The Creature of the Woods (BxB)

Chapter 9: The Call

I've been walking around the forest for six hours. I'm sure I already went this way, but I don't know how I got here even though I'm sure I only used the straight path. I even used marbles, heck I even used my bullets, but they always gets lost. Now I don't have bullets and I'm very hungry. I'm stupid.

See, I'm not on a dangerous mission, there are no criminals, no murderers whatsoever, and I'm dying. Heck, I was about to die a while ago if not because of that branch.

Branch? Tree branch?

I stopped my tracks. I never pondered about it but now I realize. That thing saved my life, but with the situation right now, it seems like that thing also does not want to expose itself. I looked around the forest, almost like seeing it for the first time with a clear mind. I love this forest. It's a part of someone that I love, and I love dearly. The owls are flying around or are perching on their trees. Some were looking at me, some howling at the sky. The orange crunchy leaves falling on the ground are giving a relaxing color on the hot 3:00 pm sun rays. The lake is giving majestic after reflection on the surrounding trees. This forest is simply lovable.

I stood in the middle of everything, and realized how my heart is missing something. That something that I want to find out so bad. It aches my being to know that whoever they are, they are never showing themselves to me. Did I do something wrong? Was I annoying them? Am I a mistake? Why not love me anymore? And why am I still harboring love to those who left me, to those who twisted my mind to forget, to those who forged my memory, to those who made me cry for three straight days?

I stood in the middle of everything, and I began to weep unconsciously. I looked up the sky and saw the 3 pm sun filtering through the leaves of high trees. I wish, that wherever they are, they could see me, they could hear me, because I just want them to know how I feel.

"Are you there?" My voice echoed. "If you are there, look at me now. At least show yourself to me and explain." My sobs pinched my throat, making my crying voice sound pathetic and weak. "Because I'm hurting without an explanation. I can't live like this. Just tell me, why?"

I fell down on my knees and covered my face with both my palms. I cried for a while. The owls went silent. The random birds stopped flying. The wind stopped dancing with the trees. Everything stopped. As if the nature was just looking at me with guilt and sadness. I can't tell why, but I can feel it.

"Then at least tell me why." I said again.

The night time fell, and I'm still wondering aimlessly. Once in a while, I would sit down by the lake and watch the fireflies dance, as if giving me an exclusive VIP show. They're entertaining. They make me smile. I would continue my search after that, to find nothing but a cyclic path leading here.

On my fifth return on the lake after the night time, my hollow soul seethed through my thoughts. Now, my thoughts are hollow, backed by unconscious words about rejection. I feel rejected, yes. Because it seems like they don't like me here. I just need answers. After that, no matter how heart aching, I will go. Leave them in peace.

Suddenly, a rain started.

Well that explained why the night time fell early. The clouds were just covering the sun, and now total darkness covered the sky. No stars. Just dark skies that did not consider that a man is getting depressed here.

I went to a nearby tree. The biggest and warmest tree I could find. It's a Balete tree. I sat under it, and I noticed how the fireflies followed me to take shelter. I smiled at that. Poor creatures surprised by the rain as well.

I continued my self-wallowing, because it's simply inevitable. I looked at the rain and the drenching trees around. A small movement sneaked its way to my pocket. I don't have the energy to, but I looked at the movement anyway. It was a rabbit, with my bag of ginger powder on its mouth. I would have wondered, but I let it be and continued looking at the rain.

"Hansel?" A voice asked.

I don't need to look up to know it was Geddie. I don't have the energy to look at him.

"What are you doing here? And why are your unused bullets scattered around? Good thing they lead me to you!"

Haha. Funny. Nature made my life easy again, but still not manifesting to me. I'm pretty sure I scattered those bullets in a different path, not on my way here. Something, or someone, worked it out to let Geddie find me here.

"Hansel, what's so funny? Come on." Geddie was drenched in the rain, even so, he does not care a lot about it. He pulled my arm to stand up, but I did not cooperate. "What's wrong Hansel? Let's go home, shall we? It's raining."

I was not looking at him, but later I just heard him shout. "Ow, fucking rabbit! Give me that!" Geddie seemed to follow the rabbit around the tree as I see them pass through my vision a couple of times. Geddie gave up and just looked at me. "Now it's not safe. The fucking rabbit just took my... gun... my gun. Let's go home now."

"Took your 'protective ginger powder,' isn't it?" I laughed.

Geddie just looked at me worriedly. "Hansel, it's not safe. It's the forest. Somebody might..."

"Just tell me who that is, Geddie!" I shouted, my tears continuing what they started. "Because my head is being irrational already! I don't know if I can last another day sane. Tell me, who is that that I loved, Geddie. Just tell me!"

Geddie slumped his back. "So I'm not enough. You have to find that missing shit that left you. You don't even remember that, Hansel. And I'm here the entire time!"

"But you're a liar. You are a big liar! You trick me all the time. How can you live everyday by lying! Just leave me alone, you selfish prick!" I shouted all my heart out. I didn't mean to say those things to Geddie, not to his face anyway. But I'm on the edge and he still insist on lying.

"So that's what you think of me?" He said, he eyes filled with anger. "A selfish prick? Someone who just cares about myself? Who doesn't care about anything? Who doesn't care about you?"

"Geddie..."

"I'm a liar! There, I said it. But I never lied for myself! I went all this way lying because of you! Because I want to protect you! I just want you safe! I don't want to lose another family member. I don't know what they are, but I want to protect you from them." He shouted. He slumped his back to the tree, hiding his eyes through his wet bangs.

"Just tell me who they are Geddie. Just tell me." I picked my phone. I showed him the picture of a Tree Demon. Geddie glanced at it, then laughed.

"Does it really hurt you right now?" He asked meekly.

I simply nodded.

"You heard that, Tree Demon. Dimito said your alternative spell is hurting him more, so you should neutralize it."

I looked at Geddie in wonder. Who is he talking with? And who is Dimito.

"Hey Demon, look, your fucking pet rabbit already took my ginger powder. I'm not gonna hurt you. I can't, with my cousin in here."

Out of nowhere, a sweet garden soil scent filled my nose. It's familiar. It's lovable. It made my heart flutter happy beats. I looked from the source and saw the tallest creature I have ever seen. Grey skin, red veins, black eyes and teeth, and long horns. Not the most pleasant creature you could see, but you could see how his face scream handsome.

"Who are you?" I asked.

"You called." He answered.