Finding Bat Country

Kyle made me breakfast while our mom slept in bed with our step dad. He did his best to make me smile, not liking the frown that was on my face.

“I’ll walk you to school.” He offered.

“Can’t I’m walking with Jackie.” I answered feeling guilty for lying.

He smiled softly, “Tell Jackie I said hi.”

“Will do.” I answered and hugged him before grabbing the duffle and my backpack.

“What’s with the duffle?” Kyle stopped me.

“Gym requires gym clothes.” I answered in a joking voice.

He shook his head and laughed, “Get to school, Mitch.”

I nodded and waved at him before heading out of the doors. I felt extremely bad for lying but if I would have told him the truth he wouldn’t believe me or he would say it wasn’t real. My heart began to race as I neared the woods. They seemed especially dark and gloomy today. I gulped before tossing my empty back pack onto the ground and clutching onto my duffle.

“Come on Mitch, your seventeen. You can’t be afraid.” I tried to give myself a pep talk as I walked deeper into the woods.

There was a crack behind me, as if someone had stepped on a tree branch. I spun around to find that there was no one there.

“Stop scaring yourself.” I scolded myself and ventured further inside.

I kept my eyes open for a gate that Veronica had talked about in her diary, but it was very dark even if it was nine in the morning. I stopped and reached into my duffle retrieving a flashlight. Instantly I felt better once I turned it on and the light lit up the path was on. Leaves covered the path but there were shoe tracks. I stopped and bent down to see the print was the size of Veronica’s lucky sneakers.

“Veronica?” I called out hoping in my mind to hear her respond, but there was nothing.

A breeze blew sending my hair out of my eyes and over my shoulders. My head turned to find a crooked and old gothic style gate. I pointed the flash light at it hoping to see past but all I could see was darkness. A chill ran up my spine as I walked closer to the gate to get a better look. There was a lock on it but there was a bent part of the gate which was big enough for me to slide through. It took a minute for me to gather all of my courage before sliding through the bars, but once I did my flash light went dead.

“Oh shit.” I froze terrified.

“Well hello there.” A deep, raspy voice spoke.

I gulped, “Who’s there?”

“Shame, that’s the first thing you ask.” The male voice answered.

“Who are you?” I asked trying to act as if I were not scared.

“Synyster. Synyster Gates.” He purred into my ear.

I spun around but all I could see was darkness. My duffle bag was ripped from my grasp and thrown somewhere.

“Do you know where my sister is?” I asked.

“Perhaps.” He answered his voice answered, as he ran his calloused finger up my bare arm.

“What do you want?” I shoved his hand away, still struggling to see in this dark.

“The correct question is what don’t I want.” Synyster replied.

I backed up hoping to find the gate again but it was no use. It seemed as if I was in a never ending black pit.

“Would you like me to help you?” He asked.

I nodded, “Please.”

A bright light flashed and I shut my eyes. When I opened them I saw the man in a fedora. He wasn’t covered in blood this time but on his wrist was my little sister’s shirt. He wore a pair of dark aviators and the smirk he had been wearing when I saw him yesterday.

“Well dear, you know my name but I still don’t know yours.” He began to circle me as if he was an animal who was circling his prey.

“Mitch.” I narrowed my eyes at him.

He smiled and bowed, “How lovely it is to meet you my dear Mitch.”

“That’s my sister’s shirt.” I pointed to the purple cloth on his wrist.

His smirk returned, “Ah so it’s Veronica you’re looking for.”

“Yes.” I snapped.

“Tell me Mitch, do you believe in Bat Country?” He asked getting closer to me.

I furrowed my eye brows. Kyle used to tell Veronica and I a fairy tale about a place called Bat Country. It was where all of the sins lurked in the shadows. It was said to have been ruled by five men, but it had been years since I had heard the story so I had forgotten their names. Bat Country was said to be something like Las Vegas but it was all make believe…..right?

“Yes.” I answered knowing that’s what he wanted to hear.

Synyster took a hold of my hand and grinned, “How much do you know about it?”

“Not much.” I answered.

He smirked as the sun came out of nowhere and began to shine brightly. We were both in the desert, none of this makes sense! How do you go from being in the woods to being in the desert! We both stood on the side of an empty highway. I opened my mouth to ask questions but a group of bats appeared and swarmed around us blocking my view. The air was being cut off from my throat.

“Help!” I screamed through my coughs.

Synyster laughed manically at my cries for help. Tears formed in the corner of my eyes and I dropped to my knees, struggling for air. A loud roar erupted around me and a pink Cadillac with wings appeared. The bats disappeared as did the cars wings. I took deep breathes of air and coughed a bit as the car stopped in front of Synyster and I. He grabbed a hold of my arm and yanked me up off the ground.

“Goodnight.” He smirked and before I could move something metal connected with the side of my head knocking me unconscious.