Chapter 1 - The Accident
“Dad, can you hand me the remote?” Madison called out from the living room, her eyes glued to the TV.
John walked over, the floorboards groaning under his weight, and handed it to her with a gentle smile. “You got it, sweetheart,” he said, ruffling her hair. Madison rolled her eyes but took the remote with a grateful grin. Life here was simple, filled with chores, school, and the occasional trip into town. The three of them had formed a tight bond, especially since their mother had passed away.
It was a quiet evening, the kind where you would read a book or watch a movie while it rains outside. Hannah sat at the kitchen table, her nose buried in a book, while John had his attention on a jigsaw puzzle. The picture on the box showed a mountain landscape, the kind of place he’d always dreamed of taking the girls if only he could find the time. Madison then gets up and turns towards John. “Is it okay if I go to my friend’s today?”
“Yeah sure. Just be safe on the road.” John says. Madison nods and grabs the car keys on the way.
Madison looked over her shoulder as she pulled the door shut, the sound echoing through the hallway. A sudden gust of wind sent a shiver down her spine, and the chimes above the door jingled eerily. She laughed it off to herself, nervously touching the locket on her neck.. ‘Probably just the storm. Been like that the entire afternoon.’ She says quietly, trying to calm herself down. The rain then started to pour, drumming against the windows.
John barely looked up from his puzzle, focused on fitting the pieces together. “Be sure to text me when you get there,” he said, his eyes never leaving the puzzle.
“I will,” Madison said. She walked to the car, the gravel driveway crunching beneath her boots. The headlights pierced the darkness, revealing a path through the dense foliage that lined the sides of the road. She took a deep breath, the scent of damp dirt and concrete filling her nose.
Their town was small, with a few gas stations and grocery stores, along with 2 schools, one that held everyone from kindergarten to Grade 8, and the other teaching high school kids. It was the kind of place where almost everyone knew each other, and the biggest event of the year was the county fair. There were also a nearby town, but it usually took a few hours to get there.
As the night passes by, John was in the kitchen, preparing some food, when his phone started to ring. John’s hand shot to his pocket, his heart racing. He recognized the number, and something in his gut told him it wasn’t good news.
“John Micky.” a voice said urgently. It was Sheriff Mac, a man John had known for years. “We’ve had an accident on Route 47, near the forest. Your daughter Madison was involved. You need to get to the hospital right away.”
John’s blood ran cold. It was a trip she had made a hundred times before, but this time something had gone terribly wrong. The line went silent, the words hanging heavy in the air. Then, the sheriff spoke again. “John, when we found her, she was pretty hurt. And she’s asking for you. Only you.”
John’s hand tightened around the phone. He knew he had to get to the hospital immediately, to see his daughter and make sure she was okay. But as he hailed a taxi and gave the driver the address, a nagging doubt began to creep into his mind. As the taxi sped through the streets, the fear within him grew more and more.
The taxi then pulled up to the hospital, the lights reflecting off the wet pavement. John paid the driver and stepped out into the night. He took a deep breath and pushed through the hospital’s revolving doors.
As he walked up to the desk, the receptionist looked up with a smile. “Hello.” The receptionist says. John nods back with a quiet hello.
“The waiting room is over here. Please sit down.” She says while waving her hand. John’s legs felt like lead as he sat down. He waited in silence, the ticking of the clock on the wall seeming to grow louder with each passing second.
The waiting room was mainly silent, save for the occasional muffled sob or hushed conversation. A nurse with a clipboard spotted him. “Down here sir.” She led him down a hallway, anticipation growing stronger with each step.
The hospital room was dimly lit, the only sound the beep of the machines monitoring Madison’s vital signs. She lay there, her body covered in bruises and bandages. John’s heart ached at the sight of her, but he knew he had to stay strong. He took her hand, her eyes fluttered open, and she managed a weak smile.
“Dad.” she murmured. “it talked to me.”
John leaned in, his heart racing. “What talked to you, sweetheart?”
“The thing in the woods,” she said, her voice barely audible. “It talked like a person. It said it was... it was sorry.”
The doctor entered, a tall, stern-faced man with a clipboard of his own. “Mr. Micky,” he began, his voice professional but kind. “Your daughter has a severe concussion and quite a few injuries. We’re keeping her overnight for observation.”
John nodded, his gaze never leaving Madison’s. “Is she going to be okay?”
The doctor paused, considering his words. “Physically, she’s stable. But she’s suffered some trauma. We’ll need to keep an eye on her.”
John nodded again. He knew he had to find out what had happened in those woods.
The doctor left them alone, and John pulled a chair closer to the bed. “Do you remember anything else?” he asked softly. Madison’s eyes searched the ceiling, as if the answer was painted there.
“There was something...something strange,” she said, her voice barely above a whisper. “It looked like a person, but it wasn’t.”
John felt his stomach drop. “What do you mean?”
“It was wearing my clothes,” she said, her eyes wide with fear. “It looked just like me, but its eyes...its eyes weren’t right.”
Her eyes closed again, and she drifted back to sleep, leaving John in disbelief.
