1:30pm, Wednesday, 12th.
Their heads turned almost immediately at the sharp snap of a twig.
Winn and Judith froze where they stood, their eyes scanning their surroundings. But there was nothing there except for the tall, slimy trees, and the only noises were the rustling of the leaves and their deep intakes of air.
"Is there anyone there?" Judith ventured to ask.
It was weird, Winn thought. There were no birds chirping anywhere. The trees didn't have enough leaves, so that made up for the lack of birds. He couldn't even hear the sound of rushing water, so they were nowhere near a river.
When there was no response to Judith's question, Winn turned away. "I think we should go back."
"Yeah, me too." Judith furrowed her brows, taking one last survey of the trees before turning to follow behind Winn. "Do you remember the way?"
"Vaguely." The wind had paused now. The leaves high up on the trees were no longer moving. It was like everything had stilled. Then, the sound of another twig snapping stopped them again. This time, they didn't turn around. They kept their eyes straight ahead because the thing that produced the sound was standing right before them.
Instinctively, Winn pushed Judith behind him and took a step forward.
Before them stood a young girl, about the age of Winn's sister. Her hair was in old braids that didn't reach her waist. They were dirty and muddy. Her gown was muddy as well, and her feet were bare. The mud on her feet blended with her skin tone. Her eyes shone bright, and her lips were upturned in a warm yet oddly creepy smile.
"Hello there. You must be lost." Her voice came out tiny and hoarse, like she hadn't spoken in years.
Winn observed her further and saw that her arms were scarred. Multiple wounds lined both her upper and lower arms. The gown she wore did nothing to conceal them. Did she even want to conceal them? But her smile...
"We are," Judith said, stepping from behind Winn.
"Who are you? Were you on the bus too?"
Oh, right. Winn hadn't even realized that she might have been on the same bus as them. It made sense... It didn't make sense, actually. Did she follow them?
"Yeah. I followed you." Now, her smile faltered, but just for a split second before it returned. "I know the way back." She beamed. "I left a trail of yellow flowers."
Did she know they were going to get lost?
"I always had this thing where I made artificial sunflowers. My mother always told me to carry one wherever I go, and when I seem lost, I should start dropping them. That way, I'd be able to find my way back. So, I guess it helped, right?" Her gaze was fixed on Judith, never once shifting to look at Winn.
"Well, your mom is the smartest. Lead the way, little girl," Judith said.
The girl beamed up at Judith and turned to lead the way back.
Winn stood, staring at their retreating figures for a second. Did that girl just read his mind?
"Winner, you don't want to get left behind, do you?" Judith called out to him. He zoned back in and jogged up to meet them. That little girl was weird, but at the same time, she might have just been following them.
1:50pm, Wednesday, 12th.
The first sunflower on the trail stood out from the other dead leaves on the ground. It curled in a circular position but didn't even move due to the scarcity of wind.
The girl stepped on the flower and turned to Judith. "The first flower. Don't worry, you'll be back to the bus in no time."
Winn came to a halt, but Judith walked past the girl and continued down the trail.
"Aren't you going?" The girl asked, looking forward.
Winn glanced at her, then with a shrug, he walked past her too. Something was up with that girl, but he couldn't put his finger on it. The whole place was strange, actually.
"Another flower!" Judith exclaimed from where she had paused in front. She turned back, but instead of moving forward, she turned left and walked on.
The wind suddenly came back, more ferocious than ever. It picked up the leaves and sand, throwing them into Winn's face.
He raised his arm to shield his eyes.
Them he heard it.
"No!"
Judith!
"Judith!" He dropped his arms and spun around, squinting his eyes to search his surroundings.
She wasn't there.
She wasn't standing where he last saw her. That space was empty like she had never been there at all.
"Judith!" He called, his voice cracked up as he spun in panic.
The girl was gone too.
Vanished.
Just like that!
"Judith!"
He heard a whimpering sound coming from further away, and he sprinted toward the sound.
There, on the ground, was Judith, her shoe was no longer on her feet and her ankle was bent with blood dripping from a fresh wound. Beside her, the girl crouched next to her, calm, like it was a natural situation.
Winn paused. A million questions rushed through his head. When? How...?
"What happened?" was the only thing he could mutter.
"You shouldn't have neglected the flowers." The girl said softly.
"What the hell?!" Winn exclaimed at the girl. "What does that even mean?"
Slowly, for the first time since they encountered her, her gaze met his.
With a sharp intake of breath, Winn froze.
Those eyes.
The forest seemed to fall away, the noise dulling as recognition slammed into him with brutal force. He knew those eyes. He had seen them every morning. Across the dinner table. In old photographs he couldn't bring himself to throw away.
"You'll get lost if you leave the flowers." The girl said, her child-like tone now gone. "Never. Leave. The flowers."
Her sharp stare held him in place before turning back to Judith's injured foot like nothing had happened.
Winn stumbled back, his limbs trembling.
No.
It wasn't possible.
How could this girl, a girl he hadn't met before, a girl who was in no way related to him or his family, have those eyes? How could a girl that age have his father's eyes?