Into the woods I P U B L I S H E D
4

„The world is a big place to see familiar faces,

But I’ve never thought I will see you so soon again.”

- Elizabeth

Elizabeth

„So you lead that so-called supporting group for girls?” I asked Ashley as we walked through the streets of the village. People stared at us, saying to us, and some of them even smiled.

„Yes. I’ve been in a toxic relationship myself. I know what does girls feel.” We carried two big boxes full of sandwiches and different treats.

„It’s really nice of you to do something like that,” I said.

We stopped in front of a white door. Ashley had placed her box on the floor before she unlocked the door and turned the lights on.

I heard a growl coming from behind, and turning around, I saw a shadow hiding behind the corner.

„There are about eight of us in the support group, but I encourage girls from our University to come too. It’s not a shame to come up and speak about what you went through.”

Walking in, I placed the box on an empty table and started to take out the things from the box.

Ashley, on the other hand, started placing chair around for them to sit.

Minutes passed and we managed to turn this place presentable just in time when the girls started to come in.

Ashley greeted each one of them while I stood there in the corner, watching every girl that was hurt by a man, and that made me angry.

The girls sat on their chair, leaving one empty.

Ashley turned to me. „You could stay, you know.”

I shook my head. “I’ll go next time, but I will wait for you at the coffee shop across the street.”

Ashley placed a hand on my shoulder. “Sure. I’ll be done in an hour.”

~ - ~

Ashley and I were already driving for 20 minutes to her house. It turned out that it was placed a little further from the city, near the Nightclaw forest, which is like the University we go, owned by the Nightclaw family.

After she had her support group, we had some coffee, where I found out that the Nightclaw family was one of the original founding families of this small place.

Shadowrose village itself was founded over 200 years ago, before Canada even existed, when the first Nightclaw’s came here from Norway, searching for a new and better life.

It also explained the number of portraits in the library. Each portrait represented a different generation of the Nightcalw’s, and the biggest one with the Alighieri quote, represented the latest generation of the family until their son’s don’t have their own children. Then that generation will hang on the walls of the library.

But the most interesting thing was definitely the thing that Tyler is one of them. He is actually a Nightclaw.

After our conversation in the library, it took me a while to come back to my senses.

I hope that I will never have to meet him again, but Ashley told me that he comes to the library almost every day. How much luck I had lately, I could easily run into him.

„Is this your necklace?” Ashley interrupted me in my thoughts. I gave her a quick glance as she was staring at my neck and the necklace that Lena had given me.

„Yes,” I turned to the street that Ashley had shown me a moment before. „My aunt gave it to me as a welcoming gift.”

She turned her gaze back to the road. „It’s beautiful.”

„Thank you.”

„Turn here.” With her fingers, she showed me a path that leads to a few houses next to the forest. I did what she told me and turned to the path.

All of the houses were a different color. One was red, one brown, and Ashley’s was a soft yellow color.

„Thank you for driving me home.”

„It’s nothing.” Before she walked out of the car, I stopped her, asking her a question. „Hey! Would you like to come with me on Monday to college?”

She turned around and smiled. „Sure. Give me your phone number and adress. I will pick you up.” After I gave her my number and the adress, we said goodbye to each other and she left to her house.

I really like her. She is a nice and funny girl. I think we will become really good friends. And the best about her is that she is honest. She always says what’s on her mind, not caring what everyone else says, and she proved that during our little chat at the coffee shop.

~ - ~

I don’t know how, but somehow I managed to return home pretty fast. Listening to some music helped me a little, but it didn’t help me with orienting in the village.

At first, it was hard to replace a way out, but after I had come to the part of the city that I was familiar with, it became much easier.

Now, parking the car in the yard, I checked if I had some missed messages.

Honey, please call me when you come back. – Mom

My heart skipped a beat when I read mom’s text. I miss her. I miss her so much.

Quickly dialing her number, I tried not to feel nervous. After all, I didn’t hear from her for two days.

„Honey,” Oh God, please don’t cry.

„Mom,” I whispered. „I miss you so much.” When I locked the car, the keys dropped down on the floor, beneath the car.

„I miss you too, sweety. How is Canada?” She paused for a second. „I called Lena a few minutes ago. She told me that you went to the library today. How was it? When do you start working?” I heard some strange noises coming from the background like someone was with her.

„It was great. I’m working every two days, and I’ve met a girl. She is really nice and friendly.”

„Did you meet a boy?” My cheeks turned red.

„Mom!” I leaned down to pick up the keys. „It didn’t even pass two days, and yet, you are already asking me over a boy.” Getting up, I leaned on the car, looking directly into the forest.

She laughed. „I had to ask. Now you have a chance to replace someone. Who knows, maybe you will replace your soulmate.” I choked at the mention of soulmates. I stopped believing in those things a long time ago.

„If you say so.” I don’t want to argue with her. So today, I had let her say whatever she wanted.

„Honey, the food is done,” A male voice shouted in the background.

„Who was that?” I asked.

„No one. I have to go now, sweety. I will call you. Love you.”

„And I love you.” She hung up before I’ve even got a chance of saying that to her.

Honey.

Who could it be?

I locked my phone and threw it in my bag.

A big scary growl came from the forest, making me freeze in my place. A black shadow ran from one place to another. It’s like deja vu all over again.

I could feel my heart pumping harder – quicker.

The shadow was coming closer and closer, and I was still standing like a statue, not moving a single bit.

I screamed, when suddenly, Ronny ran out of the forest, caring a squirrel in his mouth. Lena and Louis came out of the house, looking through the yard until their eyes met Ronny and me.

„What happened?” Louis asked.

I shook my head, petting Ronny on his head. „Nothing. He just scared the hell out of me.”

„I thought that something had happened to you,” Lena said. I can see on her face that she was scared.

„I’m fine,” I walked into the house, throwing my jacket on the hanger.

Walking into the kitchen, I took a glass and filled it with water. My hands still shaking.

„Are you sure you are okay?” Lena walked in with a rag in her hands.

„Yes,” I threw her one of my biggest, fakest smiles while praying inside that she believed me.

At first, she didn’t buy it, but after a few seconds, she smiled.

„Come. The food is already on the table.”

~ - ~

Saturday and Sunday had passed so fast that I didn’t even realize that today was already the beginning of a new week. Monday. The day I would go to my new University.

I can’t believe that those two days passed so quickly.

„When will you come back?” Lena asked me, standing at the kitchen door as I grabbed my coat from the hanger.

„Ashley will drive me back, but when, I don’t know. It depends on when I will be finished with my classes.” I heard a ping coming from my phone.

I grabbed it, seeing a message from Ashley.

I’m outside. – Ashley

„She is here,” I said, walking to the door. „See you later.” I slammed the door before I could even hear Lena saying goodbye to me.

As I walked down the porch, I watched Ashley waiting for me in her small red car.

I looked at her confused when I sat beside her.

„What?” She started the car on.

I shook my head. „Nothing.”

„I know that look, Elizabeth. It means that you don’t like my baby,” She gave me a death glare.

„I didn’t even say anything,” I laughed.

~ - ~

„What is your first class?” Leaning on the seat, I looked at her for a moment before I switched my gaze back to the trees around us. We were driving through the dark, creepy Nightclaw forest where the University was placed.

„English, yours?”

„Same. We could sit next to each other if you want.”

„Sure, but I have to go to the principal office before the next class.”

„Okay. I have something to take care of anyway. I will wait for you in front of the office when I’m finished.”

In front of us, the Nightclaw University sign appeared. The sign was written with black letters that stood under the stone, and behind that white stone, the University itself stood proudly between the branches of the forest.

„I didn’t know that it looks like a castle,” I said.

„It is and it screams Nightclaw family.” She was right. This castle screamed the power that the Nightclaw family have, and everyone who decides to oppose them will end up in a grave.

Maybe if I didn’t know who they are, maybe, just maybe, I would consider this black stoned castle beautiful. But I can’t. Not when I know to whom this beauty belongs to.

We drove in a circle, searching for a free space. Honestly, I wasn’t expecting this many parked places. I expected half of them to be empty.

Ashley finally managed to replace an empty space, just enough big to park her small car.

„Are you nervous?” I took my things from the last seat before getting out.

Ashley locked the car and threw the keys into her bag.

„Maybe?”

She laughed, resting her hand on my shoulder. „You don’t have to be. Everyone here is super nice, and you will not have any problem when you are with me.”

After thanking her, we started to walk to the castle until a sound came out of the forest.

I have a feeling that something was watching me, but that’s probably my paranoia playing mind games with me. Ashley walked to me when I suddenly saw a shadow behind a tree.

„Elizabeth? Are you okay?”

„Yeah,” I shook my head. That’s probably my imagination. I took a quick glance to the forest, and the shadow that was a few seconds standing there watching me wasn’t there anymore.

„You look like you’ve seen a ghost,” She laughed.

„I thought I saw someone standing there.”

~ - ~

The first class ended up being over faster than I had expected. When I first walked into the lecture hall, I tried to avoid curious eyes. Everyone went silent the moment they saw Ashley and me walking in.

And when the professor was calling out the students, I prayed in myself that I wouldn’t have to stand up and say something about myself, but unfortunately, I didn’t avoid his comment ‘You are the new girl.’

Since that comment, people were staring more and more at me. I heard a few comments from the guys and the girls. Some of them were good, and some of them weren’t. Especially from the girls.

Now walking through the hallway, I tried to replace the principal office while Ashley was meeting someone before her second class.

In front of me, a small group of people was standing next to the wall. Three guys and two girls. I walked to the group, hoping they would be nice to me, and maybe, they could tell me where the principal office was.

After a moment of standing there, I finally managed to ask. „Excuse me, can you please tell me where the principal office is?” They just ignored me, so I’ve said it again, but this time, taping the first guy on his shoulder.

„Can someone please tell me where the principal office is?” I hate repeating myself.

Everyone stopped talking, the two girls turned towards me, scanning me from head to toe. The other two guys stood still until the guy I had just taped on the shoulder turned around.

„Elizabeth?” And there it was, the face I had hoped that I would never meet again.

„Nicklaus.”