ruby || j.d

PART 1 -- Chapter 12 -- Down In The Forest

The coffin was open, people occasionally approaching it and whispering something. I slowly sauntered towards it, curious to see who or what lay inside.

"What?" I shrieked in disbelief, taken aback by the sight in front of me. A few people turned around giving me disapproving and condemning looks.

He opened his eyes and sat up slightly, the gorgeous snapdragons resting on his chest falling off.

"Why didn't you come looking? I was in trouble," He screamed at me, his mocha eyes searing a hole right through me.

"What didn't I do?" I yelled as everyone turned around to glare at me disdainfully

"YOUR FAULT! YOUR FAULT!" They started continuously chanting at me

Everyone was closing in and I could feel the guilt bubbling inside me. I didn't look and it was all my fault. They were getting closer and my breathing was becoming labored. I felt trapped and imprisoned. I couldn't breathe.

I screamed as loud as I could, not knowing what that would achieve. I fell to my knees, a loud and shrill ringing sound echoing through my ear drums. I screamed until I felt someone hugging me.

"Shhhhhhh, it's okay." Jenna's muffled voice said

"I didn't go looking!" I squawked "It's my fault!" I continued screaming. Why though?

"Whatever it was or is, you'll find it and it's never your fault. It's okay, Xena," She kept saying, her voice becoming clearer

"It's not! What have I done, is it my fault? It's my fault!" My throat was raw from yelling but that didn't stop me. "My fault!" I shouted

"Tyler I can't," Jenna's hands disappeared from my shoulders, leaving the place where they were empty and cold.

I started hyperventilating, and crying hysterically and my mind felt like a tornado of chaos. I couldn't stop it, I just wanted to smash my face into a wall to best put it.

"Hey," Tyler sat next me and snaked his arm around my shoulder "Try breathe as much air as you can at once," He gestured to my throat

I tried to suck in as much air as possible in one go and exhaled deeply, already feeling better.

"Just keep going," He said

We were there for about fifteen minutes trying to get me to calm down. I felt so stupid, taking up Jenna and Tyler's sleep. I checked my phone for anything on Josh but I had no texts or missed calls. There was nothing. It was 3:30 am and guilt was slowly creeping into the corners of my mind for waking Jenna and Tyler. We had been sitting in silence, well I had been. Jenna and Tyler were talking about something whilst I stared at the wall, ignoring them.

"Sorry," I croaked out of nowhere

"It's not your fault," Tyler consoled

"It isn't, he's right. I care about you heaps Xena. I wouldn't ignore my best friend's needs," She smiled and hugged me

"Are you gonna be okay?" Tyler asked, concerned.

"Yeah, I'll be fine. Sorry for disturbing you," I sighed

"You didn't and it's okay. If you need anything at all, wake us up. It'll be fine," Jenna squeezed me tightly and kissed my forehead

"Thanks," I tried to smile but it came out weak and constrained.

"Night." They both said in unison, leaving me in my room, alone.

The moonlight was shining on the various things in my room, creating shadows that were like claws scrabbling at the wall. I watched as the talons moved and swayed slightly, piercing and scraping.

My eyes began to droop and I passed out.

~ 3rd person POV ~

Josh awoke slowly and anxiously. He hadn't a clue where he was or how he had gotten there. He sat up gradually, noticing the throbbing ache coming from his forehead. He brought his hand up to his head to analyse the source of pain. Under his fingers was a sticky viscous liquid that reeked of iron. Blood.

Josh's thoughts began to race and the panic started to take over. He was all alone in a forest, god knows where, injured. He didn't even understand how he had gotten here in the first place.

His breathing was choppy and unsteady and he was sweating profusely. Shrill sobs escaped his mouth and rung out through the dreary and cold night.

The vast sky stretched on, a few stars here and there, the moon a glowing orb of light. It reflected down through the canopy, creating eerie, cold and unfriendly tendrils.  

hope you guys enjoyed that. can't wait for more of what i have planned. 

love you all and the support, particularly my close friends. thanks everyone who's read this :) just over 200 reads. i know that's not much but to me that's heaps. thanks!

fact (idk what number): i'm 5'10" almost. yes i am a tol bean.

until next time.

K.R <3