The Forest

The Forest…

Chapter 1 -

“What was happening? Is that Lyra? Wheres my phone?” Steve asked himself, he thought today was going to be an ordinary night like any other.

Right so theres some backstory to this, Steve is your average fifteen year old, he smokes, drinks and is always out with his mates instead of focussing on school work. He hardly ever washes his almost matted curly brown hair, his mum hates it but no matter how hard she tries he will not change this; his clothes only get changed daily because if they don’t people at school always make fun of him.

Earlier at school he noticed that he kept seeing the same face, everywhere, literally everywhere. On posters, stickers, windows and reflections. Almost like he was possessed by something. No. It cant be. Who or what would want to possess him? He thought that if he just shrugged it off it would pass, after all it’s probably lack of sleep and caffeine.

Two hours passed Steve hadn’t seen the face again. Then he remembered, he’s home alone tonight, that means that he will probably invite Lyra over, she was his blonde haired, pale skinned girlfriend of almost a year. They are always together usually but she seemed off with him today so maybe a night together might fix it. School went on, quieter than usual for some strange reason, today just didn’t seem normal. The walls seemed more pale, everyone looked more drained: was this a dream?

Later that day after school, Steve text Lyra a cute message checking that she was ok and asking if she wanted to come over, maybe to have a couple of drinks and watch a film or two. He went home via the corner shop to buy a pick and mix for each of them (even before Lyra had replied). By the time he got home, it was nearly pitch black in the forest, but there it was, his house finally, the walk seem so much longer and eerier tonight.

What if this was caused by the oujia board he did at the party the other night?

It cant be, they’re made up things to scare people and to make money, but what if? What if one of the spirits from there infected him? It can’t be anyway, they’re just moved by subconscious muscle movement.

Text from Lyra “Im omw, mums dropping me off, baba see you soon :) xxx”

Steve now had to rush into his house, tidy up a bit, check no one was home and then make sure that he had spare stuff just in case they wanted to do it. She left 5 minutes ago so that means he has another 10 minutes to do all of the stuff that he needed to before it was too late. He heard a car so she was here, normally she lets herself in.

Wait, that wasn’t Lyra’s mum’s car. It wasn’t even a car, there was nothing there, where did the noise come from? The only house for miles was Steve’s so who else would be driving around here? It’s 7pm - very unlikely that the postman would come and go that fast and this time of day.

Lyra should be here by now…

That’s when something opens the front door. It isn’t Lyra…

He stays hidden just below the sightline of the front door from the top of the stairs, he can see who it is but they cant see him. He looks around for a weapon; to his right there is a flower pot, filled with stones, he can throw the stones down the stairs towards the intruder, there was also a hiking pole just behind him which would be useful for a close quarter fight.

A shrill sound came from downstairs, almost like someone running their nails slowly down a freshly clean chalkboard. It was not a human down there. It spotted him, somehow, through a staircase.

Suddenly, It was behind him. Stood there over him…

There it was, stood over him. What is it? It was a very weird figure that wasn’t solid yet wasn’t a ghost either, the being had no eyes or mouth yet still made sounds. It looked like Lyra just without the face. Where was his phone? Steve checked his pocket where it was, it isn’t there.

Without second thought, Steve kicked the thing from on top of him and he managed to slide into his room, the walls were covered in the name “Elissa” anywhere you looked the name was; like it was tattooed on his eyelids, the name was there. Was the beast called Elissa?

There it was. That’s his phone. It seemed so close yet every step he took he felt more stuck in the floor around him, the room got longer and longer as the floor got more and more like quicksand. His chest is getting tighter and tighter. Vision more skewed the room in front of him left, nothing was here anymore, just the name.

“Hey siri,” he strained “Call mum!”

Steve said it but the words just echoed back to him. Elissa appeared in front of him, it’s long spindely fingers made their way to sit sharply on Steve’s neck, no matter how much he struggled away, the grip got tighter and tighter: no amount of struggle could clear him from it. The face appeared. It was a rotting, sucken, round and wrinkled face. This explained everything, he was possessed by the demon, the question now is where did he get the demon from and when did he pick it up?

Even while he was being held up against a wall by his neck, there wasn’t a struggle, everything seemed to be calming but it didn’t. Steve couldnt comprehend what was going on but he knew that while he was alone, the demon would be around and it would torture him like it is now. Lyra was due any minute, surely when she arrives it will disappear, right?

*knock Knock Knock* Someone rapped on the door. “Steve, baba? Mum’s just dropped me off and you weren’t answering your phone so i let myself in, guessing that’s alright. Where are you?”. It was Lyra, someone else was here, finally a break from this demon something to disrupt the torture of the being. As Lyra walked up the stairs, she noticed that the bedroom door was open a crack; Steve was in there. Not himself, tear stained face, his breathing was heavy and like he was scared of something. She sat down slowly and carefully, sliding her back down along the ripped wall, she put her arm over Steve’s shivering shoulders, her head tucked into his neck - the way that he liked.

It must have been half an hour before either of them moved, just having her there cuddling him like that helped him to calm down and distracted him from that thing. “Why me?” Steve thought. When he felt strong enough to move, Steve lifted his heavy head from his knees and stared disparagingly at Lyra, she knew something was wrong but offered to cook him a bit of supper and find a film to wind down to, it might help to take his mind away from whatever’s caused this. Steve said no to the food, the beast inside wouldn’t accept it.

They decided for old times sake to watch ‘Frozen’. Lyra helped herself to some of the sausages in his fridge, she knew that Steve wouldn’t mind. As she got up to get a drink she lent in towards Steve, as she got closer, he saw Elissa and backed away. The image of it was just there in front of him, like it was happening at this moment in time. “I’m sorry Princess, not right now, i feel sick and i dont want to pass anything onto you” he said shakily. He would have to explain what was happening at some point, it can’t stay hidden forever.

Elissa shrieked again, it was there, he hit the floor, the demon on top of him again, he couldn’t keep his eyes open or shut them, wherever he looked Elissa was there. Lyra was stood there watching him, there was nothing there; it was like he was in a trance. Knees up, arms hugging them tightly and head down, he started rocking back and forwards but was still sat on the sofa. She had no idea what to do, other than to call his mum and ask her if she knew. His mum had no idea either so Lyra ended the call, put her phone in her pocket promptly and perched next to him. She was not leaving him, that is a stupid thing to do. Her arms wrapped around him, she said softly to him “I’ll stay the night, i wont leave you by yourself baba, just to know your safe.”

Later that night, Steve’s mum came home early from work to make sure that they were both alright. Steve was still shaken up from this but it had been happening for a while now, today was just worse; a lot worse. Elissa seemed to hide away again when there were more people around, it just hid like there was nothing wrong....