Never Walk Alone // Gawsten

1

Awsten's P.O.V.

People have always told me that I seem to exaggerate, I promise you this is not one of those circumstances. The story itself is somewhat unbelievable and the few people I've told either think I've lost the small bit of sanity I had or they simply think I'm a liar. Neither of those things are true. I'm determined to find somebody, who has encountered him. So far, I know of one person who has seen him, Jawn Rocha, the local basket case but he's not mentally stable. But before I dive into my theories, I think I should tell the entire story so you can fully grasp what has happened...
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3rd Person
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Awsten didnt wake up that day, he stayed up all night. He never really slept for long periods of time, he just took many small naps throughout the day.

It was about 7am when he decided to get out of bed, his mother and sister still asleep. Normally, he would've gotten up, dressed for school and been on the bus for school by now but he was off for winter break.

Although it being mid December and he lived in the heart of Pennsylvania, there was no snow on the ground and it was only about 43° out. Awsten looked outside only to see a semi frozen world covered frost.

He quickly wrote his mother a note stating that he was going into the woods. Awsten changed from basketball shorts to jeans, put on a hoodie, beanie and gloves then packed his bag.

Chapstick, a bottle of water, his sketchbook and charcoal pencils, a couple protein bars and of course his photography equipment. He had a small tripod that fit in his bookbag when folded and his camera had its own bag.

After packing his things and getting ready, Awsten quietly crept out of the large, white farmhouse. Awsten lived in what some would refer to as 'The Middle of Mowhere' or, more commonly, 'Butt Fuck Egypt'. Although Awsten would kill to live somewhere like LA, NYC or even Houston, he didn't totally hate the small town.

Awsten ran across the road then through his neighbor's field, that being the fastest way to get into the woods. After he got to the edge of the forest, he took a deep breath and applied more chapstick.

He started to walk, talking pictures ever so often. There was a small brook that ran down the hill so he had to watch where he stepped. His mom would kill him if he ruined another pair of converse.

Awsten explored the woods many, many times in his life but he never had the audacity to go out in December. Where he lived, there was usually 2 feet of snow on the ground by this time.

Awsten often wanted to take winter shots of the forest but he always decided against it because 1) he was constantly cold 2) he was a very clumsy person and would probably slip and fall on ice.

Awsten got to his favorite part of the woods, a small clearling with rocks that resembled steps going up each side of the hill. The frost made everything look glazed over and some of the rocks had small icicles dangling off of them. It was serene.

Awsten took a moment to himself and breathed in the cool, crisp air. The path he followed split here, one half going alongside the hill, the other going up it. Awsten chose the latter as it was more 'aesthetically pleasing' and would look good on his photography blog.

He started up the hill, taking pictures of moss covered trees and rocks and frost coated grass, basically anything he found to be fascinating or beautiful. As Awsten kneeled down to take a picture of a rock formation, he heard a sound. No, not a sound, footsteps.

Awsten knew about the local, legends but he never beileved in them so he just assumed it was a deere or maybe his mom sent his sister after him. He continued to take his pictures, pushing the ledgends out of his mind.

After all, that's all they were, right?

-

"So, ya like going up into the woods, dont ya?" Awsten's creepy neighbor Bill asked him.

7 year old Awsten nodded his head slowly, still very creeped out. Why does his mom leave him with Bill when she goes out? Does she not know how creepy he is? He's old, fat and blind in one eye. He even talks and smells funny.

"Yanno what happened in those woods, don't cha?"

Awsten shook his head 'no'.

"About 10 or so years ago a boy and hes friends went up there, goofin off, typical teenage things...

Awsten was starting to get confused, why was Bill soooo creepy?

"...They were up there, havin fun, there was about 3 of em and they were clise buddies, if I recall correctly it was the Wigington boy who wanted to go farther into the woods..."

Awsten knew who Old Man Wigington was, he was almost ancient, his name was Geoffery and he absolutely hated teenagers, Awsten knew that he was never a teenager.

"...The other boys didn't wanna go, they all heard stories about an old Indian curse and the tribesmen who haunted the land on the other side of the hill..."

Awsten heard these stories too but ghosts? Get real, he knew that Power Rangers would protect him from ghosts.

"... The boys ignored their guts and went on up and over the hill but they never encountered the ghosts of a tribe, they found something much, much worse..."

Now, Awsten was starting to get scared. What could be worse than ghosts? Why was Bill telling him this? He wanted to go home, he hated when his mom when out.

"...The boys found an old shack and thought it would be fun to explore it, that was a grave mistake that 2 of the boys would live to regret, an old man, so skinny his bones stuck out and dry brittle skin came out of the shed..."

Now Awsten was scared.

"...The old man told them to leave, they just made fun of him, so the old man returned to his shack and came back with a pistol..."

The color had drained from Awsten's face, he knew that when someone said the word 'pistol', somebody would get hurt.

"...The boys started to run but the Wigington boy tripped on a rock, the other two kept running, forgetting about their friend, the old man gained on Geoff before he could get up and

BANG!

-

Awsten snapped out of his thoughts. It wasn't real, the only creepy old man was Bill and as for Geoff Wigington, he was a salty old man, not a dead teenager.

Awsten continued hiking until he reached the top of the hill. The sun shone brightly on his face and he sat down on a large rock.

Awsten took out his camera once more and started snapping pictures of the scene laid out in front of him.

It was silent aside from the small, quiet chirping of birds. Awsten was at peace. Finally.

He heard something. He heard something he never expected to hear in the woods.

He heard a voice.