The Forest Lives [COMPLETED]

Chapter 11 - The Vessel of Chaos

Caleb reread the message out loud. Again. Again. Again. Trying to understand what the Forest could possibly do to stop them.

"Okay, you can fucking stop now. I got it the first time you said it." Hissed Sasha, glaring at Caleb.

Abruptly, Caleb stopped as he realised what the text had been getting to Sasha. "You know something, don't you?" He asked, firmly.

"PAI can get us out. He has managed it before he can manage it now." Spoke Sasha, avoiding the question and turning away from the man.

As she stepped out of the shack she was suddenly hit with an intense dizziness.

The floor under the shack behind her collapsed inwards, destroying the place.

Sasha soon collapsed, going into a fit of twitches and coughing. Her eyes staring directly forward into the void.

"She is having a fit, get her into the recovery position so that she will not choke on her own vomit." PAI enforced, his casing beginning to become hot.

Caleb quickly did as he was told, moving Sasha into the recovery position and stepping back.

The coughing slowly devolved into a gargling as a black and viscous ooze began to trickle out of her mouth. Very quickly, her stomach began to convulse as the trickle of ooze became a violent projectile vomit, firing abnormally hard.

Upon contact with the ground, the ooze sizzled and dissolved a hole in the floor.

Caleb watched on in shock and intrigue. Unable to do anything more of use, he took a few steps back.

Suddenly, everything stopped.

Sasha stopped moving, choking and convulsing.

Caleb's only indication that she was still alive was the fact that every so often her entire body twitched.

He stepped closer to her. "Sasha...?" He whispered, not wanting to get any closer.

Slowly, he reached his hand down to touch her.

Upon contact, she screamed.

Caleb's fight or flight instinct kicked in as he launched himself backwards, away from Sasha.

Her scream was deafening. As if she was being murdered. She raised her hands and put them on her head, squeezing it so tight the skin looked as if it was going to rip.

Caleb watched on in horror as Sasha's hair turned from a beautiful blond to a dirty dark grey.

As quickly as it began, the screaming stopped.

She stumbled slightly as she stood, the ooze had stained her chin black.

Caleb stepped closer to Sasha, afraid to touch her again. "Sasha... What the fuck was that?"

She turned slowly, revealing that the colour in her eyes had turned from blue to a blood red.

"I don't- I don't know. I just suddenly began to feel like death..." Stuttered Sasha, her hands shaking from the adrenaline.

Caleb shook his head. "What just happened there, that wasn't natural. The Forest is doing something to you." Denied the man. "And I don't think you're turning into one of the creatures, either."

Sasha's eyes widened in fear, her heart speeding to the point where she felt it would suddenly stop. "As long as I get out of the Forest soon... I'll-- I'll be fine." She stammered, her voice still shaking.

Caleb was reluctant to believe her but he had no other choice. He pulled PAI out of his pocket, not taking his eyes off of the girl. "PAI, find us a way out. And do it fast." He ordered with a slightly firmer tone.