Jane loaded her rifle, swinging it behind her shoulder while holding a backpack on her other hand. She had filled it with supplies like food, water, and other necessities one needed out in the forest.
The old woman barely stepped one foot on the porch of her cabin before a concerned man stopped her from walking any further.
"You need to stop, Jane. She's gone and you already have someone else you're looking for." It was Jax, worried out of his mind since Jane started looking for Adira. Everyone noticed she was gone when she didn't come out for a day. All her belongings were still inside, and the bathroom window was wide open. Some people thought she must've been kidnapped, after all there was talk starting to go around of strange folk in the forest. Jane believed in the rumors of psychopaths running around and knew Adira must have gotten herself involved in something negative. Since her disappearance, Jane had been searching for her, hoping to find any trace of her son as well.
Jax felt she was getting too involved, after all it wasn't like Jane to be sticking her head out so much for a singular girl. True, she had her eye out for the group, but he felt the stress would be too much for her to handle.
"Not everyone can be saved," he had to remind her, "You need to let go."
Jane had zero emotion on her face as she patted the man's shoulder and walked past him. He merely sighed, allowing her to spend the rest of her day searching for someone he thought was a lost cause.
But Jane was aware of something no one, not even Jax knew. She was conscious of a shadow in the forest, stalking them from time to time. She even heard it rustling the campgrounds at night after midnight, searching for a stray body to devour. It was why she had warned Adira not to go out too late. Now, she feared the worse, and was sure the thing was involved somehow. Everything bad, the disappearance of everyone- all of it had to be linked to that one monstrosity. It was only a theory, but a very convincing one.
The old woman took one glance back at the remaining campers behind her, knowing each one was bound to start talking about her again once she left. She didn't care if they called her a crazy old woman. If they knew what she knew, she'd be the only sane one left.
Jane readjusted her backpack on both shoulders, holding her rifle properly as she began her journey once more. She had already ruled out certain places, marking them off on a map she carried around. No sign or trace of Adira or her son was ever found. Now it was time to take a lesser known path, and she made sure her weapon was loaded before charting into unknown territory.
The floor almost swallowed her foot as she trudged over large puddles and tried her best to keep herself from sinking. Jane walked for only a few more minutes before an unsettling, thick fog began to descend upon her.
Things had become eerily quiet, she thought, pausing and lifting her rifle slowly. The birds stop chirping, the wind stopped blowing- the forest itself seemed to freeze all at once. It was almost as if everything, but the woman, was aware of a much larger predator around the area.
Fearlessly, she narrowed her eyes and stayed still the second a certain, familiar sound entered her ears. It came from behind her- heavy steps belonging to something that didn't want to be quiet. It wanted her to know it was there. Jane granted its wish and whirled around, pointing the tip of the barrel at a tall, dark being. Its deer like horns reached the heavens, and its deep red eyes widened with bloodlust and amusement.
God circled the woman, admiring her bravery as she continued pointing the weapon at him without a word. She ended up breaking the silence the second he took a step towards her.
"Where's Adira. I take it you have something to do with her suddenly going missing?"
God stopped walking, caught off guard by the sudden question. He was momentarily quiet, until he figured it wouldn't hurt to try and respond.
"You won't understand me."
"I do," Jane answered, adjusting her grip on the rifle without letting her guard down. God was surprised she could comprehend him, and it baffled him for a moment before he returned to his usual self.
"That's a big gun for such a small woman. Do you really know how to use it?"
Jane scoffed as she aimed the rifle directly between his forehead, "Why don't we find out?"
God couldn't help but let out a snicker. He was glad he pursued the old woman, for she was proving to be more than entertaining. The beast decided to test the limits and glanced at her rifle quickly, gesturing towards it, "A Winchester, huh? You must be hunting something big."
Jane lowered her weapon slightly, her lips set in a firm line as she examined the horrifying creature. He was dressed like a hunter from head to toe, and seemingly had knowledge of hunting weaponry. Just what exactly was she talking to?
"You know guns?" she questioned, trying to get more information out of God and figure out who she was dealing with. God lifted a finger to his nonexistent mouth, as if trying to remember a long forgotten memory. After a few seconds, he slowly nodded.
"Long ago I had one. I believe it was a model 70. All black. My-" he cut himself off, snarling suddenly as he glared daggers at Jane. "Just what exactly are we doing here? And why are you asking for Adira?"
"She needs to go back home and leave this forest. We all do," Jane responded bluntly, examining how the beast twitched at the mention of them leaving. "Someone said they saw something large dragging bodies around the forest. I take it its you- and that you have to do with all these disappearances?"
God gave her a side glance as he looked around them for a moment, shrugging slightly, "I take credit for most of them. But there might be something else doing it."
Jane rested her rifle to her side, setting things straight with the monster, "Let's get this over with then. I saw one of my people out in the blue the other day when I thought she had left for good. She was raving about a 'god of the forest', and how there's a whole colony of your believers hiding out here somewhere. I don't know how you brainwashed her, but Adira can't be a part of it."
"I didn't 'brainwash' that girl. After I scared her and Adira off, she got picked up by the leader of this crazed group of whores who worship me. They have a mind of their own."
"But they answer to you, don't they? What of this other thing you say is causing people to go missing?"
God crossed his arms over his chest, shaking his head in mild annoyance. He didn't expect Jane to be so nonchalant and normal about him. It was infuriating not being able to relish in the fear and panic radiating from all who dared get in his way.
"There might be something else mutilating you people out here that isn't exactly human. I don't know who or what it is, but I'm getting to the bottom of it. If you're so hell bent on uncovering this cult then go ask them what they're up to yourself."
He didn't expect her to agree with him, and grimaced once the old lady adjusted her supplies and gave a nod of approval. She didn't even show how wary she was from all this, and it took God a good amount of staring to get to the very bottom of her true emotions.
"Don't you have a family to go to? Aren't you the slightest bit worried something could go wrong?"
Jane gave God a false chuckle, rendering him silent, "Yes, things can go wrong. I'm still doing it." She stepped out of a puddle she was sinking into, marching towards dryer land. Behind her, God followed with a very somber look about him.
"Fine. I'll take you to them. We can even help each other out and hunt whoever is trying to take my place...but I have one condition."
The older woman gave a simple nod, awaiting the terms with a strict face. God immediately blocked her path, looking down at her face and making sure she heard every word.
"Adira will stay. She and I made a deal that can't be broken. Nothing or no one can get in the way of it. Understood?"
Jane didn't want to agree and was close to refusing when she realized there was no point in discussing it now. If anything, that issue would be dealt with after she was through with the cult and whatever the creature claimed was killing more people. Once everything was over, God had to go and Adira would be free. Just how or if things would work out she didn't know, however. For now, she just had to play along.
"Fine." Was her final response to the beast before he gave a very eerie, sharp toothed grin- as if reading her mind.
"I'll warn you- they're unpredictable." God kept an eye on the human as he led the way. "You know what I always used to say? If you're doing something that terrifies you, it means you're doing something very brave."
"I'm not afraid." Jane rolled her eyes lightly, still clutching her weapon, "I still have my eye on you...but I agree."
God wanted more than anything to get any type of emotion out of the woman. Seeing her stone-cold face was a little infuriating. If fear didn't work, perhaps flattery would.
"A woman of wisdom. I want to properly introduce myself. My name is- well people around here call me God."