The Haunting of Black River Forest (A Horror Adventure Short Story) || Excerpt

Excerpt

A week before the fifth anniversary of the day they met, Mia and Oliver trekked to the Black River Forest.

Mia and Oliver. They were not only lovers. They were also best friends and partners in adventure. They had earned their bachelor's degrees in Computer Science last year and were now preparing themselves to earn master's degrees in the same field while Mia worked as a Software Developer, and Oliver as a Database Administrator. As fitness freaks, they always managed to maintain their muscular bodies, spending hours in the gym at least five days a week.

For the past five years, they had enjoyed trekking together on hot summer days, through the cool air of spring and even in the icy depths of winter. Today, they wanted to try the rain.

Mia had thought that the noise of thunder roaring overhead as they walked, the wind whooshing through the branches around them, and the rain hammering down onto the trees above would be an adventure, and Oliver had agreed. Already about six hours had passed since they began, and both were soaked to the skin and regretting their decision. They had left their car in a dirt parking lot at the trailhead about fifteen miles back along the path.

Luckily the route was circular. They had four to five miles left to go before the path returned them to where they started.

The couple had their jackets zipped up and hoods drawn over their heads. It was three o'clock now, and their flashlights shone on the path ahead of them in the darkening light. Their backpacks, covered with plastic bags to keep their possessions dry, rubbed their shoulders as they continued walking, holding each other's hands, following the red ribbon tied on every other tree.

Their senses were at full alert for danger.

The path led even deeper into Black River Forest before it came back out again at the trailhead. Oliver's heart began throbbing in his chest as the path narrowed, the branches of towering trees hiding the last glimpses of the sky above them. Oliver felt as if he were trapped in a tunnel. There was no sunlight left, dark clouds had hidden the last light of the sun, and the heavy rain was still pounding down.

No other people were in the forest, at least not within Oliver's eyesight.

"This part of the forest is freaking me out," said Oliver. His hold on Mia's hand slightly tightened. "It's like a tunnel. I wish we could finish this faster."

"It's only a few hours until we reach the car now. Are you OK? I haven't seen you nervous like this before!" said Mia.

"This forest could be beautiful in summer," said Oliver. He ceased the grasp on her hand. He felt sweaty even though he wasn't and wiped his face with his palm. "But I'm getting scared now."

"What are you getting scared of?"

Oliver stopped and looked back at her. She could see his face beneath his hood, pale and drawn, his forehead wrinkled in thought. "As we keep walking into the forest, I remembered that story. That one about . . . the psychopath."

The lightning bolts flashed in the sky, lighting up the path and their pale faces for a brief moment.

Oliver and Mia startled and swiftly held each other's hands for a bit; the hair on the back of their necks raised in a chill.

They both looked around.

"I hope the lightning doesn't hit the trees here," said Mia.

"According to the weather forecast, the rain was only supposed to be for three hours. But it's been going on for much longer than that."

"Do you think it's going to stop anytime soon?"

"It was supposed to stop hours ago. So hopefully."