NaBloPoMo Day 29. Finish this story: A girl, sitting alone on a rock at the edge of the woods, jumps when she hears…
The snapping of a branch. Loud, like it was right behind her. She whirls around, scanning the woods for the source, but the only answer is the early evening breeze rustling through the trees. She’d lost track of time out here in nature, and it was getting dark. Thunder faintly rumbled in the distance and across the meadow a bat flew against the purple sky. This small meadow is her favorite place to escape, and today she needed the time alone for a while.
But the sharp sound that jolted her from her thoughts changed the mood of this quiet late summer evening. She was lost in thought and the peacefulness of chirping birds in the soft breeze when it abruptly ended with a loud snap. It sounded very, very close, like someone right behind her breaking kindling over their knee. She thought about calling out, but decided that would be way too much like a bad movie. A not so great feeling washed over her as she continued to peer into the dusk. She hopped down from the rock and quickly made her way back to the trail leading to her family cabin.
Bringing a flashlight would have been a smart idea, as she watched for tree roots to avoid tripping over, but when she left earlier in the day, she had no intentions of coming back in the dark. What time was it, anyway? Glancing at her watch, she saw that it was almost 9:30pm. What time had she left the cabin? She couldn’t remember, but didn’t think this much time had passed. How long had she been sitting on that rock?
Another loud snap. She stopped in her tracks, wildly searching the woods around her for someone or something. The clearing where she’d spent several hours this afternoon was almost out of view, and she could see her rock in the open meadow. Standing next to it was a dark, translucent shadow in the shape of a person. She froze in fear, never having seen anything like this before. She blinked. It was still there. Now terrified, she broke into a run, vaguely remembering the trees roots and how this would NOT be the time to trip and fall on her face. Branches scratched her face and arms as she strained to see the path before her in the increasing darkness.
Finally, the glow of the cabin came into view and she went into a full sprint, heart pounding. Up the wooden steps, through the door, slamming it and locking it behind her. She’d never hyperventilated before, and wondered if this is what it would be like. She gasped for air, trying to make sense of what she saw. Her legs were rubber from running probably the fastest she’s ever run. Leaning against the cabin door, she tried to make sense of what she saw. The dark shadow of a person? Sure. But you can’t SEE THROUGH people. What the hell?
She gulped down a glass of water from the kitchen and closed the curtains of every window in the cabin, checking the window locks as she went. After building a fire in the fireplace and she grabbed a quilt from the rack, collapsing on the couch. She drifted off to sleep as the embers from the fire glowed orange only to be awakened once more, this time right next to her ear.
Snap.