: I would like to thank a reader, starr and Celestial Vision for reviewing. Now, this chapter makes no sense, so go ahead and flame it. Burn it, please, since this is my first real fanfiction story. Also ALL chapters are bound to have cussing. Oh, and any character that was not in the movie THE CRAFT are mine unless I state otherwise. :
* *( These mean someone's thoughts
~ ~( These mean emphasizing
The throbbing of her head greeted Sarah as she awoke, squinting slightly against the fading light of the sun. Her eyes widen when she realized that she was no longer in the car and that she was lying on the ground in the middle of a forest.
"What the hell?" she moaned as she sat up, wincing as her bones popped and rocks dug through her clothing. She ran a hand through hair, absently picking out dead grass and leaves that she acquired during her time on the ground. Studying her surroundings, she guessed by the position of the sun it was late evening, for it was over the treetops. She also denounced that she had no clue where she was and that she was alone.
"Good work Sherlock," she mumbled to herself, "How am I going to get out?" After she stood up she started to brush off her clothes, sending mists of dirt flying off her blue blouse and into the air.
"I bet I have ticks crawling on me." She wrinkled her nose as she walked a few feet from her 'bed' to some briar bushes. Seeing no opening, Sarah turned around to see that she was enclosed in a small clearing, guarded by thick briars. Unless she was willing to risk being mutilated by their thorns, she had no way of passing them into the forest. *This can't be happening. Wish I didn't decide on wearing a skirt.*
"DAD! JENNY! ARE YOU OUT THERE? PLEASE, HELP ME! Please someone help me." Her sudden screaming startled a flock of birds that were starting to nest for the night. Squawking, they flew away for a quieter area. Sarah watched them disappear while listening to the stillness of the forest, the echoing silence.
"Silence doesn't echo, though."
Sarah was about to try calling for help again when a soft voice stopped her.
"Silence echoes, for it's the voices of the forest answering its children's cries. It is answering your cries."
Sarah turned around to see the woman from the occult shop in L.A., who tried to help her when her coven wanted her dead. Looking at her now, Sarah blinked a couple times, for the vanishing light illuminated the woman until she had the likeness of an angel.
"What do you mean, Ms. Lirio? The forest is answering me?" Sarah inquired bewildered. *How in hell did she get her?*
"The forest is Earth, and the Earth is the mother to all. She helps those who will listen."
"And I listen."
"Yes, you have deeper ties to her than most. You know her, felt her, respect her, and very importantly understand her as much as we mortals can. For that, she will answer questions that she deems to be important. But do not depend on her, Sarah, for she will not get rid of your problems."
Sarah glanced skeptically at Lirio before studying the briar bushes closely. "So, if I ask the forest for a way out, it could or could not answer me?"
"Yes, to find a way out of this problem, even if it is a minor one. But it might help unless it is significant."
Slapping her arms on her side, Sarah realized another problem. "Just how am I going to ask…?" When she turned around, Lirio vanished.
"You just ask." Lirio's voice echoed quietly through the woods, surprising Sarah to where she jumped slightly.
"Okay, just ask…" She stared up into the navy blue sky, "Please, help me find a way out of here."
Sighing, she looked towards the briars, discovering that an opening had appeared in front of her. She took a few timid steps forward until she was on the other side.
"Thank you." With the utterance of those words, a soft breeze stirred the leaves in the nearby trees as if say *Your Welcome*.
Sarah smiled slightly as she studied the scenery, enjoying the scents that drifted to her nostrils. The tang of earth was strong, untouched by human civilization and the harmful chemicals man had made. No, just nature at its finest moment. A twig snapped from behind, but nothing was to be seen when Sarah turn around. Shrugging her shoulders, she continued on her journey through the forest.
Touching a near by tree, Sarah was surprised of how smooth it felt despite its rugged appearance. Tracing her fingers over the cracked bark, Sarah stared up at the leaves that created a great canopy above her. Shades of purple peaked through the dark, glossy foliage, reminding her it was getting dark soon. As she was pulling away, her fingers caught an odd engraving in the tree, as far as she could tell it wasn't natural. Sarah turned around, only to be shocked of what it said.
RUN SARAH RUN WHILE YOU STILL CAN.
It looked like it was there for years, but she knew it hadn't been there seconds before. Sarah stepped closer to inspect it, but as her hand touched the impression, the wind blew it away.
Sarah backed quickly away, her eyes darting to every tree and bush, waiting for something to jump out. With a low howl, the wind picked up and intensified it volume, the trees shuddered as Sarah covered her ears.
"Stop, stop, stop." She chanted over, trying to create the windstorm to cease. Squeezing her eyes shut, Sarah violently shook her head side to side, but the wailing delved into her skull and into her brain. As she was about to scream, a strong hand gripped her wrists, twisting it away from her head and causing her to open her eyes.
"What do you want with me?" Sarah yelled when she realized it was no other than Nancy who held the tight grip on her. She managed to twist away, turning back to glare at her former friend. She looked just like she did the first time Sarah met her.
"I know you did this! Where are my Dad and Jenny?" Clenching her fists, Sarah made a threatening step towards the other girl.
"I honestly have no idea where they are, Sarah, and I'm not doing anything. But you have to get out of here." Nancy grabbed Sarah's arm and started to drag her away, the winds getting fiercer, tearing leaves off branches. Sarah struggled slightly, her hair wrapped around her face to where she was spitting it out of her mouth.
Lodging her boot under some tree roots, Sarah managed to get Nancy to stop, "NO! You tried to kill me, unless you have forgotten."
"Look here, if you want to be left behind than go right ahead. I thought I would be nice and help you so that thing back there won't get you." Nancy pointed to part of the forest behind them. Darkness settled in quickly during the few minutes, but Sarah could see a shape moving swiftly in the trees. *It must have been following me.*
"Okay, lead the way."
After a few minutes, they we walking/running/tripping through the forest in complete darkness, and Sarah had fallen so many times it wasn't even funny. The wind had died down, letting Sarah hear what seem to be either dogs howling or wolves, or maybe it was something different. *Uh, I don't even want to know.* (Author Note: I'm going to tell you its coyotes, because I feel like telling someone.)
"Where are we going?" Sarah asked, her eyes sweeping over the darkness of the wooded area, trying to spot what was near that creepy tree a ways back.
"'Where are we going?' I'll tell you where, someplace that will get you out of here before you die. Good enough?" Nancy angrily swatted at some branches that she accidentally ran into and for spite she pulled Sarah into them to.
"Arrg, where is it? Do you hear water?" Questioning Sarah, Nancy paused long enough to allow Sarah to detangle herself from the branches.
"I…"
"Shut up, I think I hear it." Sarah rolled her eyes as she was tugged along.
Soon, a loud noise of rushing water filled the air as the duo approach what looked like a giant whirlpool, in the middle of the forest with a stream pouring into it from the sky.
"What's going on? Nothing is making sense here and you are supposed to be in the mental hospital." Sarah yelled over the roar of the water, stepping a little closer to the eddy.
Nancy walked behind Sarah, "Jeez, can't you tell this is a dream? As for the loony bin, I was in it."
"You were in it? What do you mean?" Sarah spun around to see whether or not Nancy was going to answer her questions.
"Yah, I was in it and I died. Some damn nurse over dosed me, the fucking bitch. Now stop the stupid questions and jump in the water." Nancy lent over to put her face in Sarah's. "Now."
"What? Are you crazy?" *Wait, she was in the mental hospital…*
Nancy grinned sinisterly. Before Sarah could blink, Nancy pushed her back as hard as she could. Sarah started to scream as she felt the wind rush past her before she splashed into the water. She struggled to keep her head above, but the water was to powerful, and before she went completely under she hear Nancy shout.
"Ask the Shadow for help but stay away from the Darkness." *Don't want to know.*
__________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________
Sarah gasped and bolted up, banging her head against something hard, causing her to fall back. In the background she heard something fall and someone moan, cursing in a strange language. When the pain subsided, she cracked one eye open, seeing the worried faces of her Dad and Jenny she sat up and smiled slightly.
"Hey, was I out long?" Her eyes wandered around the room she was in, apparently the living room of the house. It was an expensive one at that, big television, crystal figurines everywhere and the leather couch she was sitting on.
"Thank God you're alright. We thought that you just fallen asleep, but when we reached Cathy and Andy's place you wouldn't wake up. Mills was the only one home at the time, and we were about to take you to the hospital until Mills took out the smelling salts. That's when you jumped up and smack your head against Mills'. Mills, are you alright?" Sarah's dad John explained to her as Jenny patted Sarah's face.
Looking on the floor, Sarah saw a young man with brown hair sprawled on the floor holding his nose. He waved his hand at them, signaling that he was okay before opening is gold-brown eyes and smiled at Sarah.
"Hello Sarah Bailey. I'm Mills Birman, and let me welcome you to Gallipolis."
