The Fragmented Luna

Into the Forest: Part 4

"You can't be serious", Mrs. Smith said as she eyed Valerie with a look of shock. "After what happened yesterday you must know how dangerous it is for you. It will only get worse if you play into this supposed prophecy", Mrs. Smith said in an angry tone. 

"Mom, I'm taking Ian and if Nixon shows up he is welcome to join us on our journey", Valerie said as she gave her mother no room to argue with her. "We are leaving in a few minutes. We will go with the clothes on our back into the forest tonight. I'm certain this is what I'm meant to do", Valerie said as she held her mothers hand tenderly. 

"I'll be with them", said a hooded figure from the corner. I felt it was him as the electricity in the room reached  the maximum voltage. Nixon looked forlorn as he moved to hold my hand tightly within his grasp. "I will go into the woods but only to make sure you come home alive", Nixon said with the hint of a smile on his face. 

"You are all foolish but we can't stop you. No one has ever been able to stop you when you put your mind to something", Mrs. Smith said as she sighed deeply. Valerie threw her arms open as she embraced her mother for what might be the very last time. Mr. Smith stood with his arms folded over as he glanced at Valerie with anger. "Honey, your father doesn't like it but he wishes you well", Mrs. Smith said with a tear filled smile. 

"Dad, Mom. I'll miss you too", Ian said as he hugged his parents tightly. "I will get vengeance for Skylar if its the last thing I do", Ian said with tears in his eyes. I didn't interrupt anyone but leaned into Nixon's arm for his support. Nixon pulled me in tightly as if hoping the bond we shared would never break. 

"Let's go before we lose our resolve", Valerie said as she left behind her parents with a heavy heart. "There is not much time Rowen. You have to trust us to help you find yourself. It will not be easy but you will know the truth", Valerie said as if she held all the answer. The door closed behind us as we embarked on our journey into the unknown. 

If someone told me I would be heading out to the forest to slay a giant beast within a few short weeks after starting my last year of high school, I would have laughed in their face.  And If that same someone told me I would be on this adventure with three of my best friends I would have thought they were crazy. Despite all that I was here, in the car, with three people I cared about very deeply. All three of these people were willing to risk their lives for me without a second thought. 

"It's about six hours away", Ian said as he plugged the address into his gps for Pine Hills. I wanted to stop on the trail near my hometown first before I moved into Serenity Falls. I didn't even know what I was looking for but I had to start at the place where my parents were killed. It felt like time was droning on as the landscape started to change. I figured I might need all the rest I could get until we arrived so I closed my eyes. 

I knew we were nearing the forest when the pain, that caused my scar to feel like it was on fire, came on quickly. I shot up from my sleep to defend myself against the impending doom that it made me feel. It wasn't until Nixon reached out to steady my shaky frame that I finally relaxed back down. "Not long now", I told him with a frown on my face.

"Rowen",Nixon said gently as he touched my hand again. "I know I said I couldn't accept your way of doing things but I'll be here for you every step of the way", he said in his deep tone. I leaned onto him for support as the pain in my head kept coming and going at a steady pace. 

"Look at you two lovebirds", Valerie said with a satisfied grin. Nixon reached over the front seat to whack her over the head with a gentle tap. "What, I'm not lying. I can tell you love her Nixon. I heard it all last night when you", Valerie said. Nixon had clamped his hand over Valerie's mouth to stop her from saying something. 

"Stay out of my head you jerk", Nixon said towards Valerie. I looked over towards NIxon to see his face beet red with a blush. "Besides Rowen knows how I feel about her already", Nixon said with a wide grin. I watched the light pouring in from the side of the window onto his beautifully sculpted features. It was this moment, with the light cast on his breathtaking smile and his arm wrapped around my waist, that I wanted to remember when the time came. 

"We have fifteen minutes before we get there, Rowen", Ian said with anticipation in his tone. I didn't need a navigational system to tell me we were almost there. I could sense we were close as the scar on my head became too painful. I fought against that pain as hard as I could to enjoy these last few moments. Nixon kept caressing my hair, whispering promises in my ear and making everyone laugh. Suddenly an intense pain so severe swept over my body that it nearly wiped me out. 

"Stop the car", I yelled towards Ian. Ian pulled over to the curb so swiftly I could feel the car whipping into the ditch beneath. "I need to get out right now. This is it", I yelled towards him as the pain grew with each passing second.

"But Pine Hills is still a few minutes away", Ian said. I turned to look at his face with my pain filled expression. "Oh, this is it", Ian said with a saddened tone. I think we all understood the severity of the situation as blood dripped down my face. I wiped up at my blood filled nose willing myself to make the journey. I was taking the road less traveled but I had my friends with me every step of the way. And with that I walked into the forest with the most mind blowing headache in all of my existence.