Chapter 1: Forest

The breeze was creaking through the house with the bay window wide open. The sun was shining creating this glimmer throughout the heavy waves turning the darker sides of the water to light clear green undertones. The breeze and the waves created music throughout that woke up Alex from her afternoon nap. Her eyes opened and her pupils dilated when she realized the music had stopped and there was complete silence. Silence? Where’s mom? Where’s dad? She thought.

She lifted up stretching her back and rubbing her eyes. She screamed “mom!” No answer was given, so she decided to pull the light turquoise velvet covers back and pressed her feet against the cold floor. Quickly perking up to run around the top floor and downstairs to find her mom. She ran past the kitchen to the living room and backed up slowly staring at the bay window. Looking onto the waves while the breeze brushed her hair to the side.

Suddenly she heard laughter in the forest and realized it was a perfect day to play outside. She grabbed her white sneakers with Velcro straps and quickly fled straight into the forest, slamming the door right behind her. The laughter twirled straight to her in the wind “hehehe” from deep within the forest.

There wasn’t much light within the forest due to the tall, massive trees except the spotlights that gleamed through. She would find the spotlights and lookup. Just twirled around until she fell to the leaves and branches on the dirt floor. Each time dirt would find its way deeper into her shoes and fingernails right before she sprang back up for more. She would try walking in a straight line before falling again only to try it all over again with the biggest laughs. The darkness didn’t bother her because she didn’t feel alone as she kept hearing the laughter that enjoyed the silliness with her. These laughs were much closer than before.

The laughter kept her feeling like she was in a game of "hide and seek". Chasing it to find the little child that she was so eager to play with. Maybe a friend? She thought. However, she couldn’t catch the child that was bringing so much fun throughout the forest. Each time she got close to the giggly sound, it seemed like it was just behind the following tree. She kept popping right behind the next tree and would scream “got you!”, but no one was there. She would look around, look behind her, and find no one. She heard “hehehe” further in the forest and kept following the sounds like a never-ending game.

Suddenly, she felt cold and looked around to see no more spotlights. The hint of sun was just beyond the many branches as she looked up to the sky but couldn’t make much of her path with the many shadows. She stopped running towards the laughter and started backing up. She realized she lost her way with all the twirling and running.

The laughter stopped and again there was silence. Her eyes dilated as the blood rushed through her body causing every hair on her to stand up with the thoughts of her parents. She wanted to cry but even in the moment of being lost, she was too scared to cry knowing someone was watching her. The feeling of someone lingering with her watching her amongst the shadows frightened her.

She wanted her mom. “Mom!” she screamed. She looked behind her and saw a small glimmer of light. Flashing through the leaves. She walked slowly towards it and heard footsteps right behind her. Her heartbeat beat faster, and she started running as she didn’t have the courage to face what was behind her. Knowing this glimmer of light may be the only way she would see her mom, she ran as fast as she could. As Alex ran faster towards the light, the footsteps and the noise got louder. Steps of broken branches running behind her, besides her, next to her. All around her.

She ran as fast as she could with sweat drops forming at her forehead and gasping for air. Fighting back her tears and pushing through her strength to make it to the end of the light tunnel. Yet, the forest was long, and the shadows were mighty. The laughter returned, but not as the sweet child she heard during her game of "hide and seek". It returned as this darkened laugh that she only heard in her nightmares.

Finally, she pushed her shoulders through and continued to run till the wall of darkness met the light. The glimmer was coming from the window of the attic. A little blinding light that was reflecting off from someone inside the room spurring out from the small white trimmed window. The savior that helped her follow through the darkness to her house. She crossed into the light knowing she was finally safe and could look behind her. As she looked behind her shoulder and turned her head, she could see a shadow of what looked like a man. A tall shadow, with the darkness that brought tension you can feel throughout your bones.

Immediately, her courage fled, and she ran faster towards the house while staring into the window. Hoping the glimmer was indeed her parents. As she ran up the stairs, the door flung open. She came to a halt, gasping for air, with all her hairs standing up once more, scared of who may be on the other side. Until... she heard “Alex?” in her mother’s sweet loving voice.

“Mom!”, she replied. Right before, she jumped at her with open arms. Her thoughts of fear fled, and the shadow man disappeared along with any laughter from the forest. Just the sound of music from the breeze and the waves coming in from the bay window surrounded them.