Secrets of the Willow

Chapter 10 - The next victim

“Ok, drinks are cooling, music’s on and the whole gangs here”. Luke chimed excitedly as he then turned all the pretty twinkling lights on the ran along the ceiling and walls of the tastefully decorated basement.

It was painted with cream walls and a white floor with three plush couches placed around a thick brown rug. Along one edge of the walls were three vintage arcade games and a snooker table in the far end of the basement with a makeshift bar, a dart board and a jukebox.

Just as I sat on one of the couches with a beer in my hand, Conall immediately sat next to me with only a small gap in between us, even though there was plenty of room elsewhere. It took me by surprise considering our last encounter I had seemed to say something to piss him off, that night we made a lucky escape from the shadow.

“So, Eva how have you been? Darius told me that Yas told him you’ve been having nightmares”. He blurted out, which caused me to look at Yasmin with an annoyed glare.

“I’ve been fine. I didn’t have one last night, so I think the shock has worn off”. I replied with a slight lie. I didn’t want to admit that I still felt a shudder go down my spine any time I thought of it.

“It’s understandable, it was pretty scary”. He replied as he looked at me with understanding.

“Well have you had any nightmares about it?” I asked, knowing already it was unlikely. He seemed to have this vibe about him, that nothing ever really got to him, at least not for long.

“No”. He shrugged. “But I know to be more on the lookout”.

“I don’t think it matters either way. Whether we’re out walking alone or not, it seems to attack anyway”. I stated before taking a gulp of the beer.

“True, but do you want some advice?” He asked with his usual serious expression.

“I guess so”. I answered with an unbothered tone, but I suddenly snapped with interest as he scooched even closer so that our thighs were touching as he leaned in to my ear.

“If you can’t outrun it, then fight back”. He whispered. “Don’t act afraid, that’s what it likes”. He added which made a shiver run through me.

“Are… are you speaking from experience?” I asked in a hushed voice, though I was confused as to why we had to discuss it so quietly.

“Let’s just say the other night wasn’t my first encounter with it and leave it at that”. He replied which shocked me as my mouth fell open from his statement.

“What?” I exclaimed a little too loudly which caught everyone’s attention.

“What’s up?” Josh asked as everyone else began to sit down and Luke opened up a game of Twister on the rug.

“Nothing, I just told her I wasn’t drinking tonight”. Conall lied to my confusion.

“What? But why not?” Yas chimed in.

“I have to get up early for work tomorrow and I have to make sure I’m completely sober”. Conall explained and everyone just nodded with acceptance as I still sat there with a look of puzzlement, but I decided not to air it, assuming there was a good reason as to why he lied about a simple conversation we had.

Five beers, and two games of twister, darts and snooker and I had completely forgot mine and Conall’s short discussion as we all laughed and played different games, passing the time before we all had to go home. We all mingled, but I did notice Conall speak to everyone else for the rest of the night apart from me. Even when I won a game of darts, and Cyran suggested Conall play against me, he refused and opted to play snooker for the third time with Luke. I still felt he was just as mysterious and distant as he was the first time I met him, and his constant change in moods was baffling. He seemed to be easy breezy and relaxed around everyone else, but as soon as I was standing close to him or tried to make conversation, he’d suddenly look annoyed and tense.

“Well, as fun as this has been, I’m tired, so I’m going to head home”. Natalie stated as she put the snooker cue down and stretched out her limbs with a yawn.

“You’re not going alone!” Luke chirped with a frown.

“She’s not. Me and Yas are going with her, and I’m staying at her house”. I told him before swigging the last of my beer.

“Actually, I better head out too. I’ll see you all back at campus”. Conall chimed in as he patted Cyan on the back then dashed out of the basement as we all shouted out a ‘goodbye’ to him.

“Well, I was thinking why don’t the three of us stay together and have some girly time”. Yas suggested with a cheerful smile.

“Aww, so I’ve got both of my girls keeping me company tonight”. Natalie beamed as she looped her arms through ours.

“Now that sounds like a night I’d definitely like to be a part of”. Darius chimed with a grin.

“Sorry, no boys allowed”. Yas replied with amusement.

“Don’t worry, we’ll keep the s*x pest here. You three get back safely”. Luke interjected with a chuckle.

“See you soon boys”. Yas responded as we smiled at them before making our way up the basement stairs.

We didn’t separate our arms as we walked along the dark and empty streets past all the quiet houses, with only the regular street lamps lighting up the path. We laughed and spoke about the continuous friends with benefits Yas had with Darius, and even though they seemed so suited together, the rest of us couldn’t understand why they didn’t just make things official between them.

It wasn’t until we had to make the dreaded walk past the forest that our chatter seized, and we sped up our pace, hesitantly glancing at it as we hurried by.

“Eugh, it’s creepy enough during the day! But it literally gives me chills in the dark”. Yas commented as we all looked at how haunting and sinister it looked.

“I can’t believe I actually wanted to go in there once”. I muttered as we clung to each others arms.

“You did?” Natalie gasped as they both looked at me.

“HELLLP!” A high pitched scream coming from the trees suddenly stopped us in our tracks as our breaths hitched and we all looked at the forest.

“What the f**k was that?” Yas whispered with trepidation.

“I swear I heard someone scream”. Natalie said as we all felt rooted to the floor.

“I heard it too”. I added with a gulp.

“No.. no it must have just been our imagination”. Yas commented as she tugged at Natalie’s arm to get us to move.

“HELLLLP!” It screeched again causing all three of us to jump tensely.

“Oh my gosh! Someone’s in there!” I exclaimed as I then took a step forward.

“Then we need to call the sheriff”. Yas suggested as she tried to fumble through her purse to find her phone.

“PLEASE HELLLP!” The scream sounded once again, and my heart pounded with fear for whoever was taken in there to be killed.

“They won’t get here in time!” I stated as I darted forward and headed toward the forest.

“EVA WHAT THE HELL DO YOU THINK YOU’RE DOING?!” Natalie shouted as they both rushed after me and she grabbed my arm.

“We can’t just stand here and wait! What if it’s too late when they get here? Whoever is in there could be dead by then!” I responded impatiently.

“Well what are we supposed to do? We have no weapons, we don’t even work out so how are we supposed to defend ourselves?” Yas interjected hysterically as she held her phone to her ear. “Help, please! Someone’s being hurt in Willow forest, please hurry!” She blurted down the phone.

“You two don’t have to do anything, I’ll go in”. I told them as I moved away from them and walked closer to the front line of the trees.

“Eva, please don’t do this!” Natalie whispered as they both fidgeted anxiously on the spot.

I glanced back at them as I took another step closer until the trees were towering above me and I could hear the hooting of owls and the chirping of insects. I gulped with fear now that I was standing so close to everything we’d feared, and my head was telling me to run away.

My heart wanted me to go in and try to save the person in there all alone and afraid, but I couldn’t make my feet take another step forward and as I gulped and closed my eyes with the guilt washing over me, I stepped back, knowing I didn’t have it in me to be courageous enough to help that poor soul.

“Are they on their way?” I asked Yas in a shaky breath as I looked back at them, hoping that within seconds we’d see the sheriff and his team pull up with guns and rush in to do what I couldn’t.

“Yes!” She nodded profusely. “Now come on, we can wait for them across the street!” She begged as they both looked almost brought to tears.

I nodded in agreement, and just as I was about to take a step toward them, something suddenly gripped tightly around my waist, and as I heard the screams of Yas and Natalie, I was pulled into the forest within a flash. My heart pounded and my breaths were fast and heavy as trees sped past me and I couldn’t see anything but the tops of their height and the night sky peeping its way through.

I tried to rip away whatever it was wound tightly around me, but it didn’t budge. It was strong, tough and bony. I could hear it’s pants of breath and low growls as I then tried to grab the branches and leaves in a panic as they brushed past against me. “LET ME GO!” I screeched. “LET ME GO!” I demanded as my voice croaked with the tears I was close to shedding.

Everything was rushing past as I was being held high up from the ground and every branch I tried to grab just slid through my hands, cutting them open from the forceful speed of the ‘thing’ pulling me along. I could feel the swaying of it swinging its way through from branch to branch and the slamming of its body as it brushed past anything in it’s way. The deep rumbling of its growl was evident that it was the same thing I had seen when I was with Conall. It would snarl and breathe heavily as it moved its way past the trees, weaving and winding in different directions.

All of a sudden my heart lurched once again when the sounds of howls echoed all around us which caused the ‘thing’ to abruptly stop. It growled and snarled as I tried to catch my breath whilst it held me upside down in its and I tried to grab hold of a nearby tree.

The howls sounded again, and within an instant, the ‘thing’ sped off again flinging me back and forth in its grasp.

“PUT ME DOWN!” I screamed. “GET THE f**k AWAY FROM ME!”

The grip around my waist loosened as I dropped to the floor with a heavy thud, landing on my stomach. I quickly rolled over onto my back and my heart dropped to my core as my eyes ran along from it’s feet, his legs, his body, all the way up to its face. My mouth fell wide open with horror, and I could barely breathe as my body shuddered. It towered over me, standing on its hind legs. With long arms and extended sharp thick claws that looked like they could tear through an entire tree trunk with one swipe. It’s body was thin and bony but with muscular definitions along its torso and legs. Even its feet had claws that were digging into the ground. It stood over me snarling with thick drool dangling from its mouth as it showed its sharp pointed teeth and licked the tips of them with its long slimy tongue. Its red eyes studied me like a delicious meal and sniffing the fear that radiated from me as tears slipped from my eyes and poured down my cheeks.

I tried to shuffle away from it on my bottom as my heart was pounding in my chest, but its claws came crashing down onto the mud, landing in between my legs.

A shuddered cry left my mouth as my whole body trembled and my blood had turned cold. It took a threatening step forward as it crept closer, continuing to lick its mouth, as if it was entertained by my terror. Then Conall’s words came back to me, and I knew I couldn’t outrun it, so as my hand met with a rock, I quickly picked it up and launched it at the monster as hard as I could, hitting its face with a thump. I was just about to get to my feet and make a run for it, but before I could even stand, it let out an enraged growl and its large hand and claws wrapped around my face, causing me to scream with terror. I gripped and yanked at its large fingers as it lifted me up from the ground until my feet were dangling in the air. No matter how much I scratched, punched and hit it’s hand, the monsters grip didn’t budge. I knew then, that it was only a matter of minutes until I became its next victim and mauled apart by its evil ruthlessness.