Meet In The Woods

"Meet me in the woods!" that's all the letter read, I shoved my hands into my jacket pockets and took a deep breath. As I looked up into the sky and inhaled deeply, I start to remember that day again but shake the feeling of dread off. More than a decade has passed since I received that letter from Caroline, but I couldn't bring myself to throw it away; not after the accident anyway. I sat silently and listened to the children around me playing their laughter filled the air, "I never thought I would come back to this silly little town." I grumbled as I stood from my spot on the bench.

"Daniel? Daniel Travis, is that really you?" I heard a bright and familiar voice yell at me from across the fountain.

"Yes?" I turned towards the woman who slowly approached me with a warm and beautiful smile on her face.

"Oh my god, Vanessa!?" I walked towards her tentatively and clasped her hand, " How are you? How is Sarah?" I asked, her eyes flicked from mine to the ground and back. She fiddled with her hands before answering.

" She, She isn't the same, she has spent most of her time in the hospital. After the accident, she never recovered."

" I'm so sorry to hear that I know she was close to Caroline." I closed my eyes as the painful memories began to flood my mind, I shook my head trying to ward the thoughts away.

"It's ok, there's nothing we can do for her anymore. Sorry to cut this short but I have to go, Todd's temper is still the same." with that Vanessa nodded at me and walked away.

I take in some more of the crisp air and make my way to my car, I start the engine and let the car idle for a few seconds. Just as I'm about to drive away a familiar scent wafts into my nose causing me to freeze, that's Caroline's perfume. Panicked and confused I frantically look around for anything that may be the culprit causing the familiar scent, There was nothing in my car that could be causing this smell. I adjust my mirrors and start to pull out of my parking spot when the scent hits me again but stronger than before, I ignore the scent and continue on to my hotel to settle in for the night.

I'm running through the woods laughing Caroline is behind me, she is stunning I'm so glad she agreed to be my girlfriend. Her laughter reaches my ears just as it turns to a piercing scream, I turn around just in time to see a pack of coyotes had approached her, they had her cornered, there was nothing I could do but scream and tell her I loved her and always had and always will. Everything goes black I'm screaming when I wake up.

"Shit just another nightmare," I mutter as I get out of bed, making my way to the bathroom I splash some water on my face and get a drink of water. I'm not going to be able to sleep so I flip through the grainy T.V. stations on the motel T.V. set, this thing has to be older than me. Eventually, I settle on a random cooking station and climb into bed and check the time 4:50 A.M. well there's no point in going back to sleep. I start to relax as I scroll through various social media sites I guess I zoned out because I start to hear a faint tapping I hadn't before, I put it down to the pipes and continued my scrolling. A few minutes later I heard the tapping again but it was more persistent this time like someone was trying to get my attention, "H- Hello?" I called out the only response was more tapping, it sounded almost agitated now. " Is someone here?"

(Tap Tap Tap)

"Uhm I-I'm not going to answer the door so you'll have to go somewhere else." I tried to sound as intimidating as possible but ended up sounding meek instead. The tapping grew even louder and on A whim I said, " Are you already in the room?" the tapping got faster and harder, obviously this freaked me out but it also excited me I have always had an interest in the paranormal so given the opportunity to talk to something I took it.

"Do you know me? one tap for no and two for yes." I waited and got no response, I asked a few other questions but never got an answer. I checked my phone only to notice the note that Caroline had left me so long ago was no ontop of the dresser instead of in my pocket, I moved the note and unlocked my phone only to be greeted with Caroline's face plastered all over my phone.

"What the hell." I was shaking by this point, the tapping started again this time with an urgency it hadn't had previously.

"Caroline is that you?" (Tap Tap) tears brimmed my eyes and my body started to shake I lost complete control, I collapsed onto the bed a sobbing mess when I smelled that familiar scent. It lulled me and calmed my nerves I felt my eyes grow heavy, a warm hand brushed through my hair, and then a faint whisper, "Meet me in the woods."

I woke with a start and gasping, was that another dream? I looked around and found the note laying by the door, there is no way that was just a dream. I quickly got dressed and raced to my car, I drove to the local toy shop and bought an ouija board and then started my 20-minute drive to my old neighborhood. I pulled up by my old house, parking my car on the curb, and started walking into the woods note and board in hand. As I entered the woods I could hear laughter upbeat and cheery laughter just like that day, I walked deeper into the woods a well of emotions overflowing inside me.

"Caroline are you really here?" I heard tapping it was very faint but I heard it, so I started to walk in the direction of the noise. Once I reached the area the tapping was coming from I sat down in the fallen leaves, I unpacked the board, and started to read the instructions; a strong gust of wind blew the board over when the leaves settled from the wind I saw her there standing in the clearing was my angel Caroline. I moved to get up but she motioned for me to stay seated, she slowly walked over to me and sat down.

"Daniel I have missed you so much, you made my high school years worth it, all of it. You were there with me through it all I love you, my sweetheart." Caroline reached out to touch me, at first I thought she was going to pass right through me but her hand made contact with my cheek and I began to weep.

"Caroline I-I'm so sorry I couldn't save you." I chocked out between sobs.

"Daniel dear it was not your fault besides we are together again right now, and we can continue to be together for as long as you wish." her words warmed my heart and I felt a surge of warmth that I had not felt in years.

" We can? can we really be together for as long as I want?" Caroline smiled lovingly at me as she replied.

" We can be together forever if you wish." her voice was sweet like it had always been, and then I heard the pack of coyotes howling, my eyes darted to Caroline and at that moment I knew what she meant by forever. She held me tight as the pack approached I clung to her and told her how much I loved her and missed her, after all, she was my highschool sweetheart the pain was immense but short-lived one moment everything was black and when I opened my eyes again I was standing in the clearing in bright warm light with Caroline in front of me. She was wearing a long white gown her beautiful brown eyes sparkled, she held out her hand to me and I took it; in an instant, we were standing under an arch all of our loved ones were seated, a priest stood behind us and we said our I do's. We walked down the aisle together with her hand in mine, at last together we approached the soft warm light at the end of the aisle that had been waiting for the day we would be together again.