The Scarlet Imprint

I woke up early this morning and made some coffee. I had breakfast while sitting on the kitchen counter and taking in the view by the window over the sink. When I arrived last night, I could have sworn I had spotted a tall figure in the woods looking right at me, but before I could capture its physical aspects, it had vanished into the dark. It was most likely a wild animal wandering around, frightened by my arrival. That mysterious shadow had creeped me out, so I decided I would unpack the rest of my belongings the following day and hope for the rain to cease, which, unfortunately, was not the case. My eyes were so tired from driving in the thunderstorm, and I only wanted to get to bed.

After drinking my second cup, I took out my laptop from my bag and attempted to start working on the outline of my book. I had been staring at the screen for what seemed like an eternity, and finally, my fingers began writing sentences difficult for my mind to construct. It was nice to be away from the city and out of the chaos, but something about this place felt uncanny. The house looked completely different from the pictures I had seen online; I guess I could say I got catfished by an Air BNB. I was only here to escape and begin writing my novel, so I didn't need anything fancy, just somewhere I could hibernate and disappear for a little while.

The house was ancient and very creaky, mostly built out of wood. It also smelled old, which was comforting in a way. I was never a big fan of new and modern-styled homes; the atmosphere felt cold, while older homes brought more comfort and warmth. The furniture, decorations, and appliances are all clearly from the '70s and, surprisingly, still functional. Given the dust piling up, it seemed like no one had been here for a long time, which was odd, given it was on Air BNB. The house had three floors and one creepy attic that I dare not look into; I've watched way too many horror movies, and we all know how that ends.

I set myself up on the main floor, facing the back patio door that directly looked out to the eery lake and mountains. I would have enjoyed sitting outside, but the downpour prevented that. The rain wasn't a bad thing, though, as I am here to write a paranormal fiction novel; therefore, the gloomy atmosphere was just right for the mood. The words were finally starting to flow, and before I knew it, I had finished the outline and written three chapters. My vision was getting blurry from staring at the screen for so long, and my fingers were beginning to cramp, so I opted to take a little break to get some fresh air outside as the rain slowly faded. The dark clouds lingered, making me doubt the sun would come out today. I ventured into the woods and hoped to stir up more ideas for the book. I put on some melancholy music, cello with piano, which is my favourite genre to write to for inspiration. I took in all the smells and sensations of the forest, enjoying the serenity I lacked in the city. I found a secluded area near the lake and noticed this beautiful, old giant tree by the water. Next to it was a perfectly flat rock for me to sit on, so I sat and lit up one of the rolled cigarettes I had stashed in my tin box. I usually don't smoke much, but I do enjoy it when I am in the process of writing. The nicotine buzz slows down my thoughts and helps me focus on the words I am trying to convey in my story.

I laid back on the tree and momentarily observed the sombre yet beautiful scenery before me. Then I closed my eyes and stayed still for a while, taking in this peaceful moment and releasing all the stress from my everyday life. This place was beginning to grow on me a little, the forest more than the house. I dozed off in the calm and eventually woke up shivering as the cold crept in with the evening. I looked at the time and was shocked when I realized I had been sleeping for over three hours. I raised my hands to stretch my body, as it felt stiff from the position I had fallen asleep in, and that's when I noticed I had a red X marked on the palm of my right hand. Confused, I tried to remove it with some water from the lake, but it remained as it was no matter how hard I tried to scrub it off. I didn't have the slightest idea of how it got there. The forest was getting darker, and my phone battery was now at four percent, so I began to speed walk back, feeling creeped out by all this.

As I approached the house, I noticed a figure skulking around on the balcony and peering through the windows. I slowed my pace and hid behind a big tree to observe what this silhouette was doing, wondering if it had been the one who had marked me with the X. The shadowy form was quite unsettling, resembling nothing like a human shape. I realized she was not standing on her feet but slightly floating. I silently made my way closer to get a better view but then tripped on a tree root and fell to the ground. The tumult of my fall startled the figure and directed its attention towards me. I could feel my body and mind frozen from fear, unable to get up and run; I stared back, unsure what would happen next. I could begin to capture some of the creature's features; it seemed to be a woman. Her eyes were a stunning bright purple, and her face was angelic yet preternatural. Her long hair cascaded down her body to the ground, and she covered it with the hood of her flowing, glistering black cape. The garment had glowing star patterns that hypnotized you if you stared too long. I moved my gaze towards her hands; it seemed like she was holding something, but I could not determine what it was. Her fingernails were long, and her hands were covered in red and black paint marks. The red was the same colour as the X on my palm, I realized with a quiver. I began panicking and thought I should pick myself up and get away quickly.

As I stood up, the women started to approach my direction, so I escaped to the left of the house, entered the side door and locked it behind me. Shit, the other doors are unlocked, I thought to myself. I ran to every door to lock them and shut the blinds. My breathing was out of control, and my heart was about to jump out of my chest. I pulled out my phone to call my dad, but my phone had died. I heard a big thump from the back door as I ran around looking for my cellphone charger, which caused me to let out a deafening scream. I covered my mouth with my hand, fearing it might attract the scary woman outside. I plugged my phone into the charger and crouched by the recliner in the living room, anxiously waiting for it to turn on and praying to whomever to save me. I was not much into religion, but maybe now would be a good time to start. My body shook with fear as I repeatedly tried to grasp what I had just witnessed. What in the world was that?

I looked down at my cellphone to notice it had turned on and was now charging. It was too dark to unlock with face recognition, so I attempted to input my password with trembling and sweating hands. Finally, after three attempts, it unlocked, and I dialled my dad's number.

"Hi, Kiddo! How's the writing going?" He jeered as he picked up my call.

"Dad, I don't know what to do. I just saw something scary," I whispered.

"I can't hear you, Em. Why are you whispering? Can you speak up?" He replied with a worried voice.

"Yes, sorry. Okay, so don't be upset. I didn't go to Grandma's for the month to write my book. I lied. I rented this cheap house in the middle of the woods in this random little town on Vancouver Island. And now I am terrified of being here alone because I just saw some creepy-looking, floating witch woman when I was outside, and now she is out there lingering, waiting to get me!" I blurted out as fast as I could.

"What do you mean you're not at Grandma's? I spoke with her today, and she told me you were busy writing when I asked about you. And a creepy-looking, floating witch woman?! What drugs are you on, Emma? You are sounding crazy!" He exclaimed, confused.

"Yes, I know. I told Grandma where I was going and asked her not to tell you because you always worry too much," I answered.

"Well, now you're in the middle of nowhere, in a random house, alone, high on drugs, and claiming that a floating witch is chasing you around. It's no wonder I worry about you. What do I always tell you before you leave the house?" he asked, seeming more annoyed than worried.

"If you're going to be stupid, be smart about it," I voiced, mocking his tone.

"But, Dad, I promise you I did not take anything. I'm not losing my mind; I really did see a floating witch. She has purple eyes, and her face is creepy yet also mesmerizing. Her cape has these glittering stars that hypnotize you if you stare too long. I can't explain it. Oh, and earlier, I fell asleep while sitting by the lake, and when I woke up, I had a red X marked on the palm of my right hand. The witch has the same colour paint marks as I do. Some weird shit is happening here, and you must trust me. Please!" I pleaded, desperate for him to believe me.

"I don't have time for this, Em. Call me when you are sober, okay? Love you," click, he hung up.

What am I supposed to do now? Nobody will believe me. I sound like a lunatic, I thought to myself.

I remembered I had bear spray in my backpack but had to go to the kitchen to get it. There were many windows in that area, so I figured maybe if I crawled there, I would not expose my shadow through the curtains as much. I lowered my body to the ground and slivered from left to right. The old wooden floor was slowing me down; splinters pierced my skin as I dragged my body across the floor like an army soldier. I finally reached my backpack, took out the bear spray and held it against my chest. I looked up and saw a big, sharp kitchen knife, so I discretely reached my hand and got a hold of it. I needed as many weapons as possible since I couldn't call for help. If I phoned the police now after my dad believed I was high on drugs, they would not take me seriously, and I'd probably end up in a mental health facility.

I sat in the kitchen for what seemed to be about thirty minutes, and there was no sign of the witch lady. Not knowing where she was located caused me more anxiety, so I decided to peer through the blinds and assess the situation. That's when I saw they were now four similar figures in a circle, chanting some Latin words in perfect sync...

To be continued.......