“Ben? Where did you go?” I keep walking. Still looking around, I hear a noise to my right.

“Ben? Is that you? This isn’t funny...we need to get going!” I keep walking, looking behind trees and bushes. Suddenly, to my left, I hear some rustling in the bushes. I cautiously begin to walk over, but stop suddenly. The same chill begins to surround me, chilling me to the bone.

“What is that?” I think to myself. I look around but see nothing. Then, louder this time, the rustling starts again. It comes from every direction. A knot begins to form in my stomach and I decide that I need to leave. As I begin to run, the rustling noise begins to morph into whispers. I can’t understand anything that they’re saying, but they send chills down my spine. I begin to reach the edge of the woods, but stop suddenly, for I can see someone or something standing there. It doesn’t seem like it’s seen me yet, though I still approach it cautiously. As I start to get closer, it begins to get more and more clear to me on what, or who is standing before me. The figure begins to turn around, I slow my pace and stop a few feet away. I take a deep breath as I gather up whatever courage is left.

“Who are you?” I ask, anxiously awaiting a response. I hear a small, soft chuckle come from the figure, who has not fully turned around.

“Oh Dylan...don’t you recognize me?” The figure begins to turn around. As their face starts to face mine, the knot begins to grow. They smile, and I back away a few steps.

“M-mom, what are you doing out here...?” I look around anxiously. She begins to walk closer, and my heart begins to beat faster.

“I just came to bring you home...” Her pace begins to quicken as she gets closer and closer to me. I continue to back up. I can hear blood beginning to rush in my ears as I am forced deeper and deeper back into the woods. As I’m about to say something, I notice more dark figures beginning to emerge from the forest. Emily, who is one of them, is followed by a figure that I don’t recognize. The figure is tall and has a mask on that resembles a wolf-like creature. From under the mask, I can see a shining, white smile.

I continue to back up slowly, my heart beginning to beat faster and faster.

“Wh-who are you? What do you want with me?” Laughter and whispers begin to echo around me, progressively getting louder and louder. The masked creature speaks,

“We had a deal. Your friend’s soul for yours. I let him go, so now it’s your turn for you to hold up your end of the deal.” My vision begins to get more and more blurry and I can see the edges beginning to darken. The pure adrenaline is becoming too much for me. Distracted by my thoughts, another tree root catches my heel and I fall. As I’m falling, time seems to slow down. I look up and notice something hanging from the masked figure’s neck—it’s the golden bird necklace. I look down and notice the same thing around mine. An idea begins to form and, instinctively, my hands reach up and grab the golden chain. I take it off, and as time begins to go back to normal, I throw it right in front of me.

The necklace falls to the ground, along with me. As I land, the figures begin to draw closer. It’s not long before they’re looming over me. The masked figure’s smile glinting in the eerie, blue, forest light. I stay there, frozen.

“Any last words?” the figure asks with a condescending chuckle. The others mimic his chuckle and the whispers begin to morph into words. It sounds like the word “promise”. From behind the figure’s mask, I can see what looks to be an eye. It begins to glow a blood red and I can feel the light reflect in mine. Before I have any time to think or react, a giant, black claw comes crashing down towards me. I instinctively roll to the side and begin to run. I don’t get very far before something sends a tree crashing down in front of me.

“Ah-ah-ah...not so fast. You can’t leave, remember? You belong to me now...”