Fantasy Forest (Yandere boys x reader)

10. Monsters

Another week past and its time to go back into the woods. I feel so strange. For the past week my vision has been hazy and my body has felt numb. I have no doubt that this is a side-effect from that potion Theo made me drink. I only hope this strange feeling will eventually go away.

This morning I had to sneak out through the back door to make sure my brother wasnt following me. Christian can be overprotective at times and for the last week he has been really worried about me. Still the last thing I want is for him to follow me into the forest. I don't know why but I got this sick feeling that the others wouldn't take too kindly to his presence.

As I step into the forest there is an uneasy feeling in the air that makes me shiver slightly. I've been in and out of the woods long enough for me to know that there really is no danger to it but still I often wonder about the messengers that came before me and the bloodthirsty monsters they had claimed to see. Why hadn't I encountered any? Was it all a lie? Some sick trick to keep people out of the woods? With these thoughts in mind I walk carefully down the stone-strewn path, deeper into the ever-changing trees. I make it pretty far without any interruptions and eventually I reach a familiar looking lake passing by the trail. I know the area well but something feels off.

"Merlin!" I call out to my fishy friend. This is the lake he always swims in so I have no doubt he is here.

"Merlin?" I call again and then I notice movement in the deep water and I move closer for a better look. As the creature breaches the waters surface I take one look and scream because it isn't Merlin. It is the most hideous looking fish monster I have ever seen. Its bottom half is a long blue tail and its upper body is that of a human only scaley and thin with long lanky arms with large clawed hands. Its face is scaled as well only with huge black eyes nearly half the size of its face and a large gapping mouth with puffy lips. The monster smiles at me and in its mouth I can see razor sharp teeth like a shark gleaming in the sunshine. It says something I don't understand and then moves to grab my leg. I scream again and kick it away as I turn and run. In the background I can hear it desperately screaming at me, its voice sharp and shrill like nails on a chalkboard, but I ignore it and keep running till my legs go numb and I am forced to stop to catch my breath. I had never in my life seen such a horrifying creature and I had never in my life been this scared. I lean against the nearest tree to catch my breath and its only then that I realized my fatal flaw: I stepped off the path. I looked around me but the trail was gone and without it I had no way of knowing which way to go. I silently curse my own stupidity as I start walking in what I hoped was the direction I came from. 

About twenty minutes later and still no luck and I am starting to feel panic overtake me. 

"What am I going to do?" I whisper to myself and, just when I thought all hope was lost, there came a rustling in the trees to my right.

"Please don't be another monster." I whisper to myself before sighing in relief as Theo steps into the clearing.

"Where have you been?" He growls as he crosses his arms over his chest. "I've been looking everywhere for you!"

"Sorry." I mumble. "I got lost."

"Dont let it happen again." He growls. "Now what are you doing all the way out here?"

"There was a mosnter at the lake!" I yell at him. "It tried to grab me but I ran away!"

Theo looks at me with a raised eyebrow as if to say he thinks I'm joking but then something in his mind clicks and his expression softens.

"Oh." He mutters. "Are you alright?"

I am slightly taken back by his sudden soft concern but I smile at him weakly and nod all the same. "I'm fine, but now I don't know which way to go. I still need to go visit the shrine."

"I'll take you." Theo says without a moments hesitation as he takes me by the arm and pulls me in a different direction. "Try not to get lost." He teases and I scowl at him silently as I allow myself to be dragged off. When we reach the forest shrine Theo releases my arm and quietly excuses himself.

"I have to go now." He says. "Will you be fine the rest of the way back?"

"I'll be fine." I reassure him. "Thanks for your help."

Theo uncharacteristically smiles at me and scratches at the back of his neck.

"See you around then." He calls back at me as he turns around and runs off into the trees. I watch him leave before turning back to the shrine and going about my weekly duties of placing offerings and dusting off the debris and dirt. Once everything was clean and in order I gathered up my things and started heading back down the trail. In the back of my mind I prayed the trail wouldn't go by the lake again since I was terrified of whatever that monster was while at the same time slightly worried about Merlin and why he wasnt there. Did that monster hurt him? I push the thought aside as I try to reassure myself that Merlin is a strong guy who wouldnt be easily injured. I then suddenly become aware of the pair of eyes watching me and whip my head around to look back at the forest path. Looking back and forth I see nothing and then somewhere close by I hear a low and rumbling growl that makes the hair on my arms stand on end. I hold my breath as I clung tightly to my bag as the sound of snapping branches echo through the forest getting louder and louder, closer and closer, until it suddenly emerges from the trees making my body shake and my breathe catch in my throat.

I'm so dead.