They Never Came Back

A One-Shot

I'm walking through the woods with her. We're doing some stupid school project.
She has her camera, and all I have is my backpack- it's torn up like old pages.
Pages burned in a fire?
It's a long slope to walk up in front of us, but we're doing it anyways.
It's already dark, and I can't even remember what the project is because I'm so tired.
I'm practically a walking zombie, here.

She's holding a nice camera in her hands, a digital one; I'm guessing we're taking pictures of something? I hate this slope, so steep. Why am I out this late with her? She could have done this on her own.
My head is turning forward again, from looking around, to see a clearing; trees are around us in a perfect circle.

I'm looking up at the stars, while she looks around. What are we looking for again?
The sound of branches crackling is filling my ears. That's Jess, right? She's just looking around, right? I turn around, and I see that Jess is returning to my side, scared.

"Hello" I hear, it's a deeper voice than hers- an older lady's voice. It sounds sinister. My eyes are looking around and I'm seeing a little girl walking up to us. She has blonde hair with a strange…twisty-braid-thing in the front. She's smiling. She must be happy. Jess is gripping my shirt, though, which can't be good.

"I'm going to have to borrow your friend for a moment, just need some information" She walks up to us, and Jess cringes back. She has her eyes closed. What's going on?

The little girl is jumping up and sticking her hand in Jess' mouth. Jess' eyes are glowing yellow. Jess is possessed.

"You're going to give her body back, right?" I find myself asking. I care about Jess. Why am I just standing there? The little girl scares me, too. She has something with her- something tall, grinning with sharp teeth, white faced and black clothed. A strange symbol sits on its forehead. It had no eyes but it's staring at me. Is it going to hurt me?

"Of course you'll get her back." The small girl smiles at me, she looks like a snake.

Jess and that girl are talking, but I can't hear them.

Something's wrong.

"I'm done with her." Says the little girl, her head is tilting upwards- she's grinning at the monster near me. He's grinning back at her.
No.
No.
No.
I know what's going to happen.

The monster, with long dark tentacle arms is picking up Jess.
No.
Stop.
I can't move.

It's winding its arm back, holding her high in the air.
No.
It isn't going to put her down.

She's flying.
She's crashing into many branches.
She's in a thorn bush.
She's dead.

Jess is dead.

"You'll be with her soon." The little girl is smiling…smiling! She's shrugging her tiny shoulders.

"Monster." I say, with my eyes looking at the dark and tall beast.

It doesn't like that.
It's angry.

I'm feeling myself being lifted off the ground. My eyes aren't wavering from it's own. I'm being lifted higher and higher off the ground, but I'm keeping my face straight. I'm no longer over the clearing; I'm over tall…tall trees. I'm facing the trees.

Falling…

Falling…

Black.