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Posting this on the Birthday of my bestest friend MalicMalic! Happy Australian Birthday Sweetheart!
Authors note: during research of the forest used in this story, I came across the Pukwedgie, a humanoid creature from the Wampanoag native tradition. I briefly thought about using this creature but changing it to fit my needs but decided that would be completely disrespectful to the native heritage so I made the monster in this fic up, but possibly it could be a distant European cousin?
And the usual disclaimer applies: I don't own the rights to Sam, Dean or anything else related to SPN, I just borrow them to play occasionally.
"Isn't this place amazing?" Amy asked as she skipped along beside Derek through the low lying morning mist.
"Yeah babe, it's really pretty." Derek replied.
"Did you know this is the most haunted forest in the US?" She asked as she bounced along beside him.
"Yeah, you told me that."
Derek cursed as he stumbled over a hidden tree root. He was a city boy. He grew up in a jungle of skyscrapers, hiking really wasn't his thing but Amy enjoyed it and he wanted to keep her happy.
"Are you sure you wouldn't have rather do this with Sam and Dean? I mean they're the ghost people?" He asked.
"You're funny! Sam and Dean hunt ghosts, I doubt they are going to enjoy a leisurely walk through the most haunted forest in the US. And besides, they'd probably get rid of them all and then Freetown Forest loses its draw card." She shrugged then linked her arm through Dereks, clasping their fingers together. "There's no one I'd rather spent a romantic walk through nature with than you."
Derek smiled down at Amy and kissed her on the lips before they continued down the path.
They followed the trail, quietly chatting, occasionally pointing out some weird or wonderful plant or rock or peculiarly twisted tree.
"It doesn't feel spooky here does it? I mean, it just feels quiet." Amy asked as she pulled her back pack off to get her water.
"Yeah, you're right, it is kind of quiet here." Derek turned and looked about.
"Tea kettle." Amy randomly said.
"What?"
"Tea kettle. You just asked 'what whistles but doesn't have lips?'. The answer is tea kettle." She said handing her bottle to Derek for a drink.
"No I didn't." Derek replied as he took the bottle.
"Yeah you did." Amy insisted.
Derek swallowed his water and handed the bottle back.
"I really didn't Amy." Derek said seriously.
Amy stared at her boyfriend as she recapped the bottle.
"I could have sworn you said it." She mumbled as she replaced the water container in her pack.
"You must be hearing things." Derek said as he pulled raised the camera hanging around his neck to snap pictures of weird looking mushrooms growing on a log. He lowered the camera again and flicked through the pictures. "Hey Amy, check these out. Maybe we can dress you up as a fairy and photoshop you in."
Derek turned to show Amy the photos only to encounter empty space.
"Amy?" He looked around but saw no sigh of her. "Amy!"
"What?"
Whirling around Derek saw Amy emerge from some bushes.
"Where did you go?" He asked.
"I found a little path here." She said. "We should check it out, come on!"
Amy grabbed Dereks wrist and pulled him in the direction of the path.
"Amy, stop. That's not a sign posted trail. Who knows what made that or where it leads. It's safer if we just stick to the marked track." He said, placing his hands on her shoulders and looking down on her.
"You're no fun." She pouted but followed him anyway as he resumed walking along the track.
"Yeah, but you still love me!"
"Dammit, I do!" She joked as she shoulder bumped her boyfriend.
Derek grinned and wrapped and arm around her shoulders as they walked.
…
An hour later they stopped and sat on a fallen tree while they had something to eat.
"So I'm thinking we keep going on this trail for about another hour then turn back. That should give us time to make use of that amazing bath before we go out for dinner." Derek said nuzzling into Amy's neck.
She giggled the squirmed away.
"I like the sound of that. Come on, we should get moving." Amy suddenly froze. "Potatoes." She whispered.
"Potatoes?"
"What has eyes yet can not see? Potatoes. You didn't hear that?" She asked wide eyed.
"No I didn't hear anything." Derek assured her.
"Weird." Amy shook her head. "You sure you didn't hear anything?"
"I'm positive. Look, there's probably just another group somewhere behind us telling stupid jokes. You know how sound can carry in the forest." Derek said.
"But why don't you hear it?"
"Women tend to generally have better hearing than men, it's a 'mom' thing, so they can hear their children cry." Derek explained.
"But I'm not a mom." Amy countered.
"No, but you are a woman…and what a woman!" He said pulling her close and kissing her.
Amy pulled back and stroked Dereks face.
"So an hour more in that direction then back to the room?" She asked softly.
"Or, we could just go back to the room now?"
Amy leaned back in and kissed Derek again.
"Nah, I want to see what's up ahead!" She smiled at him knowing he would cave to her every whim.
"Fine." He sighed, reluctantly letting her go. "Let's keep walking."
"Right, well the sooner we get started the sooner we get back! Make sure you have all your rubbish." Amy said happily.
"Yeah I got it."
Derek began to collect up his trash but somehow managed to drop the lot, spreading it over the forest floor.
"Crap!" He mumbled as he bent to pick it up.
"Are you ready to go?" He heard Amy ask.
"Yeah, just give me a second." He heard a sound like Amy stepping away. "Hey, wait for me. Don't get too far ahead."
He stood up, finally having picked up all the rubbish and turned to where he thought Amy would be, but she wasn't. He quickly jammed his trash into his pack and took off up the trail.
"Amy? Where are you babe? Don't tell me you found another mystery trail?" He called, but received no answer. "Amy?"
He turned a full circle before spotting something by a bush. It was Amy's pack. He picked it up and scanned the surrounding area. He saw no sign of her.
"Amy? This isn't funny! You know how dangerous it is to leave the trail!" He yelled. "Amy? Amy!"