Escaped
The
Night
Written by: Jennifer Blyth
Escaped the Night © 2011 by Jennifer Blyth.
Starlight Creative Expressions Ltd.
All rights reserved.
This book is a work of fiction. Any references to historical events, real people, or real locales are used fictitiously. Other names, characters, places, and incidents are the product of the author’s imagination, and any resemblance to actual events or locales or persons, living or dead, is entirely coincidental.
www.escapedthenight.com
Library and Archives Canada Cataloguing in Publication
Blyth, Jennifer
Escaped the Night
ISBN – 978-0-9878238-0-9
Printed and bound in Canada
Acknowledgements
Shanntal Elizabeth Blyth, when you were little, stories became part of our daily life. The stories we made up will always stay close to my heart, but this one needed to be shared with others. You’re truly my source of inspiration. I love you very much. XO
Betty Blyth, thank you for telling me I should write books. I’m very glad I decided to take your advice to heart. You helped me find my passion, my calling. I hope you enjoy; the seeds you planted have blossomed. I love you. XO
Dave Wright, a very special thank you goes out to you for being such a great friend and reading my first draft chapter by chapter while I wrote it. You encouraged me to continue and kept me on track. This one is for you!
Michael De Jong, a special thanks goes out to you for introducing me to the people who helped make this come true. I hope you enjoy the magic.
Carol Hoenig, you are my mentor. You’ve taught me so much about writing as well as the industry. I appreciate the time you spent helping me and for your encouraging words that kept my dream alive.
Greg Percy, thank you for putting a picture to my words. I hope everyone enjoys the book cover as much as I do. Art is a way of life; I hope you keep dreaming and never quit creating. Cheers!
Jobi Adamson, thank you for pushing me to keep going when I was ready to give up. Taking another avenue and going the extra mile made such a huge difference. I hope you enjoy my story.
***************************
Never stop chasing your dreams
***************************
~ Table of Contents ~
The Day
Chapter 1
Elements
Chapter 2
Opened Eyes
Chapter 3
First Encounter
Chapter 4
Another Chance
Chapter 5
Plan in Motion
Chapter 6
The Forest
Chapter 7
Decisions
Chapter 8
Changes
Chapter 9
United
Chapter 10
Named
Chapter 11
Destiny
Chapter 12
Lights
Chapter 13
The Day
~ Chapter One ~
I felt the dark silhouette stalking me as I hid under the twisting shadows cast from the bare trees on the crisp night. The eerie feeling returned; I knew his presence because we had met once before. I held my breath in spurts so that my exhaling vapors did not give away my location. My heart pounded in my chest. I was terrified, yet never ran, even though I knew he was after me. I took a quick breath, but the smell of metal and blood took control and lured me out. I involuntarily licked my lips, took a step forward revealing my hiding place. I wanted a taste. The dark figure with the viscous red eyes came up close, reaching his dripping hands out. I wanted to yell for help, but no sound came from my lips. I never pulled away as his hands moved closer. Instead, I accepted his offering by embracing his bloody hands.
I woke up grossed out and panicked. Thankfully, I found myself safe in the car surrounded by my family. It was another horrible dream and I wondered if they were ever going to stop.
Daylight was dimming as the sun began to set in the expansive, cloudless sky. The day had been sweltering, but not so hot as to be unbearable. The dropping temperature had already begun cooling the air. My family was dropping me off at Ginata’s house for the night. Life for both of us had been hectic, so we hadn’t seen each other for almost a month and wanted to catch up.
I consider Ginata the coolest girl I have ever known as well as my best friend. She is two years older and we met a couple years ago when she babysat for my younger sisters. That night, the cute guy who lived down the road asked me out on a date. I begged and pleaded with my parents to let me out of watching my sisters for the evening. They agreed and called Ginata, and I was relieved to find out that she was available.
My so-called date went quite crappy, not at all like I had expected. We ran into some of his friends, and he decided to devote all of his attention to them, mostly the blonde who persistently flashed her bright smile and abundance of cleavage his way. I sat alone, feeling ditched and ignored by both my date and the group, so I decided it would be best that I just go home. I got up to leave and never received as much as a word or look from him as he was far too busy with his eyes and her chest. She smirked as her fixed stare followed me out the door because she knew that my departure would help her evening go exactly as she planned.
I had beaten my parents back that night, so Ginata and I hung out. She comforted me as I shared the details of my terrible date and vented about little Miss Blondie. We talked for hours as I rambled about my crushed ego. Ginata comforted and reassured me that it was in fact his loss. Our close friendship began that awful night. I felt as if I’d found my missing piece, my kindred spirit, and Gianta felt the same. Best friends till death, we vowed.
My father turned down the music in the car. I noticed but paid little attention as I had other things on my mind. I shoved both of my sisters, trying to get them back over to their side of the car. They were eight and ten, but for some reason were glued to me.
“Hey, move over a bit.” I said.
They looked at me with blank expressions and simultaneously squeezed over even closer. Two against one. I was no match for those innocent faces, blonde hair and blue eyes. I wasn’t fair like my sisters. My hair was dark brown and my eyes green. I highlighted my hair blonde in order to not look so different from them. There was no winning the battle for more space so I sat defeated and squished.
My father was very protective of his girls and liked keeping me at arm’s length by knowing what I was doing at all times. He meant well, but it still annoyed me. Unfortunately, he was about to pick the wrong point in time to ask me anything.
“So… what are you girls doing tonight, Shanntal? Are her parents going to be home? No one else is coming over, right?”
“Girl stuff,” I shot back, showing my irritation from his questioning.
Ginata and I had been friends for a couple years. Why was he acting like this now? And seriously — why couldn’t they all just leave me alone when I was so edgy?
I am 18 years old, five feet, six inches tall and feisty like a spitfire. Some people know me as a bit of a rebel. My heart has always been in the right place, but I do not take kindly to flack and certainly have no need for my parents’ constant protection. I am old enough to know the difference between right and wrong.
My father grunted after my lack of response and tightened his grip on the wheel, turning his knuckles white.
I rolled my eyes as I flipped a piece of my long brown hair out of my face. I wasn’t in the mood to deal with his constant hovering.
“Whatever,” I said under my breath. I stared blankly out the window hoping they would just leave me alone.
> “No need to get defensive, honey.” My mother spoke softly, trying to ease the rising tension. “We just want to make sure you stay safe, that’s all.” She looked back at me.
“Safe? Are you kidding me?”
It slipped out. Sometimes I forgot how to keep my big mouth shut. Unfortunately, it was just the fuel needed to make the fire rage.
“Sha--nn--tal!” my father warned.
I carefully shifted my eyes towards my mother and watched her stroking my father’s arm in hopes to calm him down.
This made me even more anxious for my sleepover. I loved them all dearly, but tonight they would clearly be better off without me around. I didn’t feel like fighting and knew where this was heading so I caved.
“We’re staying in, doing girl stuff, watching movies, talking, nothing out of the ordinary, I promise. I’m sorry. Guess I’m cranky. I haven’t been sleeping well. My dreams… sometimes they seem too real.”
My apology lowered the tension inside the car and my father loosened his grip on the wheel. I watched as the color flooded quickly back into his hands.
My mother turned around and mouthed, ‘thank-you.’
My father pulled onto the road adjacent to Ginata’s cul-de-sac. “Remember, they’re only dreams. They won’t harm you. Think of it as your mind’s way of entertaining. It’s not real, so don’t be afraid of them.”
I decided to keep my mouth shut, even though I disagreed with what he said. My dreams were more; they felt as if everything had happened before. They felt like memories.
I spotted the red brick home with French doors and white windowpanes.
Ginata came out followed by Berkley, her dog. She smiled, her brown eyes sparkling as she made her way toward us. She had pulled up her hair into a ponytail and she wore a violet backless top. Completely visible was her beautiful flower garden tattoo covering her back and climbing up her neck. It was full of pinks, purples, yellows, greens, reds — just about any color a flower could be. They all twined together, forming a stunning blend from one color to the next.
“Hiya!” she said cheerfully.
She leaned inside the window and gave my mother a peck on the cheek and thumbs up to my sisters in the back. She pulled her head out of the window and proceeded to my father’s side, leaned inside and gave him a quick hug.
“Good to see you guys,” she said as she opened the car door for me as I climbed over my sister to get out.
“You as well. Are your parents’ home?” my father asked, giving Berkley a quick pat on his head after he jumped up to say hello.
“Nope… they’re out on date night,” she answered playfully.
“Really?” My father turned, giving me the eye.
“They won’t be out too late, though,” Ginata said, taking notice of the look I’d just received.
“We’ll be good. Here all night,” I promised.
Ginata and I said farewells to my family and headed inside the house. I inhaled deeply as we passed by the large flowery bushes outside the doors. The bushes were over seven feet tall, filled with beautiful sweet smelling blossoms that welcomed and put everyone at ease.
“What was that about?” she asked, once inside.
“Edgy, that’s all.” I shrugged. “Everyone just seems off today or maybe it’s me and the lack of sleep is finally catching up.”
“You’re still not sleeping? More dreams?”
“Not at all and there’s way more dreams now. Feels like one every time I close my eyes. As for everyone else, I really don’t know what’s going on. It feels like something’s up, but I don’t know what and they won’t say.”
“Well… you’re here now. They love and worry about you, that’s a good thing. Chin up girly. Let’s get the fun times started!”
She was a great friend and could always make me smile, even when I felt down. I loved how she always wore brightly colored clothes, making her the happiest looking person around. The night we first met she’d told me her name meant ‘flower’ and she truly resembled one.
A heavy weight lifted and I felt better already. She was right. They loved me, so they worried. I was lucky to have such a caring family.
We headed upstairs to her room and gossiped about random things, and then the guy subject came up. Neither of us was dating or had actually been on a date within the past six months, so talk in this department never amounted to much.
Ginata went into her closet and pulled out her Ouija board. She smiled brightly carrying it towards me.
I cringed. The thing freaked me right out. When I was younger, I’d used one of these boards with some other friends at a birthday party. The Ouija told us that I would die in the near future. It was the longest year and a half of my life, waiting to die. I didn’t know how or when, but since the board had said it, it must’ve meant it was true. Well, here I was still alive and I’d never trusted the board since, but I sure didn’t want to get any more dire predictions.
“Why don’t we watch a movie or something?” I suggested, trying to avoid using the board.
“Don’t be such a baby. It’s not going to hurt you. We’re just going to have a bit of fun with it. We’ll watch some movies later, okay?”
I sighed, knowing there was no way to change her mind.
We cleared off her desk and moved it into the middle of the room. We put chairs on either side and placed a black velvet dress over the top. She carefully laid the board down.
Ginata was totally into witchcraft, way more than I ever was. She had all kinds of stuff: runes, tarot cards, smudge sticks, books, and pendants, and the list went on and on. I’d never put much faith in any of it. After my run-in with the board, that was the end of my believing days.
We burned a few candles and incense for effect. After we finished prepping, I shut off the light and we assumed our positions. We placed our hands up on the triangle, sitting in the middle of the board.
I peered around. Her once girlish room suddenly turned into a rather intimidating place. The candles cast strange shadows over the walls and the incense left a light fog. The darkness crept over everything; leaving nothing untouched. I’d never seen the shadows behave this way. They felt alive, the darker parts shifted forms as they closed in around us. It gave tonight a whole new eerie sensation.
Ginata spoke in a low spooky voice, “Ouija, we would like to ask you some questions. We mean no harm. We want to know more about you. Give us a sign if someone is here and wishes to share something with us.” She looked up and gave me a smirk.
We paused for a moment. Nothing happened, no movement.
She spoke again, this time in her normal voice. “Ouija, would you please give us a sign you’re here and you wish to speak with us.”
Just when I thought nothing was going to happen, the triangle slowly scratched along the board angling itself up towards the left, pointing directly at ‘yes.’
The sound of the triangle moving sent shivers through me. I squirmed in my seat. I really didn’t like using these things. They were creepy and never said anything good. Who really wanted to talk to dead people anyway?
Ginata looked up at me, excitement filling her eyes. She got thrills off this stuff. “Who are you? Will you tell us your name?”
The triangle moved. I swear I wasn’t moving it. It landed on the letter “D” and then slid over to the “A.” I looked at Ginata. “You’re doing it!” Her scowl and expression told me that she wasn’t. I looked back down and the triangle was now on the “R.”
“D A R,” Ginata said, but then the triangle rushed to the “A” again and then the “Y” before it stopped.
“Daray?” we said in unison.
“Is that your name?” Ginata said.
The triangle moved to ‘yes.’
Something about this name made me feel uneasy.
Escaped the Night Page 1