The Feeding Ground

Adelaide

Adelaide could tell something was wrong with her. She kept dropping things, but she was sure she was holding them. She felt lighter than before, like her feet barely touched the floor when she walked. Her voice didn't resonate quite as much as it used to. She was confused and scared enough as it was, now this. She didn't know what was happening to her, what had happened to her, and what happened to Liza, but what she did know was that all of this had something to do with that forest.

Night fell and everyone went off to their rooms. Adelaide herself lay restless in her bed, toiling over all that was left unanswered. She knew sleep would not take her that night so once she was sure no one else was up and about, she snuck out of her room to find a book or something to busy her racing mind. She descended the great stairwell and padded across the foyer but something gave her pause. It was faint, but she thought she heard whispering. She spun on her heels, looking in every direction for the source of the sound. She heard it again, inaudible but definitely there. It sounded like it was coming from right outside the front door. Memories of the cabin in the woods, hearing Liza's voice as she lay next to Fae came flooding back. She crept up to the double doors and put her ear to the polished wood. There was only one feminine voice, a soft steady stream of hushed words. Enchanted by its nature and gripped by curiosity, despite her fear she opened the door, expecting to find some crazy woman on her doorstep, but there was no one. There was no one yet the whispering continued, seeming to flow out of the night and into her home.

Adelaide stood at the precipice of the forest, bare feet dug into the soil. She had no memory of walking there herself. The voice ran like a river around her, washing over every inch of her body, beckoning her to follow it's flow. It was louder now, but she still couldn't make out any words. She wanted to know what it was saying. She wanted to find the source of this beautiful voice. She wanted to drown in it, become entirely enveloped and live the rest of her life within this blessed creature- "Adelaide!". She snapped her head around in time to see her brother barreling at her before he locked her in his arms. "What are you doing? Let me go!" she started. "What are you doing wandering back into that forest again?", tears welled in his eyes, "We can't lose you again, especially not to this place." It was at that moment that she realized where they were. She hadn't noticed it but she had actually started walking into the forest again, they were about fifty paces away from the field. Then she noticed the whispering had stopped. Bewildered, she simply replied, "I- I don't know...". "Come on, let's go home", Will said, sounding tired.

Days went by with no trace of Liza. The search party had begrudgingly searched the forest again upon Adelaide's insistent request but came up empty handed. At this point the whole town had deemed Adelaide an invalid source of information, they simply did it to appease her. Aside from her brother, no one else seemed to feel that ominous force in the forest. That inexplicable pull, that distortion of time and space. Her frustration only increased as the days went on and her symptoms seemed to get worse. She didn't trust herself to hold anything fragile anymore. It was like objects just slipped out of her hands. She felt like she was almost weightless at this point. She couldn't even feel her feet on the floor anymore. She stole moments alone in her room jumping off her bed, marveling at how she seemed to float down instead of fall, how there was nothing but a soft thump on the carpet as she landed. She roamed the house barefoot, listening for footfalls that never came. Then there were the nights. Oh how she dreaded them. Every time she lay down to sleep the voice came lulling back to her, slipping under her door, beckoning her.

Will had said he understood, but this, she wasn't sure how he would take it. She steeled herself outside his bedroom door where she knew he was studying, took a deep breath, and entered. Will looked up from his desk and brightened at the sight of his sister. "Will?" she asked. "What is it?" he replied. "There's something I need to tell you... Something that's been happening to me" she said, still standing in the doorway. Now he looked concerned but waited for her to continue. She threw a glance over her shoulder before slipping inside and closing the door behind her. She explained everything as he looked on, a shadow passing over his otherwise bright features. Tears slipped down her face, "Will I'm scared. I don't know what's happening to me and I don't know what to do. It's getting worse every day". For a while he didn't say anything, just held her hands in an attempt at consolation. "I know this isn't much comfort but I'm just as lost as you are Addy". "I think it wants me to come back," she said. "The forest?", he asked. She nodded. "You can't go back there. I promise you if you go back there you won't come out this time". "But... I feel like I'm fading", she whispered, looking down at their hands intertwined. Hers seemed so frail, almost transparent they were so pale in comparison to his strong calloused hands from years of work for their father. "Whatever's happening we'll figure it out together. Just- look at me Addy- promise me you won't go back to that forest" he said sternly. She nodded, swiping at the tears rolling down her cheeks. "Say it" he said, softening his tone. "I promise," she said meekly.

Adelaide lay awake in bed that evening as night fell outside her window. She waited for complete darkness, for the whispers to come for her, and sure enough they did. A trickle from beneath the door at first. She rolled over, her pillow clutched to her ears, but the voice simply became louder. It washed over her, spilling into every crevice, flooding her room with an intensity she had not yet encountered. She mumbled and bemoaned to herself, begging, pleading for it to go away. It's response? A cacophony of what once were almost sweet hushed tones now harsh, persistent, even angry words barraging her ears, imploding her mind until she couldn't stand it anymore. She shot out of bed and out into the hall in a desperate attempt to escape. Her head throbbed and her chest tightened as a knot formed in her throat, but no, she would not cry. She needed to do something about this. Tonight. She briskly walked down the staircase and into the kitchen, grabbed a butcher's knife, tucked it into the sash of her slip, and marched out the door, not even stopping to put on shoes. As she trudged down the road the voice seemed to lighten, to take on that sweet quality again. I'm sorry, Will, she thought. She had promised, but now was not the time for promises. She was going to end this, whatever was tormenting her. She did not stop at the field. She did not stop at the edge of the forest. She did not stop as she plowed through the brush, the voice waning. She did not stop until finally there was quiet. Panting, she spun around, searching for the source but all she could see was endless forest stretching around her. Then, right next to her ear. Soft and sweet. Clear as day. "Welcome home, Adelaide".