Where The Spirits Wait

Into The Woods

"Alley!" Jo was running around the forest her boots crushed the leaves underfoot and made loud thuds that resonated throughout her body"Alley!" she screamed with tears running down her face her heart was racing thumping loudly, she could hear it beating in her chest. She felt like she couldn't breathe as if she was wearing a corset that was way too tight. Her head felt hot as if she had a fever. Jo fell to her knees. "Alley!" she cried hitting the ground with her fists. How did it end up like this? Just today I was in bed and she was fine...

It was a cold October Saturday 'morning' and Jo wasn't the kind a person to be up at a normal hour. Although she usually went to bed at a relatively normal hour she always savored every moment of it. Jo was woken up when her phone went off. She groaned and rolled over towards her nightstand where her phone was plugged in. There was a text message from her friend Alley. Jo read the text message it read: 'BOOOORED'

Jo sighed, she didn't feel like getting out of bed or hanging out with people and knowing her she would drag along another two or three people. Jo didn't want to say no to her so she began to text back: 'Where do you want to go, man?' Jo waited for the message back and it didn't take long only about five seconds: 'I want to go hang out in the forest.' Jo smiled she knew that they'd go alone. None of her friends understood how calm and peaceful the woods were and why they loved it there: 'Okay, see you there! =)' Jo said just for the heck of it she rolled off the bed onto the floor of her room. She landed on one of her many blankets that she kept on the floor for this very occasion.

Jo had thrown on some clothes and put on deodorant, usually she would shower every morning but she didn't want to keep Alley waiting too long. As soon as she crossed the dirt road she saw Alley, she sat on a moss covered log and seemed to be playing a game on her phone. "Alley!" Jo called out. Alley looked up and smiled her dark brown eyes lighting up with joy, she had short black hair that went down to her shoulders and curled in the most perfect places. Alley got up from her place and walked up to Jo and hugged her softly. "How have you been Alley?" Jo asked after Alley let go of her. "Same as usual, my dad is being stupid, I had to sneak out." Alley said with a sigh brushing the hair out of her face. "Alley...that sucks..." Jo said, Alley nodded and began to walk into the forest. Fallen leaves crunched underneath their feet as they walked through the forest happily. Jo took a deep breath the smell of pine filled her lungs. "Do you want to do to the creek?" Alley asked turning to Jo. "Mmhhm..." Jo mumbled closing her eyes. Birds chirped happily and loudly and she could hear the stream trickling in the distance.

Jo sat down on a boulder nearby the creek, she pulled off her boots and set them down beside her she stuffed her socks inside her boots and put her feet in the creek. It was ice cold and Jo almost squealed. She stuck the tips of her toes in the creek and then slid of the rock jumping in like it was a puddle after a rain shower. Alley was laying down on the ground beside the creek. She most likely was enjoying the sounds and smells of the forest such as: the smell of pine, the sound of the creek and the chirping of the birds. Jo would love to sleep in the forest but she knew that would be an irresponsible thing to do everyone with any common sense would know that. Jo waded through the ice cold water and walked towards Alley. Jo laid down on the ground next to her. Alley turned her head opening her eyes and smiled. Jo looked up at the blue sky clouds drifted through the sky like fish through water. Jo sighed closing her eyes breathing in the forest air. "I'm glad I am came with you today...can't be a vampire inside my house forever." She said with a small chuckle. She had planned to stay at home reading, drawing or just doing some stupid stuff online. At least today was a good day, a day where she did the things that made her happy. Jo sat up she bent over cupping her hand and dipped it into the water. "Hey, Alley." Jo called, Alley opened her eyes sitting up. Jo threw the water in her direction, Alley quickly jumped out of the way and gave a sort of soft half scream. "That's it your turn!" Alley shouted, she got up from her place on the ground and began to chase Jo, Alley ran through the creek soaking her converse. Jo splashed the creek water all on their clothes, Jo laughed bending down and splashing Alley with water. Jo ran out of the water and turned back to Alley. "Are you ready to head back?" Jo asked Alley. "No, let's go get some coffee or something. I just don't want to see my dad for awhile at least until I really have to." Alley replied with anguish in her voice. "I can't wait until this weekend ends, I hate it there." Alley replied. "Do you have any money for it? Or do you want me to pay? I really wouldn't mind all that much." Jo offered to Alley. "Yeah, I'm broke as always." She said with a small giggle. "As always..." Jo repeated with a smile, Jo didn't often treat herself or her friends to things like coffee besides from home. Jo put her socks of her slightly damp feet, it was going to be annoying to where her socks as the moisture from her feet would seep into her socks. She put on her boots and began to tie them up. Jo sat up and turned to Alley "I'll pay for you if you can beat me in a race to the dirt road." Jo said with a sly smile across her face, she would pay for her coffee anyways but she wanted to see if she could beat her. Alley spoke "Ready?" she asked "Set..." "Go!" Alley shouted. They dashed through the forest as fast as they could, the wind whipped at their faces and their hearts were beating rapidly. Jo smiled, she enjoyed running more than a lot of things. Alley had helped her through some rough times in her life, she needed someone to do that. Her tether was always different every few years they would leave her 'they always leave' one day Alley would move away or maybe Jo would and she would never see her again everyone always moved away. In a away Willowwood felt like hell although it was a seemingly quaint quiet and small town that meant everyone knew your business and Jo didn't quite like the idea of people always concerned about her. Jo liked to handle her life on her own most of the time but no one allowed it. Alley unlike most people understood that she'd have days or weeks she just wanted to be alone.

Jo was running ahead she didn't want to risk falling behind by checking how far away Alley was but she was likely no more than a few yards behind. At least that was what she thought until she heard a blood curling scream. "Alley?!" Jo shouted whipping around, her heart started to beat fast. She felt sick to her stomach. "Is this a joke?!" Anxiety filled her chest.

Jo "Alley!" Jo was running around the forest her boots crushed the leaves underfoot and made loud thuds that resonated throughout her body"Alley!" she screamed with tears running down her face her heart was racing thumping loudly, she could hear it beating in her chest. She felt like she couldn't breathe as if she was wearing a corset that was way too tight. Her head felt hot as if she had a fever. Jo fell to her knees. "Alley!" she cried hitting the ground with her fists. In her heart she knew Alley had been killed or hurt.

Jo ran around the forest looking for her.

Jo soon found a trail of blood, lots and lots of blood she followed it but it stopped not all that far from the creek. Jo knew what she had to do, this wasn't a joke she needed to contact the police. She pulled out her iPhone the time read 1:11 P.M. She opened her phone app and quickly dialed 9-1-1. A woman operator answered calmly "9-1-1 What's your emergency." She asked. Jo felt like there was a lump in her throat she swallowed tears running down her face. "M-my name is Jo my friend and I w-were in the woods a-and I think she has been killed." Jo told her stuttering trying to form coherent sentences. "Jo I need you to get out of there and I need to know where you are. "I-i am in the w-woods by Golden Lake A-avenue by the creek." Jo began to run holding the phone to her ear. "Please hurry I know she's hurt I don't want her to die." tears ran down Jo's face like a waterfall made out of sea salt. It wasn't long before Jo reached the dirt road of Golden Lake, but it felt so long to her. She collapsed onto the ground dropping her phone and began to sob profusely. Alley was gone and there was nothing she could do about it until the police arrived. Alley would die without rhyme or reason unless they found her alive. No one hated Alley so she was sure it was some creep that wanted to just hurt her and soon she would see her again safe and sound.