When Darkness Calls Determined Spirit The sun slowly set over the Eastern Dorm and Tanya had spent most of the day crying into her pillow and now she stared at the white ceiling, yellowing from the soft glow of the sun, listening to the silence. The room felt even emptier than before now that Jenn's things were gone. Before she would just open the closet to remind herself of her friend. Some rough nights she would pull out one of Jenn's sweaters and curl up with it, however now there was only the picture on the desk and that didn't feel like enough to Tanya. She lay still, thinking to herself about the past and the present as well as how to get her friends back. She sat up in the bed and glanced out the window at the Western Dorms and wondered what Jenn and Kris were doing right that moment. Would they be eating? Maybe they were sleeping, dreaming about the past, dreaming about Tanya. She frowned at the building. She hated the cursed building. Loathed its very existence and the fact that it took her friend from her. She glared at the building when something moved in the corner of her eye. She shifted her sight to see what it could be; yet all she could see at this time of day was the blackness of the Western wood. Her eyes grew wide as she recalled Kris’s stories from earlier; suddenly she decided what needed to be done. She turned to her desk and pulled out a piece of paper and a pen, and then quickly she scrawled out a note on the page and set it on her pillow, then placed the photo on the paper to make sure it didn't blow away. Next she opened the closet and pulled out a pair of worn jeans and a sweater, for the nights were known to get cold in these areas. She quickly got dressed and rushed to the door. It was just past dinner call, so the girls should be in the cafeteria at this time. Cherilyn didn't come to visit her, so Tanya figured the girl was going to leave her alone for the time being. Her friend would more than likely be back to check on her in the morning, so that gave her the entire night before anyone would notice she was missing. If she were lucky they would not notice until next dinner hour. Cautiously she slipped out and crept down the hall and swiftly descended the stairs to the front lobby. As she suspected, there was no one about. She grabbed her shoes from the front door and snuck out into the night. She waited until she was under the cover of some trees before trading her shoes. She picked up her indoor shoes and held them close to her. She didn't want anyone to find them too early so cared them with her for a bit. Tanya kept close to the school for fear that someone would spot from the dorm windows and no one ever entered the school on Sundays. She dashed through the grass with only one thought in mind. She would enter the Wood and when she emerged they would have to let her move to the West Dorms. It was a perfect plan and the closer Tanya got to the academy border the surer she was of herself. Before long she found herself standing at the mass of dark tangled trees. The sight of the trees made a slight tingle of doubt enter the girl’s minds, however the thought of never being with her friends overwhelmed her ever so much more. She swallowed the last of her uncertainty and stepped into the dense brush to be instantly swallowed by the woods. Within a couple steps it appeared that the forest opened up for the girl allowing her to venture deeper into its depths. Tanya could not figure out why so many were so afraid of the woods. There wasn't anything to fear. They were just a bunch of old twisted trees. Then one of the trees appeared to move and yet another. It started to feel like the trees had eyes and were watching her. She turned around to see that the trees were devouring the path behind her. She held her shoes close to her. Maybe it would be best to stay on the path. She began to wonder if she was being lead somewhere, but where? With every step the girl took her bravery was eaten away by the forest. Tanya felt her ears become more aware of her surroundings, acute to every solitary noise. She found herself beginning to jump at the sound of her very own footfalls. Suddenly she was aware of the sounds of other footsteps approaching her from the left. Tanya quickened her pace in an attempt to lose her stalker, however the person only sped up along with her. Tanya suddenly bolted from the path and crashed through the forest. She ran with all her might. Terrified of the thing that was following in her wake. She stumbled on a tree root and tumbled to the ground. The footstep got closer until they were upon the girl. Tanya let out a terrifying scream, which only the trees would hear. ***** To be Continued...
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