The forest trees loomed over me, small specks of light trickling through the leaves and onto my skin as I strolled through the forest, finding a place to seat myself under a tree. 

I looked up at the sky, my hair gently blowing in the wind. 

I looked down again, lifting my vial from around my neck as I gently held it in my hands and shut my eyes, feeling my clothes transform on my body. 

Slowly I opened my eyes again, standing up and twirling before I started walking around. 

I was close to a nearby hotel, with the building peaking through the trees in the distance.

As I looked at the hotel I heard rustling from behind me. 

I turned my head around to find a middle aged woman standing by a tree, pale grey skin and long silver hair as she watched me. She looked to be wearing a uniform. 

She approached me as I froze up slightly. “Ah, hello…?” I said, “I'm not trespassing, am I…?”

She paused for a moment. “No.“ She said “You aren’t.” 

I chuckled nervously, “Ah good, apologies…” I said, turning around to leave and started to walk back to the edge of the forest. 

Continuing to look behind me I noticed the woman was still following me and it wasn't long before I started running away but I could hear her footsteps still trailing behind me.

Stumbling through the forest, I kept looking behind me to watch her.

She had closely followed behind me as I continued to run. 

I felt my shoe jam into a branch from under me, tripping and collapsing onto the forest bed with a heavy grunt.

I held my eyes shut, holding my head in searing pain.

Continuing to roll around onto my back, I slowly opened my eyes. 

She stood over me, looking down with her eyes firmly fixed on me as she bent over, reaching out her arms as she attempted to grab me. 

I shoved her away, as I tried to get back on my feet only to be pulled down by my legs. 

I tried to get away, digging my nails into the dirt trying to pry myself away. 

But I couldn’t escape. 

I felt her nails dig into my flesh as I let out a guttural scream. 

She sunk their nails deeper into my flesh, slowly clawing up to my waist, wrapping her arms around me as she lifted me into the air. 

Her nails dug into my stomach as I turned my head around to look at her, finding beady black eyes staring into my soul instead. The woman had become a horrific bat-like creature.

She unhinged her jaw, a row of fine, sharp teeth lining the inside of her mouth. 

She drew me closer as I screamed in terror. 

But it was too late. 

Far too late.

I shot up in bed, panting heavily. 

Taking a moment to collect my thoughts, running my fingers through my hair, I turned my head around, looking through my bedroom window, it was still dark. It was raining again…

I relaxed a bit, letting out a sigh before collapsing back into my bed. 

I wondered. 

Was that how I died? 

Pulling my bedsheets aside and getting out of bed, I stood in front of the mirror. It felt like her nails were still digging into my skin.  

I lifted my shirt, small scabs formed from where she had dug into my flesh and then next to my appendix scar was a large and thick one, wrapping around me. At my will, I now had them. And my hands felt dirty, they felt… Filthy… 

The sun rose, the sky was grey today as me and Casper sat in the small world we created: the ruins of a church in a barren field. With the wind gently blowing through my hair with my parasol overshadowing my face. 

“Casper…?” I asked. 

He turned to look at me, his long curly hair billowing gently. “Hm?” he hummed. “What is it?” 

“I got my memories back this morning…” I said, turning my head away and looking into the horizon. 

“Oh, really?” he said. 

“Yeah…” I said “I was murdered.” 

Casper let out a chuckle. “You alright mate?” he asked me. 

“Yeah… I’m alright.” I told him. 

He wrapped his arm around me, leaning against me “Oh good.” 

“Are you ever going to go to Avery?” He asked me. 

I stared off into the horizon. “No… I don't think I will…” I told him. 

“It's not worth it.” I turned to look at him as I let out a chuckle. 

He nodded, laying down onto the floor. “Yeah, I get that.” he said “I wouldn’t either.”

“Sad you couldn't get to say goodbye to your friends however.” he said. “it’s always painful when you don't get the chance to say goodbye to the people you love…”

“Heh, yeah…” I chucked, letting out a sigh “Oh well.”  as I laid down onto the tile floor beside him. 

“I feel better, at least.” I said “I’m feeling less depressed lately…”

“Hehe. Well that's nice, ain't it?” he said, a smile on his face. 

I smiled back, “It is.”