Don't Go Into The Woods.

Thought I would share a little short story - just for fun.

Don't Go Into The Woods.

Don’t go into the woods.  Those five words were the first I ever learnt.  All through my early years, the only words I heard were ‘Don’t go into the woods.’  Nobody ever said why, and I knew better than to ask.

         Growing up I noticed that every so often, someone from our little town would disappear.  I would ask my mother where they went, but all she would say was, ‘Don’t go into the woods.’  So I never went in there.

            One day after school, I went to the woods, but I didn’t dare go in.  My mothers’ words rang clear inside my head, ‘Don’t go into the woods.’  I stood on the edge and looked in.  just to see what all the fuss was about.  There was nothing special about it.  It was just trees and grass.  In fact, it was just the same as any other woods’ I had seen.  As I stood there looking in, I started to wonder about how quiet it was.  There were no birds twittering, or flying in the trees.  Nothing was rustling about in the undergrowth.  It was almost as if the woods were dead.  There was nothing that appeared to be living in there.  I also noticed the lack of flowers.  There were plenty of weeds.  Everything was green or brown, no colour to be seen anywhere.

            I ran home as fast as I could, and I never went back there again.  People continued to disappear, but still I did not understand.  There was nothing special about those woods.  Many people did go in there, but every so often, one or more of them wouldn’t come back.  No one ever asked the reason why.

            Now I have returned to the home of my childhood, all grown up, and ready to face my fears.  Today, I will go into those woods.  Whatever is in there, I will find it.  The mystery that had haunted my childhood will end today.  With a deep sigh, and absolutely no idea what I was doing, I took the first step into the unknown.

            Leaves and twigs crackled under my feet, as I walked slowly through the trees.  There was no path to follow, and I had no idea of the way back, but my heart did not falter.  I just kept on walking slowly forwards hoping to find something, anything.  All around me there was nothing but trees.  No signs of life anywhere.  I was starting to feel a bit foolish, stood alone in the middle of nothing.  I turned to find my way back, but soon realised that it wasn’t there.  There was no path I had been following, and everything looked the same.  I was lost.

            The minutes turned to hours, as I desperately searched for a way out of the woods.  I felt as though I was walking around in circles.  Onwards and onwards I trudged for miles, but still I could see nothing but trees.  The sun was still shining above me, but I knew that it wouldn’t be long before darkness fell.  Who knew what sort of dangers the night could bring.

            Finally, just when I thought that all hope was lost, I saw a sign in the distance.  Smoke, from a fire.  Maybe someone was out here camping in the woods.  If I found them, then maybe they could help me find the way out.  So, I walked towards the smoke.  As I grew nearer, I noticed that it was thick and black, and there was a strange, sort of sweet, smell in the air.

            As I walked slowly towards the fire, I noticed that there was something burning on top of it.  At first I couldn’t tell what it was, but as I drew closer I realised, that they were bones.  Human bones.  That strange smell in the air, was Human flesh, burning away to nothing.  A feeling of dread and horror swept through my body, as the feelings of salvation that I once had, had now turned to despair.  I tried desperately not to make a sound, as I looked all around me, praying to God that I was alone.  There was nothing.  Who, or what had been here before, they were gone now.  I breathed a sigh of relief, and then I heard a gentle rustle of leaves, not too far from where I stood.

            As quietly as I could manage, I moved behind the biggest tree I could find.  My heart was beating so hard that it was pounding in my ears.  It sounded so loud, that I was sure it was going to give me away.  I just stood there frozen to the spot, waiting to see what would emerge.  What I saw next, will haunt me for the rest of my life.

            Out from the trees emerged a woman.  At least, that is what I thought it was at first.  It was a small, bent over figure, dressed from head to toe in a long, black cloak.  It stopped to put more wood on the fire, and I saw its hands.  The skin was so pale, that it was almost translucent.  Even from a distance, I could see the blue veins, like spider webs covering its arms.  On the end of the fingers there were claws.  Long, silver and sharp.  A gust of wind ripped through the trees, and removed its hood.  I saw its face, with the pale skin and pulsating blue veins.  The eyes were as black as its hair.  Whatever this thing was, it was not from this world.

            I stood behind my tree, unable to move.  It just stood there by the fire, almost as though it was waiting for something.  Then, out of the blue, my mothers words suddenly flooded my brain, ‘Don’t go into the woods.’  I had listened to her then.  Why did I decide to stop?  I looked over at It, and realised that it was looking at something.  It was looking at me.  Those dark, black eyes were staring right at me.  It let out a loud, cackling laugh, and I saw its teeth, sharp and silver just like its claws.

            I turned and ran.  I had no idea where I was going, but I knew that I had to get away.  Was it following me?  I did not know, but I was not about to turn around and look.  Night was falling and it was getting dark.  If I didn’t get out of here soon, then I was going to end up on that fire.  At least, the bits that were left of me would.  Now I knew what had happened to all those people.  They had become lost in the woods, and then fallen prey to this demonic creature.

            At last, I could see a way out.  Just a couple of more minutes and I would be free.  I would be safe.  Then I felt a sharp pain in the back of my neck.  I could feel the blood start to flow, and then came that cackling laugh.  It had caught up with me.  Just when I had thought there was hope, It snatched it away.  I fell to the ground, and I could feel those razor sharp claws, tearing away at the skin of my back.  The pain was excruciating, but I was not about to die like this.  Why did I not listen to my mother?

            The claws were frantically ripping at my flesh, but somehow, I managed to get to my feet.  I kept on willing myself to go forward, and to my surprise, it worked.  My body was being torn apart, and I was leaving a trail of blood behind me, but I managed to keep on going.  The edge of the woods grew gradually nearer, as I willed myself to carry on.  I could sense the desperation of It, as it tried desperately to drag me back inside the woods.

            The cackling laugh grew distant and feint, as I made it out onto the road.  I looked up at the moon, and screamed.  The road was empty, and the small town had long since been deserted.  My strength and courage had finally deserted me, and I was all alone.

            The next thing I remember, was waking up in the hospital.  Someone had driven past and found me.  Everyone kept saying how lucky I was to be alive.  The strange thing was, nobody asked what had actually happened to me.  I was expecting to be interviewed by the police, but they did not come.  Doctors and Nurses came and went.  They did their jobs, but never asked a single question about how I got my injuries. 

            Later on, when everyone had gone home, I lay in my bed, puzzled at the lack of interest in my injuries.  A man came round mopping the floors.  As he came closer to my bed, I saw that he had a hideous scar across his face.  He never said a word, just kept on mopping, silent as a mouse.  As he left the room he stopped, he looked back at me and said, ‘Don’t go into the woods.’  Now I understood, as I closed my eyes and wept.