by B. Groves
Mirror in the Forest
(Mirror in the Forest Series)
Book One
Written By:
B. Groves
In Loving Memory of My Mom
The greatest lady I ever knew
Acknowledgements:
I want to first and foremost thank my husband. He is my rock, while being my biggest fan, and my harshest critic.
Also, all my family and friends who have supported me through this writing process. Without all of you, none of this would have ever happened.
Another huge thanks to Brenda Star from Flickr. Your art is amazing.
This is a work of fiction. Names, characters, businesses, places, events and incidents are either the products of the author’s imagination or used in a fictitious manner. Any resemblance to actual persons, living or dead, or actual events is purely coincidental.
Prologue
The figure smiled while he watched the young girl exit the school bus at the edge of the street. He hid at the edge of the forest so she would not catch a glimpse of him.
The girl bowed her head, while her eyes were glued to the pavement beneath her feet as she quickly walked towards her home. Not once did she even acknowledge the other children who had gotten off at the stop with her. From what he surmised she was soft-spoken, even awkward from the way she carried herself.
She was perfect for what he needed. She would be easy to mold, easy to persuade, and once he started showering her with gifts she never even dreamed of, she would do anything that was asked of her.
The figure inside of the edge of the woods smiled again. She had not been his first choice. There had been another, but since those had been loyal to him came to him suggesting this girl, how could he resist? She was everything that he needed and much more.
Yes, she was perfect. He wondered how he had missed her when he came back to town seeking what he needed, but he was happy to have found her.
The figure gazed as the girl turned to enter her home. She was now out of school for the summer. He would watch and wait. Those that were loyal to him said that she was also very stubborn, and could be hard to break at first. So, he knew he would have to approach her differently, even delicately.
But, he knew. He knew once he was able to convince of her he only had good intentions of her; everything would fall into place from there.
This town was his. He had so much power over the town, even though it was still his curse.
The figure turned and walked deeper into the woods once the girl was out of sight. He was happy those loyal to him had made him change his mind.
She would do nicely.
Chapter 1
Late summer 1984
Leon’s Crossing, WA
Jessica Winters sighed when she first heard the voice calling to her. She had been so engrossed in her book that she didn’t hear her mother call for her the first time around. This time, she heard the footsteps starting up the stairs, and her mother called for her again.
“Jessica!”
Jessica rolled her eyes, and yelled back, “What?”
“Dinner is ready!” Her mother hollered from the middle of the steps. Jessica heard her mother descend the stairs, as Jessica got up from the bed and made sure she put her bookmark in the right spot in her book.
“Alright, alright,” Jessica mumbled setting the book on her small wooden desk, then changing from her pajamas into shorts and a T-shirt. She kiddingly blew a kiss to her favorite poster of Prince above her twin bed, and smiled at her own joke.
She pulled her dark blonde hair back into a ponytail, and went downstairs barefoot.
She never understood why their family had to always eat together when all of them were home, but her mother insisted. Her mother always said she did not want them sitting around the television. Jessica would much rather be doing other things while she ate, like keep her nose buried in her book.
Her mother eyed her for a moment, and put out her cigarette in her ashtray and began to stir the stew she was making.
Jessica had to admit that her mouth began to water as the smell of her mom’s pork stew began to permeate her nostrils. The woman could cook circles around anyone.
“Set the table, please,” her mother ordered while she tasted the stew.
Jessica nodded, coughing from the cigarette smoke wafting through the air almost circling Jessica’s head. Jessica would do that because she always thought that the cigarette smell took away from the wonderful smells of her mother’s cooking, and the fact that it was bad for her.
“Very funny,” her mother mumbled.
Jessica smirked as she went into the drawers and removed the forks and knives. She grabbed the package of napkins and set out the plates on the small table in their smaller dining room.
“Where’s Dad?” Jessica asked, looking up from her designated chore.
Her mom put down the spoon she was using on the counter and turned to wipe her hands on a towel.
She looked up at the clock on the kitchen wall and said, “He should be home any minute.”
Mary Winters, dressed in her nurses uniform, was waiting for Don to get home before she left for work. She worked a few nights a week at the local hospital, and Jessica’s dad, Donald Winters, became a local contractor after coming home from college.
“So, are you excited for school this year?” Mary asked, getting glasses from one of the cupboards.
Jessica shrugged her shoulders when she finished setting the table. “I’m just glad it’s my last year.”
Mary smiled as she set the glasses down on the counter for Jessica to pick up.
“I’m hoping you have a good year, and get involved a little more at school,” she commented. “You need to prepare better for college.”
Jessica sighed, turning her eyes skyward, asking for patience as she dealt with her mother’s constant questioning into Jessica’s personal life.
This was every year since Jessica entered high school. Her parents were voted the most popular kids to ever attend Leon’s Crossing High School. Jessica had to endure every day of seeing her parent’s photos all over the school.
Leon’s Crossing High School loved to keep the traditions going and her parents had been a huge part of it.
Jessica was nowhere near the level her parents had been during their school years, and had been made known to Jessica many times from older teachers and administrators.
“I’m not sure Mom. I just want to get into a good school,” Jessica said slowly, trying not to lose her temper again on Mary. This was not the first time they’ve had this conversation.
Mary nodded ignoring Jessica’s rising anger, like she always did. “I know, but I was hoping you would at least go to homecoming and prom, and maybe go on a few dates.”
Her parents worried more about her social life than her academic one, and that is where Jessica was the opposite.
She could only hope that she would be accepted into New York University, and could get out of Washington.
Her parents had both gone to Washington State University, and her mother became a nurse. Her dad had wanted to become a football player, but injuries had stopped him from ever proceeding into a professional career or being drafted to fight in Vietnam.
Donald had graduated along with Mary, and both had come home to start their family.
Jessica was born right away, but because of complications Mary was never able to conceive again.
Jessica knew Mary had wanted to have lots of kids, but that never happened. Jessica remembered reading about those aspirations in her mother’s yearbook.
Now at forty years old her mother still looked very young for her age despite her smoking habit. Her blonde hair was thinning a little,
but was still smooth and shiny. She was still thin, and always kept up her image with her make up always perfect. She always wore tight clothes to show off her perfect body, making men drool over her.
She had very little lines around her ice blue eyes, and full lips.
She stood there smoking her latest cigarette listening to some sixties music, and Jessica could tell she was caught up in her memories of her younger days when a smile began to touch her lips.
Her parents told stories of high school constantly that would drive Jessica up the wall. She wondered if they would ever get over high school, but knew they wouldn’t.
“I doubt that is going to happen,” Jessica answered after a few moments.
Her mother shook her blonde head in frustration at her daughter. “With an attitude like that, it won’t.”
Jessica was about to retort with a snide remark, when her father’s voice came booming from the front door.
“I’m home!”
Jessica smiled when her dad walked into the kitchen. That meant the conversation between her and her mother would be forgotten for right now. Even though Jessica knew her social life would be the subjected to more scrutiny in the near future.
Donald Winters was tall, and built….well….like a football player.
His wavy brown hair was just starting to go gray, but his brown eyes were still bright, and youthful.
He smiled widely as he spotted both women in the kitchen and said, “How are my two favorite girls?”
“Hi Dad,” Jessica said smiling.
Don gave Mary a kiss and said, “There’s my sunshine! Guess what girls, I have great news!”
Jessica’s dad was always cheerful no matter what. The man was incapable of a bad mood, but Jessica surmised it was the nightly beers that helped, and the occasional weed that they tried to hide from her, but Jessica could smell it every so often.
“What’s that?” Mary asked, smiling up at her husband.
Don looked between his wife and his daughter with a grin that could have lit up the whole street.
“We just scored a huge contract for housing in Spokane. It has been approved and we start development as soon as possible!”
Mary cheered and the couple embraced. Jessica smiled, however, she always felt awkward around her parents’ affection.
Mary turned to Jessica and said, “Isn’t that great honey?”
Jessica smiled again. “That’s great Dad! I’m happy for you.”
Don walked over to Jessica giving her a huge bear hug, making Jessica uncomfortable, but she really was sincerely happy for her dad.
“Yes, it is, and will bring us more money, and maybe that car you’ve been asking for….” He smiled teasing Jessica.
Jessica pulled out of his embrace shocked. “Are you serious?” She asked, gazing up at him with hopeful eyes.
“Don? Can we afford it?” Mary wondered with equal surprise.
“Anything for my little girl,” Don answered, pulling Jessica back into a hug.
“Wow! I don’t know what to say. Thanks Dad!” Jessica said, pulling away smiling.
Jessica loved her parents dearly. She really did. She just wished they would be more concerned about her academic achievements, and not her social life. Conversations about it were often repeated over and over again until Jessica would practically sit in a chair drooling from boredom.
Don looked down at her and feigned seriousness. “As long as you keep those grades up.”
Jessica knew he wasn’t serious about her school grades. He wanted to get her a car to make her go out more, and hopefully make more friends. There was always a different intention to what he said. He was never as outright as her mother about Jessica’s lack of social skills, but he would drop subtle hints from time to time.
He would try to tell her mother that she was just a late bloomer whenever Mary brought it up as Jessica would overhear them talking about it.
“I will, I promise,” Jessica answered already knowing she would keep her promise. Her bedroom was decorated with numerous awards, and trophies from her academic achievements over the years. Jessica almost won the state spelling bee championships twice in a row when she was in middle school.
Mary looked at the clock, and began to walk around the dining and kitchen area, making sure everything was set up correctly for dinner.
“We better eat. I have to get to work,” Mary said.
Jessica and her parents sat down at the table to eat. Jessica could feel the excitement at the prospect of getting a car. That made the chances of her getting out of Leon’s Crossing and going to NYU much greater than before.
Chapter 2
After her mother practically hit the ceiling about being late to work she gave her father another “congratulations” kiss, and was off to work for the night.
Don grabbed his usual beer from the refrigerator while Jessica did the dishes, and cleaned up the kitchen. Her father was asleep in his recliner, with the TV blaring, before Jessica even finished her chores.
Taking advantage of her father immediately falling asleep after dinner, Jessica headed up to her room, grabbed her book, and decided to go for a walk into the forest.
The neighborhood had a thick forest behind their house, and a path that led to a little known lake, and just beyond that lake was an old ski resort that had closed down years ago when Mt. St. Helens blew it’s top, covering the whole area in ash. Jessica remembered they had to leave town for weeks until the ash cleared up. They came out to a mess, and almost had to gut the house to have everything fixed.
Jessica had never known the lake’s name on the path, and she preferred it that way. To her, it held a certain mystique without a name, while her parents said they never recalled the name either.
It was still sunny in Washington State, and they would have another month before the damp and dreary weather came back. Another reason Jessica wanted to get out of there. She was sick of the constant drizzle that fell over the town from October to June.
The sun was still shining high in the sky so she knew she had plenty of time before dark.
Slipping out of the back screen door, she walked across the freshly mowed yard, with the smell of grass clinging in her nostrils. She loved the smell of the grass; however, she loved the smells of the forest even more.
The forest was still lush and green. It may have rained a lot in Washington State, but the beauty was unmatched anywhere her family had ever been.
She knew this path like the back of her hand, and learned to track animal tracks in case a bear made an appearance. The most she had ever seen was an occasional squirrel, deer, or some other small animals. She loved listening to the birds sing inside of the forest, making the area even more magical. To her it was an enchanted world untouched by the hardships of real life.
She knew she could pinpoint every piece of moss that grew on every tree along the path, and every fern that would pop up somewhere alongside the frequently used pathway that ran deep into the forest.
She admired the beauty of the different hues of green and brown around her when she reached the lake. It was hot and humid, and Jessica already worked up a sweat by the time she got there with her jeans and T-shirt already clinging to her skin.
The lake was still with no breeze and reflected the clear blue sky. Jessica looked around to find her favorite spot that she and Tessa liked to sit for hours and talk.
Jessica’s best friend since kindergarten, Tessa Mallory, short for Contessa, was babysitting her little brothers, so she was unavailable for the night.
Jessica sat down on the rickety old wooden bench the girls would usually hang out on, talking about school, life, among other things, and got comfortable.
She kicked off her sneakers and socks, and dug her feet into the wet ground, not minding a little mud getting in between her toes.
She loved it out here.
No pressure from school, no pressure from teachers, and especially no pressure from her parents.
Her butt was
getting wet from the damp wood, but she didn’t care, even though her mother would complain about removing stains from her clothes all the time.
She would miss this the most when she went to school in New York City. She wondered what it was like to live in a big city like New York, and began to wonder if she could adapt to going from a natural to jungle to a concrete one.
Jessica sat there pondering life in a big, and then trying to concentrate on her book, but it wasn’t working.
She had the sudden thought that maybe she should give her parents what they wanted from her this year. She sat up straight wondering where that thought came from. Never before had she ever thought of giving into her parents wishes, and didn’t want to start now, because she had better things to do.