3AM.
The moonlight flashed straight into my eyes, piercing through me like my mother checking me every day to see if I wasn't on something.
"Hey James, are you sure this is the place?" I asked while walking down the forest road. We were supposed to meet James at some gas station. I don't remember there being any gas station in Willow Hollow, though I'm often careless and mess things up. At this hour it's dangerous, and there could be many shady, strange people out here who could hurt you.
"I still need to stop by the pawnshop… I… I found some tablet and some toys or whatever shit."
"How?"
"I don't know, they were… they were in some pink backpack, and I thought, well, if it's free, I'll take it."
"Really funny," he said with a laughing tone.
"N-n-no, I'm serious." Behind me, I heard branches snapping. I turned around, but I couldn't see anything in the darkness. "Hey, could you walk a little toward me?"
"Me? Walk toward you? What, are you scared, Joshua?"
"T-t-that's not funny. I feel like something's following me," I whispered.
My shoes were soaked from the wet grass. I nearly slipped. On both sides of the road were slopes, some rocky, some grassy. I started wondering what it would look like—would I die instantly, or would someone save me? Considering no one knew I was here (except James, and I wouldn't count on him), it would've been death on the spot.
Another branch cracked.
"Fuck," I muttered. "Alright, I'm scared. Come here now."
I heard James sigh.
"Alright," he said after a moment.
The same sound again, sharp and clear. Goosebumps crawled up my back. I could feel eyes watching me, heavier with every step.
"Are you on drugs?" he asked me.
"W-what? No, I haven't taken anything yet," I lied.
"Hard to believe. You're a pretty dishonest person."
"Yeah? Funny who taught me that," I said seriously, still glancing over my shoulder. For a second I thought I saw glowing eyes in the distance, but I quickly pushed the thought away.
"… I'll turn on the flashlight," James coughed.
"What?"
"I said it's dark as your ass and I'll turn on the flashlight!" he shouted into the phone.
"Shut up…" I stopped.
It wasn't my imagination this time. Something really was there. Behind me. Now.
"James, I need help," I whispered.
"What are you talking about?"
"Help," I gasped. A moment later I felt… a light touch on my shoulder. I jumped in terror and started running forward. "Something touched me. Something fucking touched me!"
"Joshua?" I could hear uncertainty in his voice.
I kept running, never stopping. I saw no light, only the forest growing darker. I didn't dare look back, knowing it would only slow me down—and give it a chance to catch me.
"Do you see the light?" James asked.
But I didn't see anything. My vision blurred, the only shapes I could make out were the trees swaying above me. They looked like faces smiling down from the night sky.
"Holy shit—do you see the light?" James repeated.
"No!"
I could barely keep running. My lungs were burning, I couldn't catch my breath. Any second I would collapse.
"Joshua."
I heard a voice behind me. Instinctively, I turned.
Not far away stood a figure facing me, dressed in a white shirt, barefoot, no pants. Its legs were covered in massive bruises, its arms fresh with cuts. Black hair, dark eyes.
As I stared longer, the figure tilted its neck, showing deep bruises as if someone had just strangled it. The body looked more like that of a boy than a girl.
I stepped back.
"What the fuck," I whispered to myself.
"Joshua."
The second time, my name came out harsher. I recognized the voice...it was Mike's.
"Mike?" I said. "What are you doing here?"
My foot slipped out from under me. My whole body lurched. "No!" I screamed. I tumbled down the slope, crashing hard. My head slammed against something solid. By the time I rolled to the bottom, swallowed by darkness, I lost consciousness.