The House In The Forest

Chapter XVIII

Chapter Eighteen

The next morning, Albert had left for school. After helping Dr. Beckett with cleaning I headed off to work. He didn't say anything about that lady, despite the fact he seemed to know something was off with her. I wonder why, or how. Perhaps because he didn't invite her? Maybe it was like that.

While working, I ran into Amber and Elias. They had stopped by during their lunch break, saying they needed some books for a class assignment.

"How was the party last night?" Elias asked, watching as I dug through the box of books upstairs for the books they needed.

"It was lovely, Dr. Beckett was happy with it," I told them, pulling one book out to hand to Amber.

"What happened to your face?" she asked, staring at the mark that I was sure was going to go away overnight, it didn't though. Not that it was that big, it was just a thin scratch, should be nothing.

"Oh, accident, when I was washing my makeup off," I told her, and she nodded. Like that made sense. "How was your nights?"

Elias shrugged. "I had to pick Amber up, because she accidentally spent too many hours in the crafting store and didn't want to walk home in the dark."

"It's not my fault, I was invested, and then I ran into that weird guy outside and didn't really feel like walking home alone," she sighed.

"Weird guy? In Rubin?" I asked her.

She nodded. "Yeah, he was talking about how misleading the dark could be, and his eyes were crazy dark, they were kind of pretty, but in a creepy way."

"You've never seen this guy before?"

"No, I assumed maybe he was one of those fish researchers that come to town to look at the lake sometimes," she spoke with a shrug, "He was creepy though."

I stared at the box of books for a moment, thinking about it. I highly doubted it was anything, it had to be chance. Just chance.

"Damian mentioned running into someone weird too last night actually," Elias spoke, and I glanced at him instantly. "He had to stop to get gas when he went to pick up his mom, and he said there was this lady who asked him some weird question, he didn't tell me what the question was though."

"A creepy lady?" Amber asked.

"He said she was beautiful, but out of place, and held herself in a weird way, so I guess?" Elias spoke with a shrug. "I didn't see anything weird last night, so I think you two might be watching too many horror movies."

"I don't even watch horror movies, my mother doesn't allow them in our house," Amber spoke with a shake of her head. "This guy was creepy, okay, you came to pick me up so clearly you believed me."

"Well creepy guys are one thing, but that doesn't make them sinister."

"It can," I spoke, handing them the last book. "Sorry you and Damian had to see such people."

"Oh it's fine, it's not like it's your fault, Beatrice," Amber spoke with a smile. She reminded me of Hattie when she smiled.

And I felt rather guilty. After they left, I asked the boss if I could get off early today. He allowed it, since we weren't busy. I stopped by Dr. Beckett's house, grabbing the book off the desk and rushing to where I had to go.

I know I told Albert I wouldn't go alone, but, I wasn't leaving forever. It was fine. I just had to talk to Sasha. He had to know. I had to tell him. I couldn't drag all these people into my troubles, it wasn't proper.

The forest was always more comforting than creepy, we practically lived out here as children. We knew every inch. Yet, walking the old road that used to be so active, I didn't like it. It was strange, it being abandoned. I suppose anything could be abandoned with enough time.