Don't Be Scared

“I can’t believe you believe in those stupid stories Matt,” I mocked at my younger brother, “C’mon, get in the car we’ll drive out there and I’ll prove to you that those stories are fake.”

“I really don’t think that’s a good idea Amanda.” he stuttered nibbling on the cuff of his jacket.

“Seriously Matt, don’t be a push-over.” I teased, twirling my car key ring around my index finger.

“I’m not a push-over, I just don’t feel like dying tonight.” he rebelled back.

“Matt! What don’t you understand?” I asked frustrated, “Nothing is wrong with that road, and if you’d just let me prove it to you, you’d know!”

“Will it get you to shut up?” My thirteen year old brother seethed.

“Yes.” I grinned.

He pushed by me and walked out the door into the twilight of the night. I followed him out the door, shutting it behind me.

The clouds were slowly sinking towards the ground making the air misty. For the most part the sun had sunken into the ground leaving bits of light still reflecting off the horizon.

I pulled out of our driveway and made my way up the mountain, and into the woods.

I smirked a bit looking over at my brother whose ice blue eyes were glued to the road ahead of us.

“’manda.” he caught my attention by using my nickname.

“What?” I sighed

“I think we should turn back, seriously.” he moaned, his eyes wandering to the side of the road where an abandoned shack stood.

“Matt, there’s nothing to be afraid off.” I assured him as I turned right onto a road that had so many stories about it. Stories that made children and teenagers squirm about and cry for their parents. I stopped the car and looked over at him.

“I don’t want to be here.” I admitted squeezing his eyes shut.

I looked up at the dark, daunting road ahead of me. “I promise you Matt, nothing bad is going to happen to us.”

“Why do you want to prove to me that all the stories were lies?” he asked suddenly.

“Because,” I started easing on the gas pedal, “I don’t want you to be scared anymore.”

The car slowly moved down the tree-lined road. A light fog had made it’s self at home on the top of the trees. Both our eyes looked at the surrounding forest.

My car started climbing the hill and once I got to the top I stopped, and turned off the ignition.

“Here we are,” I announced, “at the top of the hill. Ah spooky!” I teased smiling at my brother who let out a reliving sigh.

“I guess you were right ‘manda. But let’s get out of here yeah? The stories may be fake, but this place still gives me the creeps.” He said squinting out at something beyond the car.

I looked at him suspiciously and just shrugged it off, “Will do.”

I was about to start up the car again when Matt stopped me.

“Wait! What the fuck…” he mumbled pushing his face closer to the window, “Oh my- turn on the car! Go! Go!” He exclaimed looking over at me with wide eyes.

I panicked looking at him and fumbled with the keys to try to get the car to start.

“Go Amanda, drive!” he shouted.

“I’m trying!” I cried out pushing my foot down on the gas pedal as far as it would go, “It’s not working!”

“What do you mean it’s not working!?” He screamed looking at me and darting his eyes back to the window, “They’re coming!” He cried.

“What do you mean!? Who’s coming?!” I questioned.

“The cult! From the stories! They’re coming!” He started to cry shaking his head back and forth dropping his head into his hands. “We’re gonna die Amanda!”

“No we’re not.” I assured him looking out his window. My eyes grew wide at what I saw.

Men in black robes that came to a point at the top of their heads were making their way out to us.

“What the…” I mumbled and started pressing my foot down repeatedly on the gas, “C’mon, c’mon!” I encouraged, but the car was simply not moving.

Tears started falling from my eyes as the group got closer and closer. They started to surround the car and look inside at us, their dark eyes burning holes into Matt and me.

“Amanda?” Matt asked in a low voice.

“Matt?” I replied, trying my best not to sound to scared.

“Are we going to die?” He cried softly.

“I told you Matt, I’m not going to let anything happen to you.” I assured him grabbing both his hands in mine and kissed them.

The car doors were ripped open and screams echoed throughout Matt’s and my throat.

A low hum could be heard from the group as they carried us back into the forest.

I screamed and screamed but I knew it wasn’t going to help either of us.

“What do you want from us!?” I let out a low scream.

The man who was carrying me starred down at me. His eyes began to cause me pain. Like someone was pushing three hundred pound weights on my chest.

I let out an exasperated scream and gave up.

The group led us to an opening in the middle of the forest.

The one carrying me threw me to the ground with a thud. My head banged the cold, leaf-covered ground. I looked over to see my brother being tossed on the ground and kicked by two of the members.

“Don’t you dare hurt him!” I warned.

One member, the cult leader I had assumed, with a red trimmed robe came over to me. His eyes were completely black. I shut my eyes, worried for what he was going to do with me. I finally opened them to see the man being handed a large knife.

“Wha-what are you gonna d-do with th-a-at?” I stuttered looking up at him.

He glided the blade along his finger before smiling with his mouth full of rough, jagged teeth. He slowly squatted down over me and lifted my shirt up and over my head.

“What are you doing to her!?” I heard my brother shout.

“Just calm down Matt, everything will be fine.” I cooed, trying to calm him down even though I knew it was a lie.

The man that was squatted over me mumbled something to another one of the members. Before I knew it there was a fire being started right in front of me.

I swallowed hard, hoping it wasn’t for what I thought it was.

Once the flames had reached at least ten feet tall the reaming men chanted around it.

“This is for you, God.” The man mumbled above me before drawing the blade across my lower stomach.

I screeched as I saw my own ruby blood flowing out of my abdomen.

“Take this as an offering.” He seethed reaching his hand into my stomach.

I started to cough up air, and the air soon turned into blood.

“What are you doing to me?” I screamed as blood bubbled up through my throat.

He started to pull out something from my stomach and he cut a chunk out of it.

My vision began to become blurred as more blood began to pour out of my body. My gaze went to the man who threw a piece of my body into the fire, letting the warm flesh burn and turn into ashes. Their chants got louder and louder and I looked over at my brother.

He was squirming trying to get away from the man who was holding him down. Tears fell from my eyes; I knew this was the end.

“I’m sorry Matthew.” I mumbled weakly as blood gurgled up from my throat. I looked down at the man who was continuing to dig threw my body, ripping out my innards.

That night I learned that all the folk and campfire stories were true, and I regret so much not listening to them, or my brother. My brother who would have to go through the same fate as I was this dark October night.

My thoughts came to an abrupt stop as the world started to turn black, the chants from the group, the screams from my brother, and the scraping of the man in front of me became weak. I let my eyes roll to the back of my head, and let my life creep to a painful stop.