The Forest
A Party
The crisp air that hit my face seemed to turn my skin to ice. I sniffled as I followed closely behind him while listening to the leaves under our shoes. “Where are we going again?” My voice cracked and echoed into the night. “Just a short walk, don’t worry.” he replied, slowing down his pace so that I could catch up. “It’s been half an hour, this isn’t a short walk. Seriously, where are we-” “We’re almost there.” he snapped, his dark eyes looking down at me. I frowned and looked back down at the ground. The trees around us became denser the farther we went out of town. I couldn’t help but glance back at the lights disappear into the night.
We approached what seemed to be a campsite, a fire burning in the middle of the group of cabins. I could see silhouettes in the distance, along with their flow of laughter. “We’re camping?” I asked him, my face lighting up with excitement. “It’s a small get together, we’ll be going home later tonight. Just enjoy it, for now, okay?” He patted my shoulder roughly and led me to the group. A drink was shoved into my hand, and the socializing commenced.
After a while, everything seemed to be okay. That was until Charlie spoke up. “Is everyone ready?” he brushed off his hands and stood, picking up a large black duffle bag. I looked around at everyone who followed his lead before standing up after them. “Where are we going?” I asked, stumbling over my own feet. A girl ahead of me rolled her eyes. “Why did you bring her along?” she hissed, staring up at Charlie’s face. His head never moved to look down at her. “She’s my sister, it’s about time she sees it.” The group stopped in their tracks and stared straight ahead. I pushed up onto my tiptoes and tried to catch a glimpse of what they were looking at.
Headstones lined all the way to the entrance of the forest. I felt my stomach drop as I moved towards Charlie. “Why are we here? I thought this was a party or something!” I shuffled towards the first headstone and frowned.
Danielle Elizabeth
1995-2016
A few symbols I didn’t recognize were carved under the date. The same went for a few others in the row, either carved or scribbled on with a permanent marker. The zipper of the duffle bag echoed into the forest and I whipped around at the sound of metal hitting the dirt. A few of the others picked up shovels and started towards the back rows of the makeshift cemetery. “C’mere, Skylar.” Charlie’s wicked grin sparkled in the moonlight as he held a hand out towards me. I shivered in the dark and reluctantly went towards him. Sweat glistened on his forehead as he dug into the grave. The shovel hit something and he stopped, brushing the dirt away.
I nearly gagged when I saw her. The girl’s mouth was agape, holes fixed into her cheeks where maggots and other insects found their way around her. Her shirt was ripped open, leaving her chest exposed, an unfamiliar symbol carved jaggedly into her skin. “This isn’t one of ours.” Charlie’s eyebrows furrowed. I fell to my knees and heaved, the taste of bile and beer coming up all at once. He kneeled down in front of the headstone, running his fingers over the symbols. “This is impossible, how did they find us?” he yelled, standing abruptly. I wiped my mouth with my sleeve and stood shakily, my eyes causing a blur around the edges of the world. “What are you talking about? What does this mean?” The other gathered around the grave and spoke in hushed tones as Charlie pulled me aside. “I don’t have time to explain, Skylar, not now. We need to get you out of here before They come. When it’s safe again, we’ll talk about it.” A scream erupted from the crowd. Charlie turned towards the sound, watching as the girl from earlier was dragged away through the dirt.
I don’t know what to do, who to talk to. I don’t even know where I am, or who my brother is anymore. All I know is that this isn’t right. It feels darker than some sort of Satanic worship, with all the symbols and shit. I’m bunked in a cabin while the others look for the girl. All I can do is sit and wait until it’s safe again.
I can’t help but feel watched in this darkness.
We approached what seemed to be a campsite, a fire burning in the middle of the group of cabins. I could see silhouettes in the distance, along with their flow of laughter. “We’re camping?” I asked him, my face lighting up with excitement. “It’s a small get together, we’ll be going home later tonight. Just enjoy it, for now, okay?” He patted my shoulder roughly and led me to the group. A drink was shoved into my hand, and the socializing commenced.
After a while, everything seemed to be okay. That was until Charlie spoke up. “Is everyone ready?” he brushed off his hands and stood, picking up a large black duffle bag. I looked around at everyone who followed his lead before standing up after them. “Where are we going?” I asked, stumbling over my own feet. A girl ahead of me rolled her eyes. “Why did you bring her along?” she hissed, staring up at Charlie’s face. His head never moved to look down at her. “She’s my sister, it’s about time she sees it.” The group stopped in their tracks and stared straight ahead. I pushed up onto my tiptoes and tried to catch a glimpse of what they were looking at.
Headstones lined all the way to the entrance of the forest. I felt my stomach drop as I moved towards Charlie. “Why are we here? I thought this was a party or something!” I shuffled towards the first headstone and frowned.
Danielle Elizabeth
1995-2016
A few symbols I didn’t recognize were carved under the date. The same went for a few others in the row, either carved or scribbled on with a permanent marker. The zipper of the duffle bag echoed into the forest and I whipped around at the sound of metal hitting the dirt. A few of the others picked up shovels and started towards the back rows of the makeshift cemetery. “C’mere, Skylar.” Charlie’s wicked grin sparkled in the moonlight as he held a hand out towards me. I shivered in the dark and reluctantly went towards him. Sweat glistened on his forehead as he dug into the grave. The shovel hit something and he stopped, brushing the dirt away.
I nearly gagged when I saw her. The girl’s mouth was agape, holes fixed into her cheeks where maggots and other insects found their way around her. Her shirt was ripped open, leaving her chest exposed, an unfamiliar symbol carved jaggedly into her skin. “This isn’t one of ours.” Charlie’s eyebrows furrowed. I fell to my knees and heaved, the taste of bile and beer coming up all at once. He kneeled down in front of the headstone, running his fingers over the symbols. “This is impossible, how did they find us?” he yelled, standing abruptly. I wiped my mouth with my sleeve and stood shakily, my eyes causing a blur around the edges of the world. “What are you talking about? What does this mean?” The other gathered around the grave and spoke in hushed tones as Charlie pulled me aside. “I don’t have time to explain, Skylar, not now. We need to get you out of here before They come. When it’s safe again, we’ll talk about it.” A scream erupted from the crowd. Charlie turned towards the sound, watching as the girl from earlier was dragged away through the dirt.
I don’t know what to do, who to talk to. I don’t even know where I am, or who my brother is anymore. All I know is that this isn’t right. It feels darker than some sort of Satanic worship, with all the symbols and shit. I’m bunked in a cabin while the others look for the girl. All I can do is sit and wait until it’s safe again.
I can’t help but feel watched in this darkness.