Alicia said, no longer smiling.

“Alicia, where is all this coming from? What’s with you? Are you…ok?” Megan asked, suddenly more fearful of what was inside the cabin than out. 

“It’s coming from the fact that you guys abandoned me as a friend. You guys are too caught up in yourselves, your own lives, and your own worlds to realize I’m drowning. That I’ve been drowning. My step-dad is relentless, I’m failing at least three classes, not to mention everyone talks about me behind my back! And I’m tired of it, and I’m tired of you, and I’m finally going to do something about it. That’s why you’re here. You don’t remember, Megan, but when you passed Deanna’s car in the parking lot, I called you over. Told you to get in because I needed to ask you something. You got in, I handed you a Vanilla Starbucks that I’d already put a roofie in, and knew you’d down it right away. It didn’t take long for Deanna’s to kick in too. Then I drove us out here, pretended to ‘wake up’ when you did, and led you both here. By the way, how are you guys feeling now?”

“Oh my God, you did it again with these drinks, didn’t you,” Deanna whispered.

“Of course. I can’t have you trying to get out when I leave here. Alone,” Alicia said, walking over to the fire. 

“What do you mean, ‘alone’?” Megan asked, feeling sleepy and unable to leave her chair.

“I mean, you two came out to party in the woods, having finally made up after your infamous fight. You had a few too many drinks, started a fire, and didn’t realize the chimney was clogged up. You both passed out and didn’t even realize you were breathing in the carbon monoxide. What a shame,” Alicia said, arranging wood in the fireplace.

“But wait, what about the laughing man in the woods? Who was chasing us?” Deanna asked.

“Oh, that? Just a little added fun to get you guys moving and following me to the cabin. I planted a speaker in the woods and controlled it with my phone. Oops, didn’t I tell you guys I have my phone? My bad. I also planted the drinks here, if you haven’t figured that out yet. ” Alicia chuckled. 

“Why did you give me my phone, too?” Deanna asked, holding her dead phone in her hand. 

“To make Megan suspect you were behind this, not me,” Alica said nonchalantly.

Megan could barely keep her eyes open. Everything was getting swirly around her. 

“Don’t do this, Alicia. We can be better friends. We can help you, I promise,” Megan pleaded.

“Too late for that. I’m done. Bad people get what they deserve. Speaking of, I bet you can guess who’s turn it will be next. Bastard,” Alicia muttered. 

Megan and Deanna tried to gather the strength to speak again, while Alicia scattered empty bottles around the cabin. She lit a match, started a fire, and stood for a moment basking in the warmth. 

“At least you’ll be warm and cozy for a while. Goodbye, friends,” Alicia said as she took a flashlight from her pocket and turned it on. She headed for the door, and walked out into the cold darkness. 

“One more dark secret in The Black Woods,” Alicia whispered as she walked away from the cabin, a soft glow of red and orange light escaping the glass windows behind her.