On The Inside

ON THE INSIDE

Ch1)

In the distance, I saw it. The small burning light, the only warmth in this dark place. I walked down the overgrown path toward it, my feet bare on moist clove and leaves. Around me the trees were still, there was no breeze, there was no sound. Yet it was cold, so very cold. As I walk closer and closer to the light, it gets smaller, the forest around me further darkens. Whispers fill my ears of an indistinguishable language, yet its voice seems so familiar. Chills are sent down my spine as glowing red eyes now appear behind the trees.

“Lyra....” an unsettling voice coos. Blood begins to flood the forest floor. Rising above my ankles, its source is unclear.

“Come home to us Lyra” The voice returns. The small light sits right in front of me. As does the monster with the glowing red eyes, staring me down. My heart races in fear, and the eyes begin to come forward. I turn toward the darkness behind me and run. I hear the horrifying shrieking of a woman’s voice and then-

“Marin! You forgot to turn on your alarm again!” My eyes pop open to see my very angry looking mother tearing off my blanket. “You have thirty minutes, get up!” She continues. Rubbing my eyes I look at the time. 7:00 am... Damnit.

“I’m sorry mom, I really didn’t mean to! I was distracted last night uhh.. studying” I try to explain. She walks away unimpressed by my lie. I get ready quickly, not wanting further antagonize her, and head downstairs. My other mother, Jo, smiles at me brightly.

“Well look who decided to get up... How’d ya sleep honey?” she inquires. Mama Tessa, the angry one just rolls her eyes. I look away embarrassed.

" Well, to be honest, I’ve been having these freaky nightmares” I start to say, hoping to get out of school, but Mama Tessa has other plans.

“I’m sorry to hear that baby but you gotta go or you’re going to be late!” she informs me. I kiss both of them on the cheeks goodbye and head out. As I am driving to school, I notice the street ahead of me seems eerie this morning. Living in rural Florida I’m used to desolation, but the thick fog is creeping me out. Paying less attention to the road and more on the scenery I look deep into the woods looking for something I cannot explain. The dark forest reveals a set of glowing red eyes, staring directly at me. I panic and immediately swerve off the road and into the grass, stopping my car. Looking back into the forest, I see that the horrifying eyes are gone. Yet the feeling of being watched is not.

When I arrived at school I sat in my car trying to wrap my head around what I saw. It was just like my nightmare... But that is impossible. I come to the conclusion that I must be losing it from sleep deprivation. Yeah... that’s it... I need more sleep.

BANG

I jump in my seat and look through my car’s window in horror, only to see my best friend staring at me with a mischievous smile. She starts laughing obnoxiously when she realizes she’s scared me by hitting my window.

“Ha Ha very funny Em,” I say after getting out of my car and rolling my eyes similarly to Mama Tessa.

“What? I can’t help it you looked so funny I thought your eyes were going to pop out of your head! Let’s get going or we’ll be late!” Emma responds. We race into the building and I somehow make it to physics before the bell rings. I sit down next to my other friend, Lucas, who winks one of his blue eyes at me. After class, he follows me down the hall,

“Hey Mar, are you going to the Senior Bash tomorrow? I hear it’s going to be pretty lit” He asks expectantly. Ah yes, the Bash, where the entire senior class of Lake Katherine High School gets together, in the creepy-ass woods, and gets collaboratively wasted. What a fun tradition. Too bad I’m being forced to go. Don’t get me wrong, drinking and partying sounds great, but in the woods... I’m worried.

“Yeah Emma wants me to go, and I still owe her after dropping plans last time there was a party” I respond solemnly. His blue eyes shine at my response,

“Great! I’ll see you there then, save a drink for me!” He then turns and hurries to his next class. I stare at his retreating form before turning to my own class. I know he has a crush on me, but I can’t help that I see him as a brother. We’ve known each other since we were four, and although I do find him handsome, I can’t fathom a relationship.

Sitting in English, I look out the window towards the winding woods the wrap around the entire town of Lake Katherine. Through the dark, the fog, and the trees I see them again.

Those glowing red eyes.