Lost Identity: Eloria Series Book 1 | ✓

4: Hemley Park

"They'll be in cages, Ell."

"Okay fine, but that's not the point. The point is that I know I didn't come from that direction that night."

"All right, all right," he relented, holding his hands out to pacify me.

We strolled for close to an hour before I started to recognize the place. And there it was. The exit sign.

"There!" I shouted. "The first thing I ever read."

"'Hemley Park Exit, three miles,'" Martin read with a smirk. "That's great, Ell. So, this is your furthest memory?"

"No. It was a while before I wandered here."

"You could have come from anywhere."

I looked at the sign and distinctly remembered grabbing on to it as I stumbled out of the woods.

I positioned myself by the pole, reenacting the way I stumbled out. "That way. I was in the woods before I got here." I decided, pointing behind me.

"There isn't a path back there, Ell." He ruffled his hair, and just at that moment we all heard a loud, ominous thunder.

I looked to Martin. "Storm?"

He shook his head. "Nah, I checked the weather forecast before leaving—no storm."

"That sounded like thunder."

"I know it sounded like thunder, but I checked the forecast, and there's no chance of rain."

"Who are you gonna believe, my ears or the forecast?" My hands were locked on my hips now.

"Come on, Ell." Martin encouraged. I glanced over at Katie and saw the eagerness in her eyes. She really wanted to go on this expedition.

"Fine." I hesitantly agreed, and Katie's face lit up with excitement.

The three of us treaded toward the woods, and almost as soon as I had agreed, I regretted my decision. But I couldn't go back on my word then, especially since Katie seemed so excited.

Martin took the lead, I was in the middle, and Katie followed behind us. I liked being in the middle, neither first nor last and always protected.

Here, the foliage grew wild and untended, so we had to walk carefully, slowing our pace to adjust to the uneven terrain. The tall evergreen trees towered over us and provided much needed shade. The sound of dry twigs snapping beneath our feet energized me and any worries I had about the brewing storm vanished. We continued on this way for some time before I noticed that the sun was setting.

"Martin, it's starting to get dark," I said.

"We've got flashlights, babe." He reached behind him and casually rolled two flashlights off his backpack and placed them on the ground. "See? Two of them—right here."

"Great, you take one since you're in the front, and Katie can—" I was interrupted by a high-pitched shriek from behind us.

A ghastly bird, dark as night, swooped down at Katie, who ran shielding her head and face from the onslaught of beak and talons.

My head started spinning, and everything started moving in slow motion.

It's going to get me!

I crouched down low and gasped for breaths—I was hyperventilating. That wasn't the worst of it. Out of nowhere, another bird from hell swooped over and fiercely tried to rip Katie's map out of her hands.

I can do nothing. I can't. I can't.

I was completely crippled by fear as I held my legs tight and curled on the ground, struggling to breathe. I wanted to help, I should help, but I couldn't. My paralyzed state made it impossible for me to do anything else other than cower.