The town was smaller than I expected.
I stared through the car window as we drove past rows of old houses, tiny shops and streets that seemed almost too quiet for a place where people actually lived,This is it I asked ?
My mother glanced at me before returning her eyes to the road.
" Unfortunately yes".
I signed dramatically and sank lower into my seat .
" Mom, you could have atleast warned me we were moving in into the middle of nowhere ".
She laughed softly. It sn't in the middle of nowhere
I looked out the window again, there were trees everywhere ( Sigh).
And beyond the houses and buildings,an enormous forest stretched along the edge of the town. The trees were so thick that I couldn't see what was hiding behind them.
For some reason, I couldn't shake the strange feeling that the forest was watching me. I frowned and looked away.
" What's the name of this town again?"
"Blackwood"
"Blackwood", I repeated. of course it is".
My mother laughed. You will get used to it.
That is exactly what you said about our old house,
She smiled but I noticed something strange. Her hands tightened around the steering wheel, I glanced at her.
" Mom? " hmm?"
"Are you okay?"
"I'm fine".
She said it too quickly.
I turned back to the window.
My mother had always been like that whenever she was working. She is a doctor but sometimes her curiosity takes her far beyond the hospital .
Especially when something didn't make sense. And eventually something in Blackwood didn't make sense.
"Are you still investigating those missing people?" I asked.
Her expression changed, only slightly but I noticed.
" There are a lot of rumors," she said carefully. That's not what I asked ". She sighed.
" Some people have disappeared recently". From the woods?" She didn't answer immediately. Then she said," just stay away from the forest."
I raised an eyebrow. 'Why?
"Because I said so."
I rolled my eyes.
" very convincing."
She smiled, but there was something uneasy behind it.
I didn't know it then,but that would be the last normal conversation we'd have for a while.