Lights Out

The Boy in the Bush

The door to the dining room creaked open, the overhead light shining through the cracks. As unusual as it was, I wasn't afraid. It shouldn't matter, but it did. My parents never leave the lights on after dark. I went closer studying the inside of the room, nothing seemed out of the ordinary. Nothing except the shadow in the corner. A shadow that wasn't mine. Then the shadow moved. And I saw the thing that was creating it. A red and black something with horns growing out of the top of its head. It was standing next to the light switch.

"Lights Out." The thing was talking to me. Its voice was hoarse and cracking. The light abruptly clicked off and I heard the creatures scurrying footsteps running towards me. I screamed but no one seemed to hear. It grabbed my arm and it started to pull me back. I tried to escape its ever-growing grasp, but I couldn't. I couldn't wake up from this monstrous dream that had overtaken me and my thoughts.

Why was this happening to me? Why me? I don't understand. What did I do? What happened in that cabin? Was this happening to Caleb too? Was I going to make it out alive? Would I see him again?

I was too wrapped up in my thoughts to notice that the thing was gone and that I was laying on the floor crying, my tears making a puddle on the hardwood floors of the dining room. My parents were clutching me in their arms. For a split second, I saw Caleb. He mouthed the words "Are you okay?" I looked away to blink back the tears that were starting to sting.

I looked back in his direction and he was gone. "Mom? Did you see that?"

"See what honey?" I could see the confusion growing in her eyes as she attempted to fathom what I was talking about.

"Never mind. I'm probably just seeing things after what happened."

"Are you sure baby?"

"Yeah mom, I'll be fine."

"Ok."

***

Three Weeks Later

I haven't seen Caleb since that night, and he hasn't bothered to call. School is in less than an hour and Caleb hasn't shown up there either. I can't talk to Ronni about it. She wouldn't understand, and now that I think about it, she hasn't been in school either. Brennon would probably get territorial if I told him about Caleb, I guess he's just that type of boyfriend. I'm thinking about breaking up with him and asking out Caleb, but we're just friends so I don't want to mess that up. Caleb probably hates me. By a long shot. What was I thinking? I am the one who got him into this mess.

School seemed more difficult. Ronni still wasn't back, and neither was Caleb. I ignored Brennon and somehow, he didn't notice. He is too self-absorbed to pay attention to me half the time when I talk to him anyway.

I saw things I never see in the empty hallways. Shadows of no one. Appearing and disappearing at will. At one point I spaced out and when I snapped back to reality I looked out the window of the boring science room to see someone staring at me. A boy. Hiding in the bush. For a minute I thought it was Caleb. I mean we had science together. But upon closer inspection, the boys face was distorted. And I could tell that it wasn't Caleb.

The boy had hair as red as fire, slicked back and neat. It looked like he had put some sort of glue in his hair that made it appear hard as a rock. Then my mind began to wander. I wondered what it would be like to run my fingers through Caleb's hair versus Brennon and the boy in the bush.

Right the boy in the bush! By the time I managed to steal another glance outside, the boy was gone. There were no footprints in the mud which left me incredibly perplexed.

I couldn't get my mind off the encounter or whatever it was. I wish I could tell Caleb but it's like he's gone. I wanted to go to the woods but my conscience wouldn't let me without a fight. But I went anyway. I had to tell my parents of course after the incident last month. I doubt they would let me go to the woods so I told them that I was going out to find Caleb, but not where I was going specifically.

I make my way to the woods I know too well, wondering if I should really be doing this. Maybe Caleb has been spaced out in that same spot that I had found him before. Maybe I could find Ronni too. It's highly unlikely since she isn't really the outdoorsy type.

The woods were dark. Darker than I remember. It's weird. Something feels off. Something feels different. Maybe it's just me. Maybe I'm just seeing things. I wander deeper hoping to see Caleb along the way but there was still no sign of him or Ronni. I got deep enough to where I should be able to see the cabin, but I couldn't. All I could see was a mossy cobblestone staircase in its place.

In the distance, I saw something...no, someone. It was Caleb. He was in his trance thingy and so was Ronni. I tried to wake them, but to my surprise, they began to move. Their feet were off the ground, dangling. I was scared. I screamed at the top of my lungs but for no result.

It was no use. I started on my way back home when suddenly Ronni grabbed my shoulder.

"Piper, what are you doing this far out in the woods this late at night?" she asked with a hint of curiosity in her voice.

I look up and the sun is no longer in my line of vision.  It was dark and well past dinnertime.

"I don't know, just wandering.  I was hoping I would find you both.  You have been gone for weeks."

"What do you mean?  I was just in school yesterday."

I noticed her confusion and decided not to hound her about it, although my brain was begging for answers it could not receive.

We talked the whole way home; Caleb completely slipped my mind. Was he still in that trance? Why did I not check on him before I left with Ronni?  Why would I leave him alone back there?  All questions with no answer.