The Strain

Every night as I lay in silence in my bed I can hear the forest whispering my name. A place my friends and I called a second home when we were teens growing up in the farm town of Credemore. A place that is now tainted with guilt and sorrow. It's a place that makes me nauseous when thinking about it, but I can't stop thinking about it. My friends names were Elana and Jake. I was like an extension of thier family. When I sat alone at lunch they were always there, when I was trapped in the prison of my quiet room they always called and had some adventure to embark on, and now they're gone.

As we stumbled through the trees that foggy evening, we began venturing out further to new places in the forest. We came upon a strange place. It was comforting yet haunting. Was it comforting simply because I was with my friends? Maybe. But then why do I still hear warm echoes of my name calling from that place? My therapist said it all had to do with trauma of losing those two. Perhaps. We navigated our way through the now twisted and tormented looking trees as the fog grew thicker behind us engulfing our silhouettes in a sheet of white. Maybe I am insane, because the longer I think about it the more I miss the cold fog's embrace. "Why?" I ask myself. Tragically, this question is to no avail.

Jake always took a liking to digging through the black soil of the woods looking for arrow heads, antique bottles, and other nacs alike. He utilized his old rusty trowel and began his work near a creek bed. "Usually some good stuff washes down creek beds." He stated. "How long is it gonna take this time?" Elana asked slightly annoyed by the rain that was suddenly building up in clouds above the thick forrest canopy. I remember gazing at those clouds, and I remember how those same black clouds gazed back at me. Jake seemed a little too pre occupied with his work, so I just tried talking to Elena in the meantime. I knew I had to be home in a just a few minutes, and my mom would definitely kill me. Thankfully my dad wasn't home or it would have been worse! He was deployed to Bosnia for his final deployment before retiring from the Army. I couldn't wait for him to come home. Or at least I thought I couldn't wait.

Elena and I began skipping rocks across the narrow creek. Or should I say, we tried skipping rocks across the creek. There was a suddle sprinkle descending upon the canopy. No water was touching the forest floor. Come to think of it most of the smaller shrubbery were just dried husks of what they used be. Seems rather strange for a place that gets plenty of rain. Or at least I seem to think so. My mind leaped down the rabbit hole of thought, and I recalled not hearing any birds, no squirrels, frogs, or anything. Speaking of rabbit holes, there weren't any rabbits either. Just silence in this part of the forest.

Dispite the fog, the rain, and rather unsettling silence I didn't mind the time I spent with Elena. Prom was coming around the corner, and I knew I wanted to ask her. I suppose it was rather obvious that she wanted me to ask based off of the fact that she constantly talked about her dress shopping when we were alone. Thinking back on those conversations leaves only the bitter taste of regret in my mouth for not catching it sooner. This time when we were alone on the side of that creek I felt something different. A mental and verbal wall was erected between me and any inclining of asking her. The silence persisted until the rocks we had to throw in the sediment were no more. "I think the only bad part about today is that we're outta rocks. Guess Charlie Brown isn't getting any rocks for Halloween this year." I said rubbing the back of my neck. The ole trusty neck rub. It's a wonderful, awkward tic to have. Elena laughed anyhow. That was her to a T. "Yea I guess." She replied. I know for a fact the joke probably flew over her head, but I thought it was worth it in somewhat settling whatever nerves I had brewing inside. "So I finally got my dress." She said smiling and swaying back and forth.

"Oh? What does it look like?" I asked. More than likely there was definitely no turning back now if I were gonna ask her.

She just shrugged her shoulders and answered, "Ion know. It's a suprise." She was trying to hide her smile which mad it all the more obvious she wanted me to ask. A grin started to creep up on my face too. "Well I guess I'm gonna have to pick you up on Saturday to see then aren't I?" I stated.

"What time?" She replied with a grin.

"I think three o'clock would work. You?" I answered. "I think..." Elena froze gazing over my shoulder. I snapped around, and saw somebody standing in the fog not too far from where Jake was. Had we trespassed onto someone's property? I gave a wave to the person, but there was no reply. The person just stood like a dark statue studying us. "Hey!" I called out waving my hand once more. Again this black statue of a person continued to stand in silence. I tried to make out what they were holding. It looked to be a pitch fork, but even then I still wasn't sure. Were they a farmer? What was a farmer doing all the way out here in the woods? "Are we on somebody else's property?" Elena asked. "I'm not sure. I'mma make my way up to him. I don't think they can hear me." I replied. Just before I took my first step Elena grabbed my hand and told me we should make our way back over to Jake and go home. I was more than happy to oblige, but I kept my eye on this person first before moving. That person may have heard our plans to go home after all and began to depart from the area. The same goosebumps I had on that day still manifest themselves on my skin when I think back to way that person moved through those mangled trees in the fog. Thier head didn't move, and it was as if that person was just gliding through the thick brush. There was a large part of thier silhouette that seemed dead while dragging what I now knew was in fact thier pitch fork behind them into the fog. Sure enough the person vanished into the fog not to be seen again, but I could feel many eyes that were upon us watching. Somewhere moving in the dark mist and through the trees had to be others.

Elena and I made our way alongside the creek back to Jake who seemed to have found yet another treasure for himself. "Hey. It's pretty dark and we need to go. Mom and dad are gonna be pissed." Elena stated to Jake while shining her flashlight in his eyes trying to grab his attention. "Yea, yea. Not my first time being chewed out, and it's not gonna be my last." Jake replied rolling his eyes, "Now check this out." Jake added while presenting a rusty can to us. It looked like sardines to me. "What even is that?" I asked confused and slightly disappointed. Jake turned the can over revealing the date and where it came from. The print read, "MILITARY RATION. PROPERTY OF U.S. ARMY. 1966." I have to say I was slightly less disappointed in my friend now, but I was a little more concerned about his oblivion to the person we just saw. Just as Elena was about to speak, Jake then fished out spent shell casings from his pocket. "I think these are .556." He stated. "That's probably just from hunters or what ever." Elena replied brushing off the discovery. I again began to jump down yet another rabbit hole in my mind processing her statement. "No." I said to Elena, ".556 isn't really a hunting round that's used. Let's see. Jake has like... 10 spent casings? Yea. No hunter is just gonna dump a mag on a deer or anything." Jake nodded his head in agreement. "Well we can always just come back tomorrow." Elena suggested. I agreed, but Jake wasn't gonna go so easily. He felt he was onto something. "Someting may have happened here dude." He said to me. Jake and Elena then fell into the pit of infamous sibling bickering over either staying or going. I, on the other hand, made the decision to make my way back home. I told the two that I was heading back.

"Be careful Joseph." Elena said in a warm tone. She even gave me a hug. "See you on Saturday?" I asked. She nodded her head and smiled, and I was off. Unfortunately that was the last time I saw her or Jake. Her last words haunt my dreams every night. "Be careful Joseph." Those are the only words that repeat again and again in my head. Her last words are merely just a warm echo in mind that bring some comfort in now being alone.

The sun rose the next day, and they weren't home. The police were called and began searching the area. I was questioned extensively, and I told them absolutely everything I knew. In a matter of a week or so different investigators came into town. They were wearing suits, and sure enough just a day later they were accompanied by other investigators that looked to be from the government. Once again I was questioned. I told them about the same thing, even about the shell casings that were found in those woods. But no trace was found of the two. How could that be? You're telling me that investigators from the government couldn't find two people? I began to doubt that. Something was wrong. Very wrong.

Graduation eventually rolled around, and there was a moment of silence for Jake and Elena. I recieved my diploma and went home alone. I sat in the dark, and that was when I began to hear voices. The warm echo of Elena's words playing in my head. Here I was. Alone again. It should have been me that was taken. Not them. I was the one walking home alone. Not them! I have to look. I have to know what happened to Elena and Jake. I know that person who was watching us took them, and also I can't help but wonder... did the Army have something to do over there at one time all those years ago? I mean if government investigators were coming into town and all I couldn't help but wonder. I'll find out. Even if I have to do it alone.

To be continued...

(I'm just writing a small piece of this story I had in mind to see how well other readers recieve it. Feedback will be much appreciated as I try to turn this entry of mine into a suspenseful filled series of conspiracy! I hope you all enjoy, and thank you for your time.)