Forest

The day was coming to an end. The rain droplets were falling onto the paved floor, the wind was hustling and the leaves were falling from the trees. The trees have died and the leaves are slowly sinking to the ground. Dark brown and lifeless. I was dragging myself home. This is one of these days where nothing goes right, first I broke up with Ben who is my crush ever since I was in Kindergarten. We had been going out for two years but today I found out he was cheating on me with Naomi. I hate her. She is the worst, she knows that I love Ben and she wanted him ever since I wanted him. Oh well, and then there is my Math test that I probably flunked. The one I was supposed to study for but had a totally different Idea instead. I binged watched my favorite show and it was 6 in the morning when I went to bed. But now the day is over I can go home and sleep I just want to role myself into my warm blanket that was waiting for me. 

I was listening to a song when suddenly I jumped. There was a movement in the bushes, yes there was a large figure in the distance. “I was imagining things. I am too upset about what happened between Ben and Naomi. I am heartbroken.” These were the thoughts that rushed through my mind at this moment. It is not real, I have walked here a million times, nothing happens here. The wind is just rusting and those are leaves, nothing else. I was curious I followed to the place where I could see the shadow the clearest. This path leads deeper into the forest. Places where I am not supposed to be. But what if this is serious and someone needed help? Would I abandon them? No! This is my chance. Slowly I was creeping closer. The noises were getting louder. The rustling of the leaves but also the loud thumping footsteps. The closer I got the leaves changed color. From being dead and lifeless to having a slightly red. The closer I got the redder the leaves turned. Patches of red were on the floor. “I have to call the police,” I thought. I see a body after moving closer to the stains. A puddle of blood covers my feet and then I see it. Torn into a young girl's flesh. A deep hole on the right shoulder, her face deep lacerations blood everywhere. I quickly jump to my feet. Run. I command myself. Quickly I turn on my phone and call 911. The officer on the other side: “911, what is your emergency?”

I replied: “ A young girl, murdered, in the forest.” Shaken from the entire situation these are the only words I could get out. “Calm, down, what is your name? We will send out an officer.” “Lisa. Quick! It might take me next.” Time was ticking. Five minutes passed. Then ten. Nothing. I was starting to get cold. “Inside this forest, there was a murderer, and I am out here.”

Then after fifteen minutes, that felt like an eternity, I could hear the sirens. Finally, I thought I am safe. A hand came out of nowhere. Spoke softly to me. “Where is this body you found?” The officer asked. “In there,” I told them still shaken from the entire experience. “We will go into the forest. Will you show us the spot?” “What? I have to go back?” Hysteria came up. I was sweating just thinking about what happened. I could not look at the sweet brown eyes that were looking at me helplessly. The innocence just drained out of them. The pink dress that she was wearing was covered in mud and red blood splatters and the little hands reaching out to the sky. “ I will go with you.’ I said. Rushing through the forest I went to the place where I saw the little girl. It was gone. No blood, no girl nothing. Blank. The leaves were falling again and they were the brown that I was used to. No red leaves. Just the dead brown leaves I always see during autumn. My heart sank deep. This can not be. ‘was I hallucinating? I was sure this was the spot.” Speechless that I could not get out another word. ‘ I saw it. A girl not older than four years. Pink dress that was splattered with mud and a the blood was rushing down. Blood everywhere. Touching my ankles. It was wet and red. A shadow ran down the ally. I was not dreaming” I exclaimed. “well I do not see anything. No blood no nothing.” Said agent Sandy. “Not even a splatter of blood and your shoes. They are clean. Yes slightly muddy but that is normal. So why are you wasting our time?” The girl in question is clearly not here. We are no fools and will not be sold as any.” I was confused. Moments ago there was blood everywhere. My hiking boots where covered in the red goo. Now everything is gone. The body the liquid and the girl. They were all a hallucination. Nothing more. The breakup with Ben was the cause. I cannot determine what is real and what is not. I am sick. As soon as I wanted to leave I heard it. There was a howl coming from the forest, the figure was standing on two legs. Grey as a shadow. I wanted to scream. I wanted the attention from the officers, but I blew it nothing would get them. Not this time not any. Because of course it was in my head nothing more. I was sick.Something was out there. It was waiting for me I knew it and if they did not they would find a second dead body and that was mine. The forest that I loved as a kid. Where I used to play in turned out to be a trap, a trap full of wilderness and creatures I did not know existed.