Short Stories With Alice

The Forest From Hell

Disclaimer- This story includes T/W for death, blood and paranormal encounters. If you are uncomfortable with this, please feel free to click away now!

"Run, run away now!"

The shouting was growing louder and louder, more and more frantic as my feet carried me quickly away into the trees. My poor sister Makenna hadn't been fast enough, her bloodsoaked body snapping down onto the back porch of our lodge. Her last words were meant to keep me safe, yet everyone knows not to enter the forest at night for any reason.

My bangle with my name 'Deirde' was rattling furiously as I dodged my way through the thick shrub far away from my now dead sister. The snow that had been falling over the last few days was starting to turn slippery and I skidded more with each step. The dark night sky was proving my vision in the forest to be near impossible. Fumbling for my torch, I switched it on and slowed my run to a fast walk.

There were no more gunshots or screaming to be heard. I literally had no time to grab anything as the horrors took place. I didn't want to think about the last moments yet my mind was determined to keep me away from any form of peace. Where were my parents? Had they managed to escape? There was no phone signal, no sounds of a road or train track. For all I knew, I could have ended up doing a total 360* around our patch of land.

With heart pounding, I slowly crawled into a small cave my hand had felt, mostly filled with powdery snow but was a shelter from the elements. I was desperately trying to think of my next move before I ended up dead from frostbite. Makenna didn't deserve to die, there was nothing she ever did or would ever do to harm anyone.

"Hey."

A faint voice attracted my attention, had I been followed after all?

"Hey."

The same, soft tone as before. Were the trees playing around with my brain?

"Hey, it's OK."

My voice spoke back before I could stop myself, "Who is this?"

A shadow started to form on the outside of the cave. Shit. I really should have kept my mouth shut. But it wasn't the evil monsters I had seen. But a girl around my age.

"I won't let them get to you," she said, "They will have to get past me first."

I blinked. This girl looked familiar, yet she wasn't walking but floating towards me.

"Please don't hurt me!" I quietly pleaded to the girl, "They killed my sister, I don't want to die too."

"Hush. I'm not here to hurt you. I'm here for redemption towards that monstrosity." she spoke.

Then, my thoughts all seemed to connect. This wasn't just an ordinary girl, but the one from the news of the last few months. A dead girl but living too. Ghostly and haunting. They said from local gossip that she roamed the forest at night, avenging evil towards those who couldn't save her and silenced her voice from the world.

"Are you Deb?" I asked with caution, "They all talk about you."

The girl sadly smiled, "I know others speak of me, not so highly apart from my family. I knew Makenna well. I don't go after everyone. Especially not kids who have been caught up in what I've been through."

Her facial shape and long brown hair hadn't changed much from the image in the news article about Deb. Deb Orwell who one day when home alone was visited by evil and slaughtered in front of her beloved brother.

"Steven is gone," she sighed, "He was so traumatised by everything, social services stepped in and I'm bitter with them. He should have stayed with my family."   

"Will my parents be alright?" I questioned Deb, hot tears forming in my eyes, slowly trickling down my cheeks.

In a second, there was a flash in the cave as Deb suddenly vanished. I was stunned. Being abandoned in the scary, harsh terrain was only just adding more to my nightmare.

"Come, they are waiting." I heard Deb's voice say.

"Really?" I staggered to my feet, "really?"

"Yes, now leave your hiding place and follow me. Follow my voice." Deb commanded.

There were more bright lights as I followed the voice now gently humming away from the cave and past many more tall trees. The noises of people and traffic were starting to get closer. Then it all faded into obscurity. No Deb, no forest, no noise.

"Deirde, wake up. You're with me." A man's voice finally spoke.

Despite my attempts, I couldn't open my eyes. They felt sealed shut by something or someone yet this was another voice known to me.

Then a sob followed by another sob rang out. The shuffling movements, the beeping of some sort of machine ringing deep into my ears.

"We tried everything, I'm so sorry." were the last words I heard before I found myself face down in cold, wet snow. My eyes could finally open but it was then I noticed the redness of blood, my own blood just like my sister's.

I screamed. And screamed. And screamed.

The forest and the evil had claimed me. And there would be no escaping now just like Makenna. Deb was long gone, so was my past life.

Now I had to seek redemption. Someone was going to have to replace me before I had any chances of finding happiness again. I, Deirde, would make an innocent person pay.