Chapter Eight: Fearful
Marie-Christine threw the bouquet of flowers onto the ground the moment she had lost sight of Phillipe behind the wide trunks of the trees that made up the forest; the small bundle of colorful flowers immediately fell apart-- the petals tore, and she continued walking without a second glance.
I hope he won't follow me, she thought, still frightened, as she quickened her pace; she realized that there were nearly fifteen miles ahead of her before she would be able to reach home, It'll take about four hours, she realized, with a heavy sigh, "I might as well enjoy my walk," she thought out loud... At least this part of the forest was beautiful-- sunny, as opposed to the frightening darkness that she would be forced to encounter later on...
His eyes would find me there...
She shuddered once again, and tried to focus on the beautiful sounds of the forest as she continued to walk...
Marie-Christine could not forget the dream, however, nor the strange way he had appeared in town; she tried to shut everything out once again by drinking out of a crystal-clear brooke, but that only seemed to make her more tense...
"La Petite Rouge..." the wind seemed to whisper, "Leave me," she whispered, "Leave me!"
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An hour passed, and she had last passed the tall, doorless tower which served as a halfway point between one side of the forest and the other, "I'm almost home," she whispered, relieved.
But, she had entered the darkest part of the wood, and although she was a little frightened, sleep overcame her, and taking off her cloak, and settling down under a towering oak tree, she drifted off into sleep...
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He grabbed her by the wrist, and dragged her away from her home; she screamed for help, but there was no one to listen-- no one to care...
Into the woods, they went; she fought, but he threw her to the ground, and bit her hands-- her neck-- her face...
She was his prisoner within the forest.
His prisoner, and there was no way out...
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Her eyes opened for a moment, and flashed yellow-- bright yellow that made her eyes burn...
"No!" she screamed, trying to fight it off, but sleep came once again, and took her away with it...
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He whispered her name; she remained hidden beneath his house, but his hand caught her cloak, and--
A strange face flashed in front of her eyes; wrinkled and ancient; when it spoke, it sounded frighteningly cold, "He is near... Beware, my child. Beware..."
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She woke with a start once again, and stood; shaking violently, "He's near," she whispered; snatching her cloak up off of the ground, I must--
A sound; in the bushes, she faced them, and found yellow eyes there, she screamed, and he jumped out at her, "No one can hear you now," he whispered, and with a strong blow to the back of the head, she was knocked unconscious.