Ghost in The Night

Chapter II Unwelcome

Chapter II Unwelcome

The bear was standing on its hind legs, just a few feet away from me.

Its arms were loose beside him, claws sharp, I can imagine with that one swipe and my innards would spill.

I've seen bears on TV. Some looked friendly and cuddly. I even saw one clip of a bear waving from outside a car but this one......this one was snarling.

Without taking my eyes off the bear, I shouted to the people on the other side, but not too loud, afraid the bear might spring from the sound. "There's a bear in here, please let me in."

A loud murmur sounded from the other door. "Don't lie. There are no bears in the forest!"

"I'm not lying!" I screeched, flattening my back against the big wooden gates.

The bear haven't moved from where it was standing, but its mouth hangs open, allowing the saliva to drip down the ground. "I swear, please let me in before it mauls me to death! I beg of you!"

"What if the girl's right----"

"----the forest could've--"

"Jared we have to---"

They were arguing inside, something about the forest and the Jared person who must be in charge. I never took my eyes off the bear, afraid another squeak could set it loose on me.

I was praying for the gods above that it would go away on its own accord, but when I started chanting in my head, the bear started to descend on me slowly.

My heart thudded louder. Is this already the end of me? My life hasn't even started and I'm already on death's doorstep.

Tears formed in my eyes, fear that I will be mangled on the spot. I couldn't breathe properly, I started gasping. The bear steps forward, sending my heart to lurch. The noises from inside intensified.

"PLEASE!"

"Oh, for christ's sake----"

I felt the door open and I fell forward on the dirt. The people around me stepped back as I lie in front of their feet. Without thinking, I scrambled up and looked behind me. "The doors---!"

But before I could scream at them to close it, I saw that the bear was no longer there.

I looked around, hyperventilating. "I swear....the b-bear was just there, I know what I saw!"

Blank faces met me as if a girl screaming bear was an everyday episode of theirs. One of the people spoke up. "There was no bear."

"No! You have to believe me! It was huge and it was standing right up---"

"There was no bear." Another clarified, and this one coming from an old man, as he stepped forward. He pulled me by my arm and helped me to my feet.

"There are no bears in the forest....." He said to me. Then he yelled. "Jared!"

The old man called someone from the crowd and gestured towards me. "Take care of this one. Let's go folks!"

The old man went away with some others and a guy with blond hair approached.

"Then what was it that I saw?" I asked, feeling myself getting angry, being referred to as 'this'. I know the forest has been driving me crazy, but I wasn't in the edge of hallucinating. "Look, you have to close the gates now, it could come back any second!"

"The gate was built to keep people like you away from this place." The guy said, looking irritated himself. "But as you can see, it serves useless."

"What...." I started, confused. "But--"

"CLOSE THE GATES!"

I jumped, startled as the guy shouted at the other men. Together, they all grunted and pushed the gate closed. From their contorted faces, it must've been heavy even for ten men.

"Done, Jared." A bearded man with dirty clothes said as he passed by us.

I did a double-take, and narrowed my eyes. "So, you're the Jared person who ordered them to close the doors on me."

He didn't look much older than me, but he was much taller than me. Short dirty blonde hair and blue clear eyes. He has a lean but muscular figure, not like the ordinary boys at home....

His blue eyes doesn't meet mine. "I don't know what you're talking about." he innocently says. "---alright everyone show's over! Get back to work!"

I flinched again at the loud roar of his voice and the people start to disperse. Some actually looked disappointed, either expecting a bear to rampage inside or seeing it maul a defenseless girl.

He started to walk and I followed. If he thinks he's off the hook, well he thought wrong. "Do you have any idea what could've happened to me if you hadn't opened those doors sooner?"

He continues to walk, his broad back facing me. "Do you have any idea what you just walked into?"

I almost spat fire. I hastened my pace and planted myself in front of him. That made him stop walking. I wanted to look intimidating, but he was really much taller than I am. "I could've died, you bastard!"

"And you didn't..." he leaned towards me, crystal clear eyes focusing on mine. "Because there are no bears in the forest."

He walked past me but I was not finished. I shouted "Are you calling me a liar?"

Some people who are actually just lagging around stopped and watched us. "Is this how you treat a guest who've come all the way to your town, and you call me a liar?"

He turned towards me, hands in pocket, looking cool as ice while I'm practically simmering here. "Do you really want to take this conversation here, or do you want to go inside so we can get you a nice cup of tea?" he pointed towards a small house just near us.

I crossed my arms.

He rolls his eyes. "Ma'am."

I waited for a few seconds before nodding. I also needed to get a grip, I wasn't the type to start a scandal....I just lost my cool, and who wouldn't? I almost died!

The cabin is small and dingy as we entered. Inside was a small room with a table and a small corridor, the only source of light in the room was the light filtering from the window.

Then I questioned my choices the second time this day to why I followed a man I didn't know into an enclosed space where no one can see me.

"Um..." I started but he disappeared into the corridor and left me standing there awkwardly.

He returned moments later with two cups in hand. He saw me standing. "Are you gonna sit down or are you just gonna stand there?"

"Oh...okay." Awkwardly, I perched on the second chair beside the table.

He sits in front of me and sets the two cream-colored cups on the table in front of me. The aroma of the liquid is strong. "Sorry," I instantly said. "I don't drink tea."

He stares at me, which made me feel uneasy. "Then you should've said so in the first place."

"You didn't ask."

"I asked if you wanted to take this conversation inside so I can get you a cup of tea and you didn't say no."

Oops.

"But whatever, no big deal. More for me." he pulls the two cups towards him, almost sloshing it. And get this..downed it all in two seconds.

Now, not only was I uneasy, but kind of disturbed too. "That's not how---"

"Don't tell me what to do, intruder. I'm getting tired of people already doing that." He palms his face and closes his eyes as if he's already tired even when the day barely began.

Intruder?

"Okay." He says finally, and combs his hands together, eyes focusing on me. "This is all you need to know. There are rules in this town, and you are going to follow them..."

"But wait--"

He holds up his hand. I could've fought because my temper's also rising up, but the way he looked it's like he's about to blow a fuse So, for my safety, I clamped my mouth.

"First rule." he holds up one finger. "Never set foot outside the gate.".

"Second. When you hear the bell ring, you are not to be seen outside. Everyone should be at home by the time the bell. Stops. Ringing. Do you understand?"

I nodded obediently.

"Third. If you see anything strange, you report to me at once. Got it?"

I nodded again.

"You don't go looking for it, you don't go following it, you don't try to be a hero. You come to me and report it at once." By the time he finished, he was leaning over the table, his face intense face near mine. "Understand?"

My throat felt dry. "Yes, sir."

He backs up. "Alright, now I need you to fill this up." From a stack of papers above a tall cupboard he pulls put a big, worn-out book and pushes it to me. He opens it to a blank, fill-up form. "Your name, your age, where you came from. Just---" he waves in the air. "Just fill it in."

I look over at the page, it was just a basic fill-in form which I had no trouble filling in. While writing as slowly as possible, I look over at him. He had his back towards me and seems to be deep in thought.

I weighed my words. "So...what kind of town is this?"

To my bewilderment, he scoffs. "As if you don't know."

"I read all about the cases but I haven't really grasped the---"

"Oh, is that what attracted you?" I didn't miss the sarcasm in his tone. "Yes, just what I needed. Another nose nosing in to this town's case."

He sits and stares at me long that I completely forgot about the form. "Just another busy-bee looking for some thrill and excitement...I've had plenty of people like you barge in here with high hopes of a story, a scoop. The problem is..." he leaned close to me, with his forearms on the table."...they never got out."

I stopped breathing for a second.

He chuckled. "See? Line and sinker."

"What do you mean they never 'got out'?"

He just looks at me quietly.

Then I laughed.

My voice was loud and boisterous, but I couldn't stop laughing. But Jared didn't lose his cool, he watched me with crossed arms. "What's so funny, newbie?"

Then I sighed and tried to calm down. "You're just selling me this, aren't you? You know I'm going to buy into your 'spooky' introduction. But you see, I've known towns like yours."

I stood up and leaned towards him, my arms on the table. "Admit it, you guys are actually proud of your 'mystery cases' because this little town of yours has the spotlight. It's famous for the occuring disappearances and from the way you said it, I'm not the first one to have come looking for it."

"And now...." I sat on the chair again with a smug smile. "You reel me in with more of your 'mysterious' way of greeting and 'spooky' town introduction. But you didn't have to do that, Jared cause'..... I'm already in."

Jared scoffed, a smirk on his face. He looked at me like I was an i***t. "You don't know what you're talking about. We were never famous.....you didn't find the town. The town found you."

The silence of the cabin suddenly creeped me out, chills rushing from my bones to the flesh. But I smiled despite that. "Great. Spooky. You'd make a terrific job in a circus haunted house."

"I don't expect you to believe me, but sooner or later, you'll know." He straightens up and heads for the door. "Once you're done filling it up, meet me outside and I'll show you to your cabin."

He closes the door before I can even answer.

My irritation for him just shot up ten times. "Rude. First I almost got killed by a bear, he didn't even ask if I'm okay! And it was obvious he was bluffing. It's like you stole your lines from an old horror movie." Then I imitated him. "But sooner or later, you'll know,"

Then I almost laughed again, what a joke! But also a bit sick if you're actually baiting visitors with the events that's been going on in here.

"But, gotta admit....they entertain their guests pretty well, and see? I already got a cabin reserved for me! For someone who warns about their town they're sure quick to welcome you to stay."

"Hmm..." I was done filling up the form and since Mr. Horror-Tour-Guide is still outside, might as well skim the fill-up book.

Looking at the door and sensing he's not near it, I flipped the pages back from my entry and saw several handwritings and scribbles. Just a scramble of names, no pictures.

Then I stumbled upon a page with a huge red X on the page. "Huh..."

I flipped and more pages had an X with them. "Wait....are they..."

"What's the hold-up?"

I gasped and stood up, the book flipped closed behind me fast. Jared stood at the door, looking at me, then the book. "If you have time to be poking around, I'm assuming you're finished with the form?"

"Yeah..."

"Then, let's get a move-on. I still got important things to do other than showing an intruder around."

"Stop calling me that." I walked towards him, getting more pissed with every minute I spend with him. "I have a name. My name is Cara. Not intruder."

"Whatever, Girl-Who-Cried-Bear."

I stride next to him, fuming inside. "I told you, there was a bear. Why would I lie about my life being in danger?"

"Maybe it's your mind playing tricks on you...." I scoffed and he looked sideways at me. "Or the forest..."

"So, now the forest's haunted?"

"The forest and the town shares the same land."

"Then, are you saying..." I stopped in my tracks and stared at him. "That this town is haunted?"

"Yes."

A moment of silence, then I bursted out laughing. "I'm sorry---I just c-can't--" I couldn't stop laughing so much the people around us were looking at me weirdly.

"Jared..." I shook my head, trying to calm down. "I already bought your story, I'm here, standing and letting you take me to 'my' cabin but....mixing ghosts in the scene is pushing it too far."

"It's not ghosts." He said, no sign of humor in his face.

"Okay...then what is it?" I asked, humoring him.

He whispers lowly. "This f*****g land is evil."

I raise an eyebrow, not buying it.

He elaborates, still lowering his voice. "You say you saw the description of this town? None of that covers half of what's happening here, and believe me when I tell you, you wouldn't want to be caught up dead in the middle."

His eyes were telling me everything he's saying is true....but it didn't shake me, not even the slightest.

But all I know is that I wanted to know more. More information about this town. I wanted to soak in it, I wanted to see it so close up I could inspect every detail.

I smiled. "Take me to my cabin."

***

We walked in total silence. Seeing I wasn't fazed by his warning, he had been quiet the entire walk, and I wasn't asking any questions.

Even when I wanted to ask about the field near the river, the brick-red church in the center, a faraway building by the hills, or the stares the people were giving me, I just followed where Jared was taking me.

After a few more minutes of walking past cabin after cabin, we got to the second to the last cabin at the end of another river. They all look the same. Two-storeys high, dark wooden structures, and dead windows.

"Wow, it looks....cozy." I commented.

Jared ignores me and walks up at the crickety little stairs and knocks on the door. We heard little footsteps and an elderly, pale woman answered the door.

"Good morning, Dorotha." Jared greeted.

Dorotha was sickly pale. Bug eyes and all knobbly knees and elbows. She was wearing a stern expression, not even a slight kindness on her thin lips. Her eyes found mine and saw disdain in them. "I assume this girl is the new arrival."

"Yes."

"News do travel fast around here, huh." I laughed and both of them just turned to me sternly. I cleared my throat. "Sorry."

"Well...I'll leave her to your hands." Jared steps down, not even looking at me nor saying goodbye. What should I expect? He's as rude as ever.

I stepped in but Dorotha just looks at down at my hands. "What?"

"I knew most of the girls travel with a lot of heavy bags, some prefer to travel lightly, but not empty-handed. This is a first." she observed.

Only then did her words dawn on me, like a bucket of ice was suddenly poured on my head. I clutched my hair. "OH MY GOD, MY BAG!"

I was panicking so much when the bear stood there I must've let go of it at some point! Or maybe when I ran from that creepy girl?

Oh god, all my stuff is in there!

I whirled around and saw Jared not too far away. Ignoring Dorotha who was trying to stop me, I took off towards him. "Jared! Jared!"

He stops walking when he hears my call for the third time. Looking annoyed, he faced me but I didn't pay any heed to his expression. There was a much more important matter at hand.

"Jared---my bag. I must've left it in the forest---I think maybe when the bear was there...or maybe by the stream..?" I rambled, my mind racing to at what point I must've left it accidentally.

"What?" His annoyance became even more prominent on his face.

"No matter, I'm sure it's still there." I waved my hand. " Help me open the gates, or should I call some of your men to open it for me---it seems pretty heavy---"

I begin to pull him but he doesn't budge.

He squints down at me. "No one's allowed outside the gates, remember?"

"W-well, yeah....but it can't have been that far---"

"I said...." he bends a little, his face just inches away from mine I had to step back. "No one's allowed outside the gates. Do you understand?"

I just stood there as he backs away. "Dorotha will give you new clothes."

"Wait, you can't---Jared!"

He walks ahead, leaving me there to stand.

I can't believe him! "f**k you!"

He raises his hand and waved without facing me. "Welcome to Night Falls." he called out.