No Way To Escape | Novel

CHAPTER 33: IN THE WOODS

I woke up a bit late the other morning. Murph and Rick were sleeping in the other bedroom. The incident from the previous day had still not got over my mind. Ruffling my hair, I went in to the bathroom. As I started brushing, the nightmare which I had seen while being unconscious there on the road started reflecting over my eyes. Larry turning to a corpse... The claustrophobic cabin. The terrific darkness in there... The terrific eyes of the corpse... The laughter...Sick!

And when he said that I should have pulled up my handbrake, there was a startle over my eyes. It was the terrific squeal of my nephew which made me actually get access over my thoughts back. Millions of haunting visuals started flushing over my brain as I was desperate to get to Rick. You can afford to lose your life but even the slightest of harm to your dearest ones will not only prick, it would cut through your senses. It was what I had been feeling back there in the cabin in my dream.

Suddenly, I started feeling a bit dazed. My eyes were starting to fall and I was not having my grasp over them. My brush was still there in my mouth with all its paste-foam. I felt as if I was starting to lose my sense. I started losing my balance and then I stumbled when suddenly a haze spread before my eyes and I could faintly feel myself fall down on the ground.

There was silence all around - A deathly silence. I could feel my body but couldn't move it. I wasn't also able to open my eyes though I was trying hard to make it open. I was straining hard to open them. And then suddenly I could open them. But as I did so, light fell sharply into my eyes and made me squint. I was also then able to move my body. I threw my hand up to my eyes to hinder of some of the incoming light.

As I started to make efforts to stand up, I could hear the rustling of leaves beneath me. It took me a while to realize that I was standing there in the midst of a deserted forest with nothing but tall trees with no fruit or flower. Trees which were deserted themselves of any greenery. It was the time of dawn out there but the sun was still not visible. There was mist all around and I was just standing there - startled and afraid. It was now almost certain that someone had been playing with my mind and this was the latest trick to bestow upon me. I was standing there bare-chested but with my bed-pants on and the cold mist was making me to shiver. I wrapped my arms around myself and started walking further slowly. The silence prevailing over the place was quite eerie. I was really frightened and wondering how in the world did I end up there.

It was when I heard some faint rustling. It was not from under my feet. It was from somewhere up. I tried to clear the vision around me with my hands but it was all in vain. It was like all the mist was trying to gather up around me. The rustling sound now became a swaying one and then I could see a long branch of a tree rushing swiftly in my distance, targeting my head. I ducked and the branch swayed past over my head. I couldn't hold on to my balance though and that made me fall down with the leaves having a rough impact over my chest. I tried to get up and then came another branch – from some other tree – to my left. But this time it was too late before I could make this out and the deadwood struck me hard on my face like the slap from the hands of a strong, hefty interrogator.

I gasped and groaned, swirled a bit with the impact and then fell on my back. The impact of the wood on my face was heavy and I could feel it too real. There was no pain for a moment but then it started to hurt like hell. It felt as if my jaw had been shattered. In fear I slowly moved up my hand and then touched my cheeks. Thankfully, it was still intact but blood was starting to rush out of my mouth.

I was just about to scream with pain when I again heard some rustling sound – this time it was caused by footsteps. I tried to look forward. The mist was disappearing a bit now. The sound of the footsteps was approaching me closer and closer. Faintly, then I could see an old woman – probably in her early seventies. Her face was wan and it was still difficult for me to gather exactly who she was.