Deep in The Forest

"Still friends?"

"Why you here?" I looked up to see Seth perched on one of the branches of the tree, looking down at me.

"Could ask you the same question? Lily texted me." I shouted up to him, squinting because of the sun.

"Lily texted me." Seth started to climb down the tree and we sat leaning against the trunk.

"Well, why would Lily texted us both to meet her here and not show up? Doesn't sound like a Lily thing." I said sarcastically looking around.

"Kind of does. If you thing about it." Seth answered.

We stayed quiet for a few minutes. I started pulling blades of grass out of the ground and Seth started tapping a beat out on the roots of the tree.

"Outlines?" I asked, recognising the tune.

"Yeah, All Time Low." I'd shown Seth that band a few months back and he became instantly obsessed, he loved there song Good Times. He blasted it anytime he was in his Dad's car or he brought his speaker out with us.

"Look, I'm--"

"Bad at apologising? Don't worry about it."

"No, I'm gonna worry about it. Seth, I'm really sorry about everything I said...and did. I shouldn't have kissed Lily when I knew you liked her." Seth was quiet for a few seconds, continuing to tap out the tune of Outlines.

"Ok, I forgive you. I can't really blame you for kissing her, I would have if I was in your shoes."

"No, you'd chicken out." We laughed, shoving each other a little. "Ask her yet?"

"Ask who what?"

"A man about a dog!" I said sarcastically, "Lily obviously."

"Oh," He started tapping out a different tune. I think it might have been something by Twenty One Pilots. "...no."

"Told you you'd chicken out." I joked, elbowing his arm.

"I didn't! It just...never came up."

"I was stood right behind her when she brought it up." I reminded him, pulling some more grass from the ground.

"Then you butted in." He playfully shoved me, I shoved him back.

===

We sat like that for a few minutes: making jokes, shoving each other. Eventually we climbed p the tree and sat of one of the branches.

"So," I started, making sure I wouldn't fall off the branch, "When do you think Lily's gonna show up?"

"Never. Or she's already here." I looked around.

At first I saw nothing but I looked closer and saw someone leaning on a tree on their phone. I nudged Seth and he looked too.

"Oh," He pulled his phone out and opened up his contacts. He clicked on Lily's name and started to call her. Of course, Lily answered, looking back at us. We turned around quickly so she wouldn't see us. I tapped the speaker button on Seth's phone so we could both hear her.

"Hey, Seth. What's up?"

"Nothing just wanted to know where you are? You texted me to meet you at the tree."

"Oh, sorry. Is anyone else there?" I leaned over to the phone.

"I'm hear. You texted me too." I leaned away.

"Oh yeah. That was why the message didn't send to Seth the first time. I'm one my way you guys."

"Oh, Lily?"

"Yeah?"

"Could you bring us one of those stick you're stood next to? Thanks." I ended the call and we turned around to look at Lily.

She looked confused but picked up a stick non the less and started walking towards the tree. Then she looked up and saw us. She dropped the stick and we started climbing down the tree.

When we got to the ground, Lily was stood against the tree.

"I was serious about that stick." I said, pointing at the stick she'd dropped.

"Deal with it," she looked between me and Seth. Seth and I looked at each other too. Lily sighed, "Well?"

"What?" I asked, trying to sound as confused as I could.

"Still friends?" She asked.

"Me and you? Yeah, we're friends." I said point between me and Lily.

"I mean you and Seth!"

"Oh, in that case," I looked over at Seth and he smiled, I smiled back, "Yeah. I guess I can't get rid of this dork just yet." I joked, ruffling Seth's hair. Seth pushed me away and we laughed.

===

We started to walk to Seth's house, even though his parents still hate me. We got there and stood outside for a minute before we went in. Seth opened to door and held it for me and Lily.

"Doesn't Seth's Mum and Dad hate you?" Lily asked.

"Yeah, but screw them." I walked through Seth's house with him and Lily to the kitchen. Luckily, only Faye was in. She loved me.

"Hello, Tyler. I haven't seen you in a while. How've you been?" She smiled, closing the book she was reading.

"Good, I've been trying to stay at school and--"

"And investigating the murders in the woods?" She held up the book and I took a closer look. It was the book from Margret's house. Seth, Lily and I looked between each other then turned back to Faye.

"So...You going to tell my parents?" Seth asked. His parents obviously wouldn't want him investigating murders, and certainly not with me.

"No...But if you need some help with your research," She pushed the book towards us, "Page seventeen." I grabbed the book and flicked to the page, Lily and Seth peering over my shoulders.

"'The Missing Boys'? Why would we need this page?"

"Give it a read." She stood up and started to walk to the fridge, "And keep it hidden better."

===

Seth, Lily and I read the page up in Seth's room. It was all about a ritual of strength and prolonging lives. The ritual involved sacrificing five boys after drawing some of the weird markings we'd seen on another page on their arms and necks. The person performing the ritual would then have there life prolonged or become immortal, depending on the strength of the markings.

"So, whoever's doing this, is trying to become immortal?" Lily asked once she'd read the page.

"I guess."

"So, who'd do that?"

"Certainly not someone who's life has been a totally train wreck. Like...they've lived in the same house their whole life, their sister disappeared, their husband died and they're the only living member of their family left." Seth answered, sounding a little sarcastic.

"So, who?" I thought back to that woman I'd bumped into of the street, the one that knew we were looking for Seth.

"I have an idea. I don't know a name, just a face." I said. Lily's face turned to realisation and Seth looked confused.

"Well? Don't leave me in the dark!"

A/N

I was going to finish and post this earlier but I felt really off. I didn't want to make this part bad because of that so I'm posting now because I feel a little better.

I hoped you liked this part. It's another Tyler part that's not short! Yay! I'm getting better at that.

C'ya! xx