The night was dead quiet; a full moon laid in the sky at its highest peak. I stood up listening for any sign that my parents were awake, and to my relief nobody stirred. I crepted towards my door and out into the hallway. I tiptoed past the first staircase and my parent's door that was slightly ajar; all the way to the end of the hall and down the spiral staircase. I made no sounds as I creeped down the stairs and towards the sliding glass back door. The door slid open soundless, and I crossed the threshold into the barely lit backyard. Still quiet I walked towards the fence gate; crossing the yard carefully. Once at the gate I waited for a minute, hesitating before pulling it open.
A light breeze blew as if warning me not to take another step, but when have I ever listened?
The step was a small defiance, but the wind howled angrily slamming the gate in the process. But I didn't care if anyone heard anymore, because I would be long gone before they could catch me.
So I ran into the forbidden forest leaving the angry wind and broken Promise behind in hope my questions would be answered.
I remember when the fence was built. It separated us from the forest, or it was supposed to.
I was six when my dad brought home the wood and his friends came over to help. It had been like a party; mom had served lemonade as music blared from the kitchen. A few moms had come over with their kids in tow.
I remember hearing one guy ask my dad why we were just now putting up a fence over the load music. The music shot up preventing me from hearing my dad's response.
Moments later my mom took me aside to tell me something. "Casey."
She said making sure she had my attention. "I need you to promise me something." Her voice was sweet, but in the same way concerned. "Promise me you will never go into the forest, no matter what." Intently she waited for my answer. Her honey blonde hair fell onto her face as the wind blew.
"I promise. "I said as I watched the relief flood across her face. I accepted this promise without a second thought, because she was my mom. But then again that was before I woke at night to whispers and dreams that scared me, though I couldn't remember them after I awoke. Not to mention the feelings I got, and the moments I would find myself clutching my stomach on the ground as images flooded through my mind; they were always the same.
I pulled my dark blue hoodie over my head, also putting my mid-waist honey blonde hair inside the hoodie, tied back with a cheap hair tie. I ran heart racing, palms sweating, scared and excited of what I would find, what I had been kept from.
When I slowed down I knew I was in the right place. A small part of me remembered it from my dreams. I stood on top of a cliff; water swished from below, and the dense forest covered my back. I could barely see the sun coming up alerting me of dawn. I was so caught up in the view that I didn't realize I had company.
"Hello, are you lost?" Questioned a girl with hair so blonde it looked white. Her hair reached to her lower back and it was straight and tangled as if she had been running around in the forest. She was plain, but beautiful at the same time.
Mira.
The wind whispered her name into my ear. I realized she was still waiting for my answer. "Oh... no... I'm good, but thanks for asking." I shuddered nervously.
"Why are you in the forest? Nobody is supposed to be in here." She said straight forwardly.
"If nobody is supposed to be in here then why are you here?" I questioned smartly.
It took her awhile to respond alerting me she stumped. "I... um..Patrol the forest to ... um... make sure nobody goes in here."
I could tell she was lying, even she knew it was a weak lie; this meant she was losing her high ground in this battle and didn't know what to do. To win I had to act fast.
"Leave now or...." Mira said with a new confidence before I could say something.
The others. Watch out for the others.
"Or what? You'll make me?" I wouldn't leave. Not yet; not until I knew why I had been led here. I didn't care what the cost was... I just had to find out... why I was here.
And then it happened; a searing pain ripped through my temple causing me to reach for my ear, but then as if someone had sucker punched me in the gut, I fell to the ground holding my stomach hoping it would be over soon.
"Not here. Not now." I said through clenched teeth, though it came out as a strangled cry. One question ran through my mind as the pain busted through my body. Why did this happen to me? I repeated this over and over until the images came.
The same images I saw every time rolled through my mind like an old film tape. I was met with the darkest eyes I have ever seen. A brown so dark it looked black. I had seen these eyes for months now; it was if they waited in the shadows for me. The image zoomed out to show me the rest of the image.
His hair was black and his body was a tan that could only happen from staying outside all the time. He wore a black shirt and old faded jeans that were wore out so bad they had holes, leaning against a tree. I don't know how, but I knew he wasn't far from where I was. If I could only... my thought was cut short by a new voice.
"Mira what'd you did to her?" Asked a load deep commanding voice.
Mathew.
"Is she okay?" Asked a new guy with a voice of silk. I melted at the sound of his concerned voice. Aden.
"She looks dead." Bluntly stated another girl with no concern what so ever, just annoyance. Alisa.
"She's not dead; you should know what a dead person looks like by now." Responded a gruff voice that could only belong to a guy.
Boz.
A part of me was shocked at the sudden knowledge of their names, because I didn't recognize their voices from school. They could be in a grade above me, but something told me they weren't.
"Do you think she would date me?" Asked another guy, Ethan, and I could almost hear his smile. I was so shocked that I almost jerk my head towards his voice to see his face.
"No. What girl would want to?" Asked a girl, though it was more of a statement than a question. Raven.
"It's okay you don't have to be jealous Raven," Ethan said with a smile that practically radiated off of him. "Try to put your arm around me again and I'll break it. Kapesh?" Growled Raven.
"Playing hard to get I likely."
"Shut up Ethan," Raven snapped.
This was the others; four boys and three girls. I had no chance against them with these odds. I could probably take on one of them, but all? I might as well ask for them to beat me up. I didn't think I would need to fight, but you never know with weird people in the woods.
How would I get to him? The question raced through my mind on repeat like a scratched CD.
They weren't focused on me, so I needed to hurry before they noticed me again. Right now I could hear Raven threatening Ethan. With my eyes closed I tried to clear my mind, but he kept reappearing. I couldn't seem to forget him. He appeared when I closed my eyes and every time I had a moment.
If I was going to go I had to do it now. Three... two...now! Like in athletics I pushed myself off the ground starting in a sprint towards him. Who would of thought athletics would teach me anything that would help me out of school. I ran right though their little group conversation ruining any stealth I might have had.
Of course that's when it all fell apart. I barely made it a step away when someone grabbed the back of my hoodie. "Let go." I yelled kicking my legs and swinging my arms, but once again he was gone; I was too late again.
"Calm down we just want to talk." Soothed Mira; her voice persuading me. Before I knew it I was sitting on the ground with seven others.
"Why are you in the forest?" Commanded Mathew, who sat straight across from me; somehow I knew he was the leader, the man in charge. He looked around eighteen, had a military hair cut with brown hair, but I couldn't help but notice his muscles. Some teens would say he's ripped, but I would say he probably ripped out of some shirts. He was used to getting what he wanted when he wanted; like who would tell him no. He wouldn't mind hurting someone I thought. I almost laughed already knowing it wouldn't happen. I didn't like to follow orders, everyone that knew me could tell you that.
"Ask me something else; I've already been asked that." I countered calmly.
He was flabbergasted by my response, alerting me I was right on my prediction. "Answer my question." He commanded again.
I faked a yawn to annoy him more. "I've got to go home." I said standing up; surprised by the calmness in my voice and the bravery I felt.
"What happened to you earlier?" Rushed Mira sensing my hurry to leave with unanswered questions.
My mouth opened compelled to answer, but the wind shut it as if warning me against it.
As a response to her question I turned around and started to walk home I put my right arm up in the form of a peace sign to signal my departure.
I waited until I was out of their sight before I started to jogged home. I sped into a run when I realized I was a few miles away from home and the sun was coming up. When I made it home it was nearly seven. I creeped through the fence gate, closing it behind me. I froze when I saw my mom from the kitchen window, her back was facing me.
I bolted towards the other fence gate that lead towards the front yard. Once I was safely on the other side of that gate I made sure the gate was shut good and hurried to the front door. Without any thought I ran inside only to run into a wall that was my dad.
"Tisk tisk," he sighed, "better luck next time; your grounded missy."
"Okay," I said trying to play it cool so he wouldn't know where I went.
"So no TV, no after school stuff, and no friends over?"
"I was just going to say no TV, but if that's what you want then its fine with me." He grinned.
"Uggg..." groaned, "why must you do this to me?" I waved my arms for empathise.
"See you later pickle head." He chuckled, "we'll talk more at dinner."
He said as he headed out the door.
I groaned and ran up the normal staircase. Once inside my room I changed into a blue shirt with the superman logo on it, and French-braided my hair to the side. I left my blue jeans and tennis shoes on.
When I finally finished getting ready I threw my light blue floral book bag with brown straps over my shoulder and ran down stairs to a now empty house. I walked down the carpeted stairs. The tan carpet left no trace of my tennis shoes being on it. Once at the bottom of the stairs I reached for my house keys on the rack against the wall and locked the large wooden door behind me. I took off in a steady jog to my school that was three blocks away.