Friend Me Not!

The Plant

Amanda's POV

I woke up and stared into a pair of beady, eyes. I screamed, scrambling to get up and defend myself.

I looked up at the sky, it was dark outside. Stars littered the dark sky, illuminating the forest around me. A figure stood in front of me, they stood in the shadows, not moving.

My hand instinctively reached beside me, towards the ax next to my bag. I raised it up, ready to strike, but the figure grabbed my arm, making me drop to ax to the ground. I yelped as my arm was pulled behind me, forcing me to my knees. A gasp escaped my lips as I saw that the figure was in fact, Liz, staring intensely at me. It felt like she was trying to see into my soul. I shifted uncomfortably under her gaze, twisting my arm out of her grasp. After pushing myself off the dirty ground, and taking a couple steps back, I looked up at Liz. She looked different, she looked tired as if she hadn't slept in months. She was slouched over, and was wheezing, like she couldn't breath.

I reached out to push a couple strands of hair that were covering her face. I brushed them behind her ear, and noticed her eyes were droopy. It looked as if she wanted to say something, but before anything could exit her mouth, she screamed in pain, and fell to the ground, clutching her stomach.

I had completely forgotten about Hope until I saw her run up from where she had been sleeping. "I heard you scream but couldn't move. I was scared," she waited a few beat before looking down at Liz and taking her hand. I moved closer to Liz and really looked at her. She looked sick.

"Liz, what happened to you?" I asked, concern seeping into my voice. She didn't answer, I wasn't even sure if she was paying attention to us. I waved a hand in front of her face, she blinked but I didn't get any other reaction from her. Very weakly, she released her hand from Hope's grasp and shakily pointed to her bag. I ran over to her bag, and grabbed it. In one quick motion, I flipped the bag over, letting the contents spill out of the ground. My hands rummaged through the old food wrappers and water bottles.

At first, I didn't notice anything strange but then I came along a half eaten granola bar. I picked it up cautiously and turned it over. A note was attached to the back, the seal that had kept it closed, was broken. I ripped it off and saw that it had been attached by some sticky substance, probably tree sap. I opened the paper, and read it. The handwriting was awful and barely legible but i could make out what it said.

I relly wish that it didnt hav 2 come 2 this but u leaf me no choys. u shuldnt hav left me. know u hav 2 go.

but dont wory u will get 2 meat my mommy.

I dropped the note, letting it fall to the ground. My eyes shifting to look at where Liz had been sleeping. I crouched down to her blanket and let my eyes adjust to the lighting. Leaves were scattered on the blanket. Clearly, these leaves had something to do with Liz's current state, so I didn't touch them. Hope bent down beside me and examined the leaves. Her eyes widened and she stepped back. "You didn't touch it, right?" Hope said, taking my hands and inspecting them thoroughly. I took my hands back and looked her in the eyes. The sun was starting to rise and we could see everything a bit better. Concern overtook Hopes face.

"No, but what is that stuff?!" I said gesturing towards the leaves. Her face turned dark, leaving no trace of the concern.

"They're rhubarb leaves, they are poisonous." I gasped and turned back to look at them. "I used to help my grandmother in her garden and she had these, but she never let me touch them, they can give you severe symptoms." My eyes landed back on Liz, she looked awful. I sighed and looked back at Hope.

"Is there anything we can do?" I asked hoping that there would be some miraculous cure, but she only hung her head.

"The only one who could possibly help her is a doctor, and unfortunately," she gestured around us, "we can't find one." My blood began to boil when I thought of who had done this to Liz. I faced the forest around us and screamed loudly at the person I knew must have been hiding somewhere nearby.

"You'll pay for this!" Hope just patted my back and led me away from the forest back to Liz.

"We need to wish her skin, hopefully, that's all that made contact with her." I nodded and rummaged through my bag to get my last remaining water bottle. I handed it to Hope and got up, looking at the trees. My eyes widened as I saw something that I never thought I'd see again...a boy.

~~~~~~~~~~
His eyes met mine and I gasped. My head felt heavy and the next thing I know, I'm falling, darkness engulfing me. The last thing I remember seeing, was the boy running to me, and Hope screaming at me.
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Hey guys! What did you think of the chapter? My favorite part was that letter, I cracked up😂
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