Wild things die quietly

I don’t think anyone expects to find half of a fox on their way into school; I know I certainly didn’t. Guts spilling from its lifeless torso, with its head carefully positioned so that it was standing upright next to the body, it’s piercing brown eyes staring into your soul. This isn’t the first incident that’s happened over the past few weeks. Every few days a different dead animal has appeared around the outskirts of a woodland on the edge of the city. Last week my friend Rachel found a tawny owl hanging from a tree, it’s neck dangling to the side. Before that, a squirrel was found that had been sliced open and filled to the brim with different types of nuts. Somebody was doing this on purpose. People have kicked up a fuss, but the police say they’ve got more important matters to deal with.

My friends and I have decided that we’ll take matters into our own hands. Tonight is the night that we’re going to go out camping in the woods to see if we can spot any signs of this sick person. Growing up I’ve always spent lots of time in nature, and I love wildlife. My best friend Eddie and I have been walking through these woods for the past 10 years searching for different wildlife and having the best time exploring, so this just feels personal to us. It took our other friends some convincing, but as soon as we mentioned bringing alcohol, they were more than happy to join us on our murder investigation.

I hear three bangs on the front door downstairs. Without hesitation, I fly out of my bedroom door and stumble down the stairs. “Unlock your car then love, lets get this show on the road.”

It’s Rachel carrying a huge rucksack and a foldable tent – God knows what she’s got in that rucksack, we’re only going for a night. I grab my bag, a huge blue carrier bag filled with alcohol and my car keys and head out the front door. “I’m not so sure this is a good idea anymore. Do you think we should just call it off and have a party here?” I suggest.

“It will be fine. There haven’t been any more animals found since that fox you found a week ago anyway. Maybe that sicko got bored and moved on to a different part of town,” Rachel replies.

“I’m not sure.”

“Come on, I’m really looking forward to it. Getting drunk and investigating in the woods sounds way more fun than having your neighbours coming over to complain about us again.”

“You’re right. Let’s do it.” I lock the front door and open up the boot so we can put in all of our belongings.

We pull up into the car park of the woods where Eddie, Ryan and Amber are already waiting for us. “What took you guys so long?” Ryan asks with a big grin on his face.

“Rosie over here was beginning to have second thoughts,” says Rachel. The group responds by making ghostly ‘oooooo’ noises.

“Oh please I’m not scared. It will be great,” I exclaim, deep down knowing that this doesn’t feel like a good idea at all.

We walk through the woods and find a spot to set up all of our stuff. Orange leaves are beginning to fall to the ground, the smell of damp lingering in the air. The birds aren’t singing; the trees are rotting. This no longer feels like the same woods where I spent my childhood. Eddie and I hang back from the group slightly. “Do you think we’re being stupid, investigating this on our own?” Eddie asks.

“I don’t know. Now that we’re here it does feel quite dangerous.” My hand rubs across the back of my neck. “Although as Rachel says, there hasn’t actually been a killing for a week now. Maybe they’ve moved on.”

“Whatever happens, we’ll look after each other. Any sign of evidence we’ll grab it and get the hell out of here.”

“That doesn’t sound like the Eddie I know, running away from danger.” I nudge my elbow into Eddie playfully.

“Well it would be different if I was on my own. I don’t want you to end up getting hurt.”

“Wow, so you do care a little about me huh?”

“Oh, not at all. I just can’t be bothered to carry you all the way back to the car.”

I roll my eyes. “Rude.” We both laugh.

We arrive at an open space surrounded by trees. Eddie and I used to spend hours at this part making dens from the fallen branches. It was like we were the only people in the world out here; we barely saw anyone else around. After setting up, we go out into the woods to explore. We spend a couple of hours digging around in the leaves for rabbit limbs or bird wings, but we find nothing. I start to feel safer. I know for a fact that if there were still around that they wouldn’t wait too much longer to make their presence known.

As the evening clouds start to roll in, we return back to our set up to eat our packed sandwiches and start the bottles of vodka I’d carried all the way here.

“See, I told you that freak had gone,” Rachel says as she takes another sip of her drink.

“Rachel’s right. It was probably just some kids playing a joke. Must have got bored already,” Ryan adds.

“Now let’s get to the real business. Who wants to play some truth or dare?” Amber asks.

“Sure. Why not?” I respond. My heart race suddenly starts to increase, as Amber asks whether I’d like to pick truth or dare.

“Ummmm.. truth?”

“What’s the thing you’re most afraid of?” Amber asks.

My first thought is the worry that all of us would stop being friends after we leave for university this year, but I don’t want to make it too deep. “Spiders… definitely spiders.” The group laughs and nods in agreement.

“Eddie, your turn. Truth or dare?” Ryan asks.

“Dare. Always got to be a dare.”

“Alright. I dare you to kiss Rosie.”

Eddie was sitting directly opposite me. We both look up at each other with a state of panic. I linger for a few seconds. I go to stand up but…

“Aren’t we a little too old to dare each other to kiss?” Eddie says.

Ryan takes a big swig of his drink. “Boring.”

“Hey, it’s my go now. Someone ask me,” Amber says raising her bottle to the sky.

“Amber, truth or dare?” Rachel asks.

“Dare.”

“Amber, I dare you to stop Eddie being so boring and give him a kiss.”

Eddie looks as though he’s squirming in his seat. There’s no way he’ll let Amber kiss him. Amber stands up and sits on Eddie’s lap, as their lips meet for what feels like an eternity. I grit my teeth. Why did I feel so annoyed? Amber returns back to her seat with a big grin on her face.

“I just need to take a break for a bit. I saw something earlier that I want to check out.” I stand up and start moving from the circle.

“Want me to come with?” Eddie asks.

“That’s okay. You carry on.”

In all honesty, I really did find something earlier that I wanted to go back and check out. It’s a symbol carved on a tree that I’m sure I’ve seen before. I try to make my way back through the woods. The clouds have really set in now and the sun has set, making it really hard to see where I’m going. You would have thought I’d know these woods like the back of my hand with the amount of time I’ve spent here.

Finally, I arrive at the right tree. I take out my phone and try to get a picture, but it’s too dark. Luckily, I brought a torch. I shine the torch over the symbol and snap a photo. I cannot remember where I’ve seen the symbol before. It reminds me of a pattern you’d find on a mahjong tile.

I check my phone and realise I’ve been gone for over half an hour now, so I decide to make my way back to base. I keep walking, and walking, and walking. Of all the times I’ve been here, I’ve never been in the dark.

“For god’s sake, how have I managed to get lost?” I mumble to myself.

“GUYS? CAN YOU HEAR ME?”

No response.

“GUYS? ANYBODY?”

I quickly turn my head as I hear a twig snap behind me. “Eddie?” I stutter, but I begin to walk towards the noise. “Guys?”

Suddenly, I hear the leaves vigorously rustling from behind me, as a figure grabs me from behind.”

“AHHHHHHHHH GET OFF OF ME!” I scream while kicking out my legs.

“It’s okay it’s okay it’s just me.” I turn around to see Eddie and the gang in hysterics behind me.

“What is wrong with you?” I ask as I push Eddie backwards. Tears begin flowing down my cheeks.

“There’s a fucking psycho on the loose and you think it’s a good idea to run up behind me and grab me?”

“Rosie, I’m sorry. That was stupid, I was just playing around.”

The others begin to make their way back to base.

“We were starting to get worried about you, so we came looking for you. Couldn’t resist when I saw you standing there looking so lost.” Eddie wipes the tears from my face.

“Why didn’t you want to kiss me?” I ask. The words sort of slip out before I have a moment to think about what I’ve just said.

“What?”

“You kissed Amber. Is it really so bad to have to kiss me?”

“Rosie I..”

“It’s fine. Just forget I asked. Don’t know what I was thinking.” I push my way past Eddie and start to make my way back towards the others. Eddie grabs my shoulder and turns me around. I can just about see Eddie’s deep brown eyes gazing into mine as he rested his hand on the side of my face.

“I didn’t want the first time I kissed you to be because of a stupid dare.”

My heart begins thumping out of my chest so hard that I’m certain Eddie can feel it too. Eddie’s face starts leaning into mine until... “Guys are you coming?” shouts Amber.

We make our way over to the others. “Guys look at this symbol. Do any of you know what it is? I’m sure I’ve seen it before.”

They all pass the phone round to each other, each shaking their head one by one. Until it reaches Amber. “Wait I’ve seen this before too. Where was it?” Amber taps the phone at the side of her head. “It’s Rachel! Rachel was sketching this in her notebook in maths class last week, weren’t you Rachel?”

But Rachel isn’t there. “Guys where’s Rachel?” Ryan says with a quiver in his voice.

“RACHELLLLLLLL!” I scream out. I begin hyperventilating. We all run through the woods back to base to see whether Rachel had made her way back there. Amber drops the phone and lets out a huge scream. Rachel was sat by the tent; her t shirt and hands covered in blood. Rachel had 3 badgers laid out in front of her, with each of their heads stuck onto the end of a branch.

None of us hesitate to turn around and start running back towards the cars. The wind carries Rachel’s witch like cackle, terrorising us as we stumble over the hidden tree roots, a sound that will never stop chasing us.