It was obvious he was not ready for the zombie apocalypse. I didn’t have time to stand around and debate my level of craziness, so I started walking down the path again. “Come on. Walk it off.”
I hoped it was because he was out of breath, but he normally greeted me with a kiss and a hug, but all I got was a far away look and several feet of distance between us as we walked.
“Your friends told me where you were.”
“They couldn’t keep a secret if their lives depended on it.”
“You didn’t want me to know?”
“I figured if you were interested, you would’ve called.”
“I did. No answer.”
I pulled my phone from my pocket. Shit. Forgot to charge the battery. Between all the fun we had killing demons at the town square and the all-nighter at my store, charging my electronics didn’t seem as important. I looked up at the tall trees that enveloped us. Not that I would get a signal in the mountains anyway. I wonder if there’s a magic spell for cell service?
The path started its ascent up the mountain. Fortunately, it wasn’t a steep climb, yet. Spratlin still seemed distant as we walked. I noticed him looking at my floating ball of light. I wasn’t sure if he was impressed that I had figured it out on my own, or worried.
I tried to lighten the mood, no pun intended. “Where’ve you been?” I asked him. “I missed you last night. You would have loved the all-nighter we pulled at the store.”
“I had things to do.” His response was terse, like he didn’t want to elaborate.
“Everything okay?”
“For now.”
I glanced over at him, failing to decipher from his expression what he meant.
We came to a fork in the path. I pulled out my map. I'd never been to the Black Ridge Mountains, so it seemed the logical thing to have. Looking up from it, I saw a weathered signpost that stood at the point between the two paths that read: TO WAYWARD PEAK. There were also two boards pointing in opposite directions. The board that pointed east read: SCENIC ROUTE. The other board pointed west and read: SHORTCUT.
“Well, that’s a no-brainer.” I folded the map and started walking west.
Spratlin grabbed my backpack and held me back. “Not so fast there, Wicked Witch of the West.”
I spun around and glared at him. “Ya know, I didn’t actually invite you on this trip.”
“Yeah, but you’ll be glad I showed up.” He took the map from me saying, “Let me see that.” He made a face and crumbled it. “This map is crap.”
“Hey! Why the hell did you do that?”
“It's wrong, that's why.”
“Hell yeah that was wrong. It was my damn map!” I attempted to straighten it the best I could.
“No, I mean it's labeled wrong.” He took it back and pointed. “You see that?”
He pointed to the woods to our west.
“Yeah, so?”
“That shortcut isn't a good idea.” He raised his arm and pointed into the darkness. “Those are the Dead Woods. Smart people don't go trekking through there.”
I fought back the urge to laugh and instead glared him. “You’re kidding, right? I think you’ve been playing too much Zelda.”
“I wish I were. The Dead Woods have a way of jacking with your mind. Making you see things that aren’t real. Making you question everything and everyone.”
That sounded like a lovely place to be.
“Okay, Link, what do you suggest we do?”
“We go east.”
I closed my eyes and opened them again slowly as I considered my response. I’m a girl of action. I don’t beat around the bush, hell, I barely like foreplay. Taking the shortcut was the logical decision to me.
“Look, I didn’t come up here for the view. What if Kellen took the shortcut?” I felt that if I were looking for someone who may have gotten lost, the Dead Woods seemed like an obvious place to search.
Spratlin gave me a look that said he knew I was right. I wasn’t gonna rub it in and make things worse. Although I would get him back for that Wicked Witch of the West bullshit.
He finally nodded. “Better to stay on the Haunted Path.” He pointed to the thin brown line on the map that wrapped around the edge of the Dead Woods. “You may see some weird shit, but at least it doesn’t affect your mind.”
“Gee, both options sounds so delightful.”
“You wanted to take the shortcut.”
I took the map from him and said, “I do. Let’s go.”
I let my blue ball of light lead the way. Me making blue balls… there was a joke in there somewhere.
Spratlin looked at it and then at me. “When did you learn that?”
I shrugged. “Just happened.”
He studied my face for a moment before turning away. He seemed worried. But why?
I glanced up at him. “I really am glad you’re here.”
Silence.
“Look, we need to clear the air. There’s an elephant in the forest with us that we need to address.” I watched Spratlin as we continued to walk side-by-side down the Haunted Path. Worry and fear were fighting a battle inside him. “Are you gonna ignore me this whole trip, or are you gonna say something?”
He stepped in front of me. “What do you want me to say?”
My eyes grew wide in shock as he continued, “That I’m okay with what I saw in the pine forest? That you’re an amazing mage for learning to manipulate magic as fast as you have?”
“A compliment every now and then would be nice.” My sarcasm always won out in moments like these.
“Well, I’m not okay with it. It scared the shit out of me.”
“What? That I produced a Lightning Blade to stab a demon?”
“No. That you enjoyed doing it.”
All the air left my lungs. I felt like I’d been punched in the gut. Spratlin turned and walked down the path, but I just stood there, unable to move, barely able to catch my breath. Was he right? Was I enjoying it too much? How the hell was I supposed to feel? Was I supposed to gain all this magical ability and not put it to good use?
I jogged down the path to catch up with Spratlin. The closer we got to the Dead Woods, the trees began to look bare and weathered as if they hadn’t seen sun or water in years. The place looked downright eerie.
“You don’t like me being a Dark Daughter, do you?” I didn’t much care for the label that the Council used, but I admit, I liked being a rogue witch. Being a part of a club, or coven, wasn’t my thing. I was always a loner, ever since my mother abandoned me. If my own mother didn’t think I was worthy, why would anyone else?
“It’s not that.”
“Then, what is it?”
“Why do you think I’ve been using terms like Death Cheater and wicked witch toward you? To see how you’d respond.”
I wasn’t sure how to react to that. I didn’t like being tested.
Then he looked over at me, and the edge of his mouth formed a slight grin. It was dim, but the light was still there in his eyes. “I can tell you’re fighting it,” he said. “That's good.”
“Come on.” I nudged his arm as I gave him a sexy look. “You don’t like having a sexy, badass witch for a girlfriend?”
His jaw clenched. “You know I do.”
“You have to understand. A lot’s happened to me. Sometimes it scares the shit out of me, too.” He didn’t say anything, but I sensed his posture relax a little. “So, what about you? You gonna tell me why you abandoned me after the fight in the square?”
Before Spratlin could answer, the trees began twisting and curling around as if they were trapping us inside the forest. Strange creaking noises pierced our ears as they echoed throughout. As if the Dead Woods weren’t already uninviting, I suddenly felt the urge to change my mind and take the scenic route.
The woods must've known my intentions, because when we turned around, the path behind us disappeared. Only dark forest stood behind us.
I said the only thing that came to mind.
“Welcome to Silent fucking Hill.”
10
The game was creepy enough; I sure as shit didn’t want to visit the place. Getting out of the forest was my priority. I picked up the pace and walked in the opposite direction of the darkened forest behind us. My Electric Orb struggled to light the way. It was as if the Dead Woods were fighting against it. The Dead Woods wanted to suffocate us all.
Is that what happened to Kellen?
At that point, I didn’t care if he was stranded in the forest. I wanted out.
We huffed up a steep incline and I cursed myself for not doing more cardio. I should ditch my motorcycle for a mountain bike. Yeah, fat chance.
“We shoulda went the other way.”
“Ya think?” Spratlin said.
I shot him a look. I preferred to be the sarcastic one.
“You don't tell someone I love you and then disappear and not call.”
“The hell’s that supposed to mean?”
I didn’t have time to answer. The Dead Woods changed again, warping and stretching the trees and ground all around me and, this time when it stopped, I was all alone.
My Electric Orb was all I had. I spun around, calling Spratlin’s name, but there was no answer. No one was there. No sound, no wind, no nothing.
I did the only thing I could do. I walked. Carefully, I made my way several yards down the path, hoping everything would warp back to normal eventually.
Normal.
What was normal anymore?
My new normal was all about zapping demons with Electro Bolts and learning that my half-sister killed my father. Well, technically, he was her father, which made her even more twisted. The fact was, my life had become one big ball of fucked up. With a dose of magic spread on top.
As I made my way around a sharp switchback, something caught my eye. There was a person slouched over against a tree. Spratlin? No, the person’s clothes were different. Magic warmed my palm.
I walked up to the person. She appeared female with her slim, feminine frame. Her long blonde hair hid her face, yet there was something about her that seemed familiar. Was it too much to hope she was sleeping? I readied my magic and then nudged her shoulder. Rigor mortis had already set in because the stiff dead body slid off the tree onto the ground with a thud.
Breathing was something I had to remind myself to do as a lump caught in my throat. Her blonde hair still covered her face. Something tugged at me to wipe away the hair. I fought it. I didn't want to look. But she was familiar.
I turned to walk away, and the tug grew stronger. I had to know. Have you ever experienced something that you didn't want to do, but you knew you had to, so you just said fuck it and did it?
I knelt down beside the body and brushed away the blonde hair. My eyes shot open, and I scrambled backwards. Horror stricken, it took a few tries to get to my feet thanks to the slippery pine needles. When I finally did, I was sure I looked like a sight with dirt and pine needles clinging to my clothes.
My heart pounded in my chest. I put my hand over it in hopes that I would at least catch it if it leapt out. At this point, I didn't have to remind myself to breathe—I was gasping for air as if I'd been trapped underwater for several seconds.
After I finally recomposed myself and got my breathing down to a slower, but still excessive, level, I approached the girl again. I stared down at myself.
Nothing like looking at my dead self to remind me of how much life I still had to live.
“Mackenzie!”
It sounded like Spratlin. I jerked my head around. A figure stepped closer.
Only, it wasn’t Spratlin. A faceless man came closer as he said my name over and over. I walked backwards away from him. Then, just like Medusa, these slimy serpents slithered out of the man’s head. I couldn’t run, and the man was quickly closing the gap between us. A snake struck towards me, and I zapped it in half with my Electric Touch. The man touched my shoulder, and I filled his stomach with Electric Fury.
My chest heaved as the man gyrated from the current and then dissipated into the air. I took deep breaths, willing my heart rate to return to normal. I stared at the ground, sans faceless man and snakes. It seemed so real. I felt the pressure from the man’s hand on my shoulder. But nothing was there. The trees stood as lifeless as they were before.
“Spratlin!” I yelled, hoping he would step out from behind a tree.
Nothing.
I wondered if the Dead Woods were affecting him, too. Would he, too, see himself dead?
A rustling sound a few feet away spun me around. My magic was ready to be used in a split second, but I didn't see anything.
“Spratlin?”
I focused on the forest as I slowly turned around in a circle.
The rustling came again, and then a small rock whizzed by my head.
“Spratlin, are you here?”
If he was playing a joke on me, I swore I'd make him pay. I'd make him ride bitch on my motorcycle as I rode him around town. Nah, he'd probably enjoy that. I could hide his game collection one at a time forcing him to rebuy them at my store. Now, that was just mean. I liked it.
A rock pelted me in the head. I spun around, flinging a bolt of electricity in the direction from which it was thrown.
“Show yourself, coward.”
I heard the rustling again and, that time, I knew where it was coming from. I moved slowly around the tree. My magic ready to blast whoever it was. When I reached out to grab hold of the person, my hand grasped air. Stepping around the tree, I saw why. I never expected what stared back at me.
“Don't shoot! Don't shoot!”
Standing in front of me was a small demon-like creature with small wings and a tail. Its skin was leathery and burnt red as if it bore the skin of its victims. Considering it was likely toying with me and not trying to kill me, it was more likely an imp. Still, I kept my magic ready to zap its already burnt skin in a moment’s notice.
“Who are you?”
“Wouldn't you like to know? I'm not the face you saw earlier in the forest. Hahahaha!”
The little bastard took off before I could stop him. I chased it through the forest around tall pine trees and over downed logs. “Wait! I won't kill you!”
I wouldn't… yet. I wanted to know what he knew about what I saw. Finally, I got a clear shot. I released a similar strand of Electric Wire that I used in the forest on the night of the fight at town square. The little demon imp cried out and went down, smacking its head on the side of a fallen tree.
“You said you weren't gonna hurt me.” It said as it rubbed its head.
Reaching down, I picked up the imp by its belt and stood it on its feet. Then, against my better judgment, I removed the Electric Wire that bound him. “I said I wouldn't kill you. You're still breathing, aren't you?”
“No thanks to you.”
“I owed you one for the rocks. What did you mean by you're not the face I saw earlier?”
“I know what you saw. The Dead Woods speak,” it teased in a childlike voice.
My guard was still up, but I moved closer hoping my size would intimidate it. “Did the Dead Woods also tell you that I'd string you up by your pointy little ears and zap you with electricity while tickling you to death?”
The imp’s eyes grew wide and it shook its head back and forth furiously.
“Then what did it tell you?”
The imp hissed, “You see the truth and it scares you!”
The thought of somehow seeing my own death did scare me. There was still more to that, but I didn't trust that imp to tell me the actual truth. I asked, “What's your name?” hoping I'd get an honest answer.
“Flik.”
“What are you doing out here?”
“Following you.”
I wanted honesty. And apparently to get it, I was going to have to pull every strand of information from him one by one. “Why are you following me?”
“Easiest way to keep an eye on you.”
So, someone wan
ted to keep tabs on me, huh? I wish I had the time. I'd let him chase me all around the mountains and then just go home. But I had a job to do. And a boyfriend to find.
The imp backed away from me, taunting me. “But I'm not tellin’ who sent me.”
I stepped forward slowly as to not make it turn and run. I should have killed it when I had the chance because as I reached for the imp one last time, I slid down a hole and fell flat on my ass at the bottom.
There wasn't much light, so I produced another Electric Orb. The hole didn't go anywhere. It was more like a trap. I wondered if someone had put it here intentionally. The imp peered over the edge of the opening above. Even with only a dim light, I could just barely make out a sly grin.
“What are you standing around for? Find something to get me out of here!”
The imp then laughed and jumped up and down. “She’s stuck! The witch is stuck!”
And then it was gone.
“Hey! Get back here, you little fucker!”
It was apparent the jokester wasn't coming back.
I slapped the dirty wall beside me. “Damnit! When I find you, I'm gonna string you up by your ears!”
Then, a familiar face appeared over the hole.
“I've heard of swinging from the chandelier monkey sex, but that's a new one.”
“Where the hell have you been?”
11
“Nice to see you, too,” Spratlin said as he peered down into the hole where I was trapped.
Maybe my greeting had been a little harsh. Spratlin, not being trapped in a hole in the ground, was clearly in the better position.
“Think you could help me out?”
Spratlin cocked his head to the right. “I dunno. I kinda like you down there.”
“If you don’t get me out of this hole, I’m never going down there again.”
“Good point,” he said as he turned in a circle. “I just need to find something…”
“Can’t you produce a magic rope, or something?”
Spratlin shrugged and wandered away from view.
Great. I’m stuck in a hole and not even my newly ranked Adept boyfriend can abracadabra my ass outta here. “What’s the good of being a witch if ya can’t get yourself out of situations like this?”
Rogue Witch (Daughter of Darkness Book 2) Page 6