From the outside I could see that our house was on the corner at the end of the street, fenced right beside a catwalk. There’s a big oak tree in the front yard with branches that stick out every which way, one huge branch I could see was bent against a window to the attic. I made a mental note to remember that as future escape route references for those days my mother grounds me and I needed to sneak out of the house.
Since the catwalk lead to a paved pathway I decided just to follow it. That way I could easily find my way back home. I felt better the further I got away from the house, so I broke into a light jog. If I stayed there any longer then I was probably going to hit someone - or a wall.
It felt nice to move my body so I started running even faster. It was late afternoon. The wind was more fresh up here I could give this place that much. And there were practically trees everywhere. This was new to me, I was so used buildings and some sort of shop in every nook and cranny you could find. This was such a contrast, that it felt like a completely different country. Also wherever there weren’t trees there was long stretches of grassy fields in its place. There were no smog or exhaust fumes lingering in the air either.
Back in Toronto Raven wasn't big on… well anything that had to do with phys - ed so I never really done anything like this before. I am athletic but lazy, which pissed my old gym teacher off to no end. "Whenever I hear that dirty word: 'exercise' I must wash my mouth out with chocolate," Ray had said once while we skipped gym class.
I smiled at the memory. Raven and I had quit the track team only two weeks after tryouts, now my lungs burned from my lack of exercise. But, still on I pushed. The trees and grass were blurring in my peripheral vision. I knew I was going really fast then and it thrilled me. I might do this more often - whenever my brain was experiencing turbulence. There's a sort of relaxing feeling that came from physical outlets. You don't have to overwork your brain. You just do and not think. Now I know why people go on jogs, it gives you peace of mind. You can get in your zone. My legs were cramping a little because I haven't stretched so I slightly slowed my pace when I heard it. A noise.
It was sad depressing sound, like a whimper from some sort of small distressed animal.
The noise came from ahead of me in the bushes. I slowed to a walk with caution. I didn’t know what kind of animal this was that could make that sound, and up this countryass area – it could be anything. Maybe I should just turn around? I considered to myself looking back the way I came. I totally lost my zone, now I just felt fat, sweaty, and wheezy. Whatever that thing was would take care of itself, that’s how nature worked.
So I took one last look towards the direction of the noise, if I had just glanced quickly I never would have saw what I saw. Instead, I stood there eyeballing the forest like some onlooker to an accident, and I caught sight of a shadowy figure between the trees. My body went ridged. For a moment I was paralyzed with fear. He found me. The thought leaked out of the volt. The man with no face. My throat dropped to my feet, it felt like my blood turned to ice. The shadow in the forest moved again and a second later I heard a loud thuuump!
That’s what kicked my brain into high gear. I clumsily backed up couple paces, tripped, got back up – keeping my eyes on the forest – when I heard another thuuump! Then it got faster: thump! Thump! Thump!
He’s coming.
I kept retreating, my palms were damp and sweat dripped down my back. Thump! Thump!
He was getting closer. Still, I never took my eyes off the trees. I couldn't. The second I turned around he could zap me again. I regreted going for this walk. I swear I make the dumbest descions sometimes. What was I thinking! One should never go walking alone after they've just been through some sort of life-threatening accident. No matter what the circumstances you try to talk yourself into. Stupid, stupid, stupid! My hands pressed my pockets and I felt a lump. My cell phone! Thank God! I fished it out – again, not taking my eyes off of anything – and dialed: 9-1-1. Not pressing the talk button until I was at a safe distance away.
Thump! Thump! Thump!
The shadows in the forest danced again.
Thump! Thump! Thump!
My heart pumping like a thousand times per second.
Thump! Thump! Thump!
Then another whimper.
The man was probably torturing some small poor defenseless animal.
Thump! Thump! Whimper. Thump! Then a: “Elp! Ee!”
I instantly froze in my tracks. That was new, this was a voice now. Elp Ee? My brain automatically tried to process what that meant when I heard another whimper, then more clearly, “Help! Me! Help!”
It wasn’t any kind of animal, this some poor defenseless person. My eyes were glued to the trees. Then I heard a twig snap. I flinched but still did not move. Directly after came another thump, then a whimper, then the cry for help. In a voice so broken and full of misery. I pulled out my cell, pushed talk, to call for the police but the call wouldn't go through. I put the phone up to me ear, and listened to the condescending robotic phone lady’s, “Your call could not be completed as dialed. Please hang up and try your call again. Please hang up. This is a recording.”
Damn, I hate that lady with a passion. I was out of range. There was a person out there in need and I didn’t know what to do. I gulped down a wave of panic and took one small step backwards, farther away from the trees and the chaos, when came another but louder, “HELP! ME!”
Then a little boy came stumbling out of the woods. He couldn’t see me but he still cried out a heartwrenching, “HEELLPP!” as he collapsed on to the grass.
YOU ARE READING
Bleak
ActionIT ALL started the day my mother came up to me and said: “Okay Lee honey, I've got something to tell you.” She started out cautiously, testing the waters. I didn't like her tone of voice – looking back on this now that should have been my first...
Chapter 6
Start from the beginning
