Later that night when we got back from the pond we laid outside in our sleeping bags, staring up at the vague outline of the starlight through the tall trees. The summer breeze blew in from the sky, cooling my face and still drying hair. Gee laid next to me, his head was resting on his hands. His hazel eyes stared up, as if he was searching for something to hold onto. I put my hand out on his sleeping bag for him to hold but he didn't notice. I sighed. He snapped his head over to me.
"You okay?" He asked.
I gave him a look of worry.
"I'm scared Gee. I'm scared about what would happen if we stayed here forever."
He sighed, petting the side of my face gently. My heart thudded repeatedly in my chest and I looked into his eyes.
"We can't to back." He said simply.
I frowned.
"Why not?" I asked.
"Because if we went back, the guilt would measure up on us for not being there to help. We would have to witness our loved ones dying before our very eyes. I can't do that again. I assure you it's not a thing you want to go through." He explained.
I exhaled and faced the sky again. He did the same.
"I understand." Was all I said.
He laughed shortly. Then all of a sudden I heard him do something I had never heard him do before. He started singing. It sounded like the most amazing punk rock singer you could ever think of, it was rough, and light, but also really gentle and sweet. I melted into it.
"So long, to all my friends, all of them met deep and tragic ends, I'd be lying if, I didn't say that I missed them all tonight."
I laid there, closing my eyes, I was feeling a little drowsy and his voice and the sad song lyrics were an extra touch.
"And if they only knew, what I would say, If I, could be with you tonight, I would sing you to sleep, never let them take the light behind your eyes."
He kept singing, I kept getting sleepier and sleepier until finally I felt my mind shutting out, I fell into a deep sleep.
I was awaken to the sound of shuffling in the dark, ominous forest. My eyes snapped open suddenly and I alarmingly didn't hear a sound, not even the birds chirping. Utter silence. A cold shiver crawled up my spine. Something wasn't right. I sat up in my sleeping bag, staring out into the dark, fearsome, trees. All of a sudden I heard a soft, haunting voice escaping the trees from all directions.
The woodsman, the woodsman
Coming for your life...
I grabbed my shoulders and shut my eyes tightly, hoping it was a dream. The voices continued, invading my thoughts.
The woodsman, the woodsman
He bears a bloody knife
I felt goosebumps rising up my shoulders as I saw a blurry outline of something coming out of the trees. It was a person. They walked foreword, lurching like a zombie with every step. I could pick out his wide, empty eyes staring into my soul.
The woodsman, the woodsman
He'll kill off all your friends
The evil voices continued, but they weren't coming from his mouth. His face was scarred with millions of tiny, bloodstained marks. His hair was dark brown, shaved in many places to match his wild look.
The woodsman, the woodsman
You all meet tragic ends
I panicked, the man was coming closer, I started backing into the side of the tent, sweat dripped down my forehead. I wanted to scream but my fear had overcome me. I couldn't say a word as he lurched closer, closer, closer to me. I fell back on the ground and he was right above me. Dark blood dripped onto my face. I shut my eyes but it was no use. His high, raspy voice invaded everything I could think of.
"So here you are...FINALLY!!"
He started laughing like a maniac, his shining, soulless eyes echoed into the sky. He snapped his head back to me and I whimpered.
"The daughter of my cursed brother. Come to DIE!?" He shrieked.
I felt tears raging from my eyes, I shut them tight and tried not to show fear. And out of all this I managed to utter a sentence.
"W-why do y-you want-t-t to kill me?" I whispered.
He grabbed my ear, pulling me closer to his blood covered fangs.
"Because your sister wasn't enough for ME! I want the whole FAMILY!!" He shrieked, echoing another cackle.
My sister? Did he kill my sister!? Was Piper safe? I wasn't scared now as much as I was worried.
"W-what did you do to her!!?" I shouted.
He tightened his grip on me and I winced, shutting my eyes.
"I KILLED her!!" He yelled, as if he was proud of this.
I shuttered, tears dripped from my eyes. His breath was icy in my ear. I reached out and felt something comforting, the top of Gee's head. I tapped it frantically, the man dropped me suddenly and advanced on Gerard. No. I felt to frightened to move as Ryder caressed the side of Gee's face. I hyperventilated and Ryder switched his field of vision back to me. He uttered an eerie grin, his head cocked to the left like a madman as he advanced like a spider on top of Gee, never taking his eyes off my face.
"Ooh, is this your little BOYFRIEND!?"
He said, looking at Gee as if he were a scrap of meat.
My eyes were still shut as I tried to stand. I grabbed a nearby sharp stick while he was distracted. He looked back at me with a pathetic smile, I did look pretty pathetic.
"L-leave him a-alone." I said, trying to be as confident as possible.
He crawled toward me, scratching my face with his claws. I winced.
"AHAHAHA!!" He cackled.
"You really think I can't KILL you girl!?" He taunted.
I zoned my eyes off of him for a second to look at Gee. He was almost fully awake. The woodsman grinned and sliced out a dagger from the case in his torn pants. He shoved the blade against my neck, I could feel the cold, hard silver against my chin. His eyes were wide with victory.
"Not only ONE..." He dug the knife deeper into my neck, threatening to pierce the skin. I stiffened.
"But TWO precious girls...courtesy of my WRETCHED brother!!"
I shuttered, trying not to think of what would come next. He had already killed my sister. I deserve to go with her.
"AND NOW!? You know what I'm going to do girl!? I'm going to..."
I heard a voice from behind him, Gerard had woken up.
"IVY!" He shouted.
That was enough to attract Ryder's attention, he faced away from me. It all happened so fast, in one swift moment, the dagger was off my neck, and sliced through the middle of Gerard's chest. His hazel eyes went wide, staring down at the now bloody dagger, the blood spilled out like a pool. He looked up at me in surprise, collapsing onto the forest ground. My mind spun, dragging me toward him with every muscle that I had in my weak body. I kept screaming, I don't even know what I was screaming and I didn't care anymore. My heart felt like it was being wrenched into a million tiny pieces. I tore away from Ryder and knelt down, trying to stop the blood from escaping his body. He looked so weak, so helpless. He looked up at me with his slightly fading hazel eyes. I grabbed his shoulders and shook him, trying to get him to hold on. I tore away the wretched dagger, holding it in my shaking hand. Tears poured out and I screamed bloody murder. My best friend. My only friend. The only person I had ever loved. Gone.
"Gerard...please...don't leave..." I sobbed, my head was on his chest.
"Ivy. I love you." His weak, pale, bloodless mouth managed.
I cried even more.
"I love you too." I whispered.
"Remember that. Someone out there loves you. Remember me." He barely spoke.
I watched him as his beautiful eyes, the same ones that had been so hopeful yesterday, I watched as they glassed over, never being able to see the greatness in life ever again. I shook him, hard. He couldn't be gone. He couldn't be. I sobbed even more into his chest.
"No...Gerard...please..." Was all that escaped my mouth.
I saw bright lights behind me, someone was coming to take me away. I couldn't leave. I caressed his face, hoping somehow he would come back. I felt a tugging on my shoulders, someone was trying to tear me away from him. I screamed at the top of my lungs, fighting with all my strength against them. They were too strong. They carried me away, away from the body of the boy I once loved.