Sitting on a bench waiting for Olivia, I watch as a couple kids play Shark on the playground screaming and laughing. I smiled remembering playing the same game with my old friends when I was seven.
"Do I have to play?"I whined looking over at Adina while hanging upside down from a monkey bar.
"No getting around it,"Adina remarked crossing her arms and glaring at me with her brown eyes.
"Okay, Okay!", I grumbled flipping over and landing on my feet almost falling over.
"We need more people..."I looked around and spotted a familiar boy sitting alone underneath an oak tree.
"Be right back!"I ran away quickly towards the boy and sat next to him nudging his arm.
"Hey Jacka Boy,"I grinned and ruffled his hair.
"Hey April." He smiled at me and ruffled my hair in return.
"Wanna go play Shark with me and Adina?" I smiled up at him crossing my fingers silently.
"Sure," He shrugged and got up heading towards the playground while I got up and ran after him.
Out of breath, I smiled and caught up standing next to Jack.
"You know how to play Shark right?" Adina looked up at Jack and cocked an eyebrow.
"No..."Jack said rubbing a hand through his golden brown hair.
Adina sighed and began explaining how to play,"Okay, so one person plays as the shark and tries to attack the people on land. In order for you to 'attack' someone, you have to touch them on the leg or something like that. Once they are tagged, they become the new shark and the person who played shark before becomes a person on land with the others. Its pretty much like tag."
Jack nodded,"Got it."
"Okay, so whoever says last is shark! One two three not it!", Adina smirks.
We quickly repeated, leaving me to be the last one to speak making me the shark.
"Uggggghhhhhh,"I groaned while everyone quickly ran to the playground.
Adina quickly yelled,"Also you can't touch the water or you automatically become shark!" We both nodded and the game quickly began.
I ran up and managed to sneak up behind a wide eyed Jack who yelped and jumped away right before I reached towards him. Looking over to my left, I saw Adina trying to get across to the other side of the playground using the monkey bars trying not to touch the water. Grinning I quickly ran up to her causing her to lose her concentration and let go of the bar landing on her feet.
"Guess I ain't shark no more,"I grinned and jumped onto the playground running over to the steps next to were Jack ran off to.
Adina ran over to me as I quickly ran up the steps and sat in the slide for cover, while Jack dangled off the pole where Adina tried to jump up and tag his foot.
"You are so frustrating I swear,"She mumbled and rolled her eyes.
I heard Adina run up and try to jump up to tag me but failing miserably. She then decided to run up the slide making me scream and lose my balance while I tumbled down.Did I mention she is very aggresive when it comes to winning games?
I tumbled down the slide while Adina ran back down tapping my shoulder smirking. "Your it"
I groaned and got up while she ran back onto the playground cheering with glee.
Walking over to where Jack was dangling, I jumped up and managed to hang on the side of the playground catching him by surprise and tapped his foot.
"W-WHAAAT. Oh come on. I didn't even see you!" Jack groaned and jumped down onto the ground while I ran back on the playground.
Jack smirked and ran over to me trying to tag my leg but I jumped up onto the second level of the playground and stuck my toungue out. Adina ontop of the slide, feet dangling.
Jack walked over to the slide and ran up while Adina screamed and jumped somehow bumping into me making me fall forward causing her to step on my index finger on my right hand.
Let's just say there were a lot of tears and apologize from Adina and Jack that day.
...
I looked down at my right hand and saw my slightly uneven index finger laughing quietly but then frowned.
The thought of Jack and Adina made my heart ache and my stomach queezy. I miss them both so much, especially Jack...
Jack and I used to be friends since we were five while I knew Adina when I was seven. Jack stayed friends with me all the way until I turned sixteen making our frienship last twelve years! He was two years older than me, meaning he was already getting ready to graduate when I was sixteen.
Jack went to college here actually, but something horrible happened a week after he arrived there. He went missing. No one knows how til this day which really pissed me off knowing they didn't work hard on his case. I remember the day I found out like it was yesterday.
...
Walking in my papa's cabin after a long day of school, I decided to text Jack again to at least try and get a response from him.
-Hey Shark Boy...
Waiting for a reply I turned on the TV and walked over to my papa's piano, sitting down playing some random melody.
-20 minutes later-
Still no reply from Jack. Guess he is still mad at me.
I decided to text him again.
-Hello? I completely understand if you never want to talk to me again. But please just let me know that you are okay. Let me know if you still want to be with me. Dont leave me in the dark......
Nervously I bit my lip, fighting tears.
- 1 hour later-
Looking up, something caught my attention making me turn the volume up on the TV. The news was on talking about some stupid case about a missing person making me roll my eyes.
Oh boy do I regret calling it stupid.
With slight interest I listened to what the lady had to say:
"Last night, a man by the name of Jackson Nichols has gone missing from Mehary College around eleven last night. Police are still trying to find evidence of the young mans disappearance. We will give an update on the case once officers find more information."
My heart skipped a beat as I stared at the screen looking at the picture of Jack that appeared on the left corner dazed. He was gone. And no one knew why or how.
As I picked up the remote to turn off the TV, a tear slid down my cheek and than another, after another, until I
was full blown crying my eyes out.
Til then I was never the same. I never got to apologize to him that day.... and now he's gone....For god knows how long.
...
"HELLO?! "Olivia waved her hands I front of my face.
"W-What?! "I jumped up looking around confused.
Olivia chuckled then sat down next to me. "You have been dozing off. I've been watching you for a couple minutes until it looked like you were about to breakdown in tears... "
My cheeks flushed in embaracment an I bit my lip looking down. "I just was thinking about an old memory..."
"Abouuuttt?.... "Olivia leaned close to me cocking an eyebrow.
"Nothing, "I said while getting up. "It's not important anyway's.. It's in the past now..." I began limping down the side walk leaving Olivia behind.
Olivia ran up next to me and shrugged not bothering to push the subject any further. "What are we gonna do here anyway's? "
I shrugged, "Pretend were in the 90's, what would you do?"
"Kill myself," She stated bluntly.
I rolled my eyes. "How about we take a walk in the woods eh?"
Her eyes widened, "You want to go in the woods when you just got attacked by some monster last night?!"
I froze, "Well we wont be far..."
"You can barely walk April."
I smirked, "And you can barely use your brain."
Olivia glared at me while I laughed. "We are gonna go to the river."
She sighed but then nodded her head.
...
I swam up next to Olivia splashing her in the face.
"Hey!", She rubbed her eyes and glared at me while I just shrugged.
My shoulder did hurt while I swam so I went easy by just floating in the water calmly. Ocassionaly swimming back to shore to give it a break.
"Im gonna go dry off," Olivia said while she swam past me and onto the shore.
Yes we were both wearing our bras and undies in the water, but thats pretty much what bikinis are anyway so no biggie. Besides, no one comes here due to the fact that creature is around.
But I was apparently wrong.
"Hey... I think we got company," Olivia said while looking off at the dirt trail.
My eyes trailed over to where she was looking and I froze when I saw a man in the distance walking towards us. It was that man who saved me last night!
"Olivia go off and hide in a bush or something!"
Olivia nodded and ran over to the closest bush on her left finishing buttoning up her jeans.
I froze and stared at the man who was closer now. He still looked the same... still wore that strange mask. Except this time he didn't have a scapel in his hand.
Olivia looked at me anxiously while I glared at her making sure she didn't do anything stupid. I looked back at the masked man who suddenly froze. My whole body tensed as I tried not to make a noise while staying afloat.
My arms and legs suddenly started to ache and I ended up moving my arm making the water swoosh in which that caught his attention.
"W-who are you?", I questioned while Olivia was looking at me like I was insane.
Yet again he didn't say a word.
"I know you hear me." I swam over to the shore trying to lift myself up but failing. So I ended up resting my head and arms on the wet grass while my legs and torso were floating in the water
"Fine. I just want to say Thank you for saving me last night..." I looked up at him and sighed.
"Can you at least say something?" It was actually starting to get on my nerves.
Olivia looked at me and tried mouthing out something to me. I managed to crawl on the shore and got up using my right arm limping towards the man.
Olivia moved, causing the bush to rustle and the man to look over to where she was. She froze and tried not to move again but the man pulled out his scapel slowly and walked over to her.
"What are you-" I got cut off when the man attacked Olivia causing her to scream.
I ran over to them trying to ignore the pain on my left foot and grabbed a rock. Yet the man kept trying to stab Olivia while she thankfully managed to dodge them.
I jumped ontop of the masked man hitting his neck with the rock, causing him to groan in pain and drop his scapel. I fell onto the floor and he turned his head over to me. Olivia crawled away and looked for
something to attack him with while I yelped in pain.
The man then froze and got up quietly grabbing his scapel running off right after.
"W-wait!" I quickly got up and tried running after him. But he was too fast.
I stood up panting confused of the mans actions. Olivia looked over at me confused as well.
"Okay. I think it's time we get our asses out of here," Olivia handed me my clothes, and I quickly threw them on carefully.
...
Once we left the park, We decided to go out and eat at Chick-fil-a.
"Who do you think that was?" Olivia took a bite in her chicken sandwich looking at me.
"I honestly don't know," I took a fry and flicked it at her head.
She shrugged and picked it up taking a bite of it. "Should we tell someone?"
I shook my head no and left the conversation at that.
Once the clock struck nine we both decided it was time to go home. I hugged Olivia goodbye as she got into her car looking at me worried.
"Are you aure you want to walk home?" She opened the door slightly.
"Positive," I gave her a smile and began limping away hearing her sigh and the door close.
I know im stupid and I should have her drop me off, but i actually want to run into that guy again. I wan't to know who he is and what's his deal. After me and Olivia had that conversation in Chick-fil-A, I think that it is better if i do tell people about him.
He might need help. Nobody survived in these woods more then a couple days due to the fact they have been attacked by that 'creature' or they starved and got dehydrated. Many ways to die in there. But he could possibly be a bad person as well.
There have been cases of murders the last couple of months here in town. The person who usually kills the victims leaves a carved in smile on there cheeks and writes 'Go to Sleep' on the walls in the victims blood. It's as if thats how they want to be remembered.
Maybe that's him! I have to tell somebody soon. Maybe I can head over to the police station and leave a report.
I quickly walked towards my neighborhood and limped towards the towns police station (I live close to it thankfully.) Walking in, I jeaded towards the front counter meeting eyes with a pair of dark brown ones.
"H-Hello, Im April A-Adams, I need to f-file a report. " I bit my lip nervous.
"Hey.. aren't you that girl from the news who got attacked by that weird looki'n creature?" The officer eyes me sternly.
I nodded my head. "Y-yeah about that... T-there's something y-you need to know," I looked down at my hands and bit my lip.
"Im all ears," He leaned back in his chair.
So I told him about the weird man in the blue mask and how he might be the murder. I even told him what happened earlier today.
"Wait," He held a hand up and I stopped. "Wouldn't he have killed ya?"
I froze and my cheeks blushed in embarrassment.
He sighed, "Well... We can look around and warn the town to be on a lookout. " I gaped.
Without saying a word I limped towards the door and stormed out. I dialed up Olivia and she answered after the two rings.
"Hello?" I sighed and told her what happened in the station.
"Well fuck."
"I know! It was as if he didn't even care," I groaned.
"Well..." Pause. "Im tired, Goodnight Ape," She yawned.
"Goodnight Olive," I hung up the phone and sighed putting it in my pocket until I heard footsteps behind me. Slowly pulling my phone out of my pocket to dial the police, the footsteps stopped. I froze and listened quietly.
I began to speed walk and looked behind me to see no one, which freaked me out even more. I forgot about my left foot and yelped quickly lifting it up and hissing. Slowly I put my foot back down and limped towards my house, heart beating fast.
Suddenly, I felt a hand wrap around my arm and yank me back into them. My eyes widen and my first intention was to scream. As if reading my thoughts, I felt a hand squeeze over my mouth to stop me from doing so.
I squirmed in the persons arms trying to land a kick on there leg, but failed miserably each time. Eventually I got too weak to keep struggling and layed limp in the persons arms.
As an opportunity, the person lifted me up and began running towards the woods. I began squirming again causing them to claw at my leg making me yelp. This person has claws!? I tried screaming through the mans hand but the only sound that came out was a muffled yelp.
I looked behind me as we head further away from my neighborhood and closer to the dreadful woods. A tear slid down my cheek and onto the ground as I closed my eyes not knowing the next time i'll be free again and what this man might do to me.
...
I know, I know, It was a short chapter. But! I got a lot of plans for the next chapter hehe....
Thank you for the support and for reading!
Toodles! ( ˘ ³˘)