I Tried

Chapter Six

I Wonder What He's Doing

Elizabeth's POV

I woke up next to a burnt out fire pit. And for a small moment I thought everything was alright. I thought what happened was all simply a dream. But then panic started to set in as I realized I had no idea where I was. 

The last thing I remember was Megan and James we were outside the camp and then... Well something very strange must have happened because I was in a meadow now.

"Hello?" I said, and for a short moment nothing responded. But then something said 'Hello.' back.

The voice sounded so much like my own that it caught me off guard.

Frantically I looked around to see who had said it but I didn't see anybody. Well... anybody until something stood up in the tall grass.

"Who are you?" I asked but suddenly it dawned on me that it wasn't quite human. It had the body of a person, it had normal hands too, but it's head and limbs were just lines of static.

"Who are you?" It asked.

"I'm Elizabeth. But who are you?" I hoped I'd get an answer this time. I also hoped it wouldn't kill me. But I couldn't decide which was the more likely outcome.

"But who are you?"

I signed before I said another word. I wasn't quite sure what was going on here, but I didn't like it.

"Why are you repeating me? It's just a simple question."

"It's just a simple question." It said, still mimicking my voice perfectly but it's tone sounded much more solemn this time.

"Are you... Okay? What's wrong?" I wasn't quite sure why I asked this though. It was clear that it couldn't talk back to me. It was just an echo.

Just an echo.

Suddenly something clicked in my brain. Heather had talked about an echo monster. Maybe this is what she meant. Megan said that was impossible though...

But I guess it wouldn't be the strangest thing to happen on our hike.

"Wait, have you seen a little girl wondering through the forest?"

"Wait, have you seen a little girl wondering through the forest?"

Right... This was going to be a bit of a problem. But then again... Maybe it wouldn't. The thing still had hands, maybe it knows sign language.

Do you know how to sign?  I asked using my hands to make the words.

I do. It replied and suddenly I was hopeful. Maybe this thing wouldn't kill me after all. Maybe it could even help my find my friends.

Great. Do you happen to know where my friends are? One is a scarecrow and the other is a man with bright blonde hair. I hoped I used the right gestures, I haven't signed for two years. Not since Sam had moved away.

I miss him so much... I wonder what he's doing right now. I hope he got that job he wanted. 

No. I have not. But have you see a little girl with bright red hair?

It took me a minute to realize who he was talking about, but then I realized it must have been Heather.

Yes. Last I saw her she was with my friends.

Is she okay?

I wasn't quite sure how to answer this question. To be honest, I wasn't even sure if her and the others were alive.

I don't know. I gestured after a long pause.

The thing didn't reply for a long time too. I wasn't quite sure what I did wrong but I guess I upset it.

Did I accidentally say something wrong, and now it was confused? Or maybe it was just sad. It was hard to tell what the faceless thing was thinking. 

I'm sorry. I finally gestured when it's motionless body began to unsettle me. Where are you from? I wasn't quite sure what to do next.

I used to live in a little town near Spero Laboratory.

Huh, I haven't heard if that place in two years.

Suddenly I heard somebody shouted.

I have to go. I need to find my friends. I signed as I began to rush off but before I did, it gestured.

Okay. I'm sorry for what happened last night. I panicked.

I wasn't quite sure what it was talking about, but I guess it didn't matter much now.

My name is Mark, by the way. Suddenly the thing stuck out it's had to shake mine. So I did. Then I waved goodbye and rush off towards the forest at the edge of the meadow, which was where the shout had come from.

Hopefully my friends were somewhere in there.

I hoped they were alright... And I hope Mark would be alright too.

The blazing sun was as hot as ever. I almost wanted to simply collapsed onto the ground and rest. But then my hair would get along dirty and the grass would irritated my skin. So lying down wasn't much of an option.

But then again, with this sun burn, how much worst could my irritated skin get. My hair was a totally disaster too. So I guess there wasn't really much keeping me from laying on the ground.

But the forest was just so close... Maybe if I held out for a little longer I could find a stream or something.

But I didn't have much luck with that. But my brain wondered back to Mark, or whatever it's name was.

I wonder why he was like that... And why Megan said he couldn't exist... There was something very strange about that thing.

Maybe if my friends weren't missing I could ask it some questions. But I guess the odds of us meeting again are slim.

I felt a nice long breeze as I made it into the shade of the forest. However, I couldn't enjoy it for very long, because all the sudden another scream filled me with dread. Another scream close by...

Somebody was in trouble.

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Heyo! Thank you all so much for 200 reads. I honestly wasn't expecting anybody to be interested in my story lol.