A/N: so I know I've changed some of the sequence in the forest scene but I hope you still enjoy. And please remember to rate and review :)
Bang...
Bang...
Bang...
Oh god, if you're a serial killer at least have the decency to murder me without disturbing my much needed rest before school tomorrow.
"Hey, Effy! it's me. Open up. It's an emergency!". Stiles, of course. Well, it looks like I'll be the one doing the murdering tonight. If I just lay still maybe he'll go away...
"I know you're awake, I can't hear your snoring, if you don't get out here in the next 10 seconds I'm coming in". He's bluffing. "10...9...8..." That woke me up. I opened my window up all the way and poked my head out. Why didn't I lock it before I went to bed? Because it's freakin' 100 degrees in California and I live in the quietest neighbourhood in town- at least it is when Stiles isn't here.
"What do you want Stiles? I'm trying to get my beauty sleep for school tomorrow"
"You don't need it. And this is WAY better, guess what i just picked up on my dads police scanner?" I could tell he was practically wetting himself from excitement.
"If I hear you out do you promise you'll let me go back to bed?" I leaned further out the now fully open window so he wouldn't have to keep talking so loudly.
"Sure, but you won't want to" he quipped confidently.
"Fine, I'll bite. What did you learn from illegally listening in on police transmissions?"
"They found HALF a dead body in the woods!" Okay that was definitely worth the wake up.
"Are you serious?! When?"
"Just now, the police are still out looking for the other half" he had this look in his eyes- the kind he gets when he has a really bad idea that almost always gets us in trouble.
"Whatever you're thinking, no. I'm going back to my bed and claiming plausible deniability if anyone asks tomorrow"
"C'mooooon. Don't tell me you're not itching to see this for yourself, you practically live for all this murder mystery stuff!" He was right of course, my favourite book, movie and TV show was Sherlock Holmes, but I had a really bad feeling about all this.
"Yeah but seeing up close? That seems horrifying"
"come on! Please?!" Not even bothering to come up with another compelling point. I can tell he's not taking no for an answer this time but I'm not giving in that easily.
"No Stiles, besides, it's the first day back tomorrow and I wanna get a good nights sleep." God knows i need from all the late nights I've had over the summer- scrolling through tumblr and re-reading my favourite books in case you somehow thought I was cool enough to stay up partying.
"Seriously?! Something interesting finally happens in this town and you would rather go to bed early than investigate it with your two best friends?" He waved his arms around as he spoke showing his impatience and disbelief.
"Yes!" I lied. "Why do you even need me there? You know Scott's going to go with you no matter what, and even a severe asthmatic would be better in a fight than me"
"True, but I want to share this amazing experience with my main partner in crime." I raised an eyebrow and rested my forearms on the window sill. "Also if we get caught they're more likely to let us off with warning if the daughter of the only lawyer, and one of the biggest philanthropists, in town is with us" there it was.
"Gee, I feel so appreciated." At this point he's worn me down with his stupid puppy dog eyes and big grin, why do I have to be so weak? "Fine, I'll come- but if things go south I am throwing you both under the bus and running the other way."
"Yes! You won't regret this, I promise." His whole face lighting up like a child on Christmas morning.
"Whatever Stilinski, let's just go get Scott before one of my neighbours see's me sneaking out."
...
In the Woods- torn_apart_chapter_wolf_moon/set?id=224955909#fans
And so here I am, treading through the woods, soggy brown leaves squelching beneath my boots, trying not to think about what it would feel like if I accidentally stepped on a someone's lifeless body. You know, just a regular Sunday night. Would it smell? -probably, but what of? A few years ago our fridge broke in the middle of the night on the hottest day of the year, everything went bad; including an entire pound of steak we'd gotten the day before. The stench alone was so bad the next morning I threw up twice and couldn't stand to go back into the kitchen all day- but the sight was even worse. Large black flies clung to it like a second skin and maggots burrowed their way into the purple flesh, relishing in the taste of rot and death- needless to say I haven't eaten steak since. I shuddered at the thought of seeing a human body like that and huddled in closer to my soft, oversized hoodie for comfort. Everything seemed so much creepier tonight, a big part of me was screaming to grab Stiles and Scott and run as far away from here as possible.
When I left the house it couldn't have been less than 60 degrees out, but ever since stepping into the woods it's like the temperature dropped to 30. It wasn't like the air was just chilling my skin either- it was as if the cold was seeping into my bones, making me slower, weaker... Easier to catch. I'd been in these woods at least a dozen times before but tonight felt different- like there was something evil in the shadows waiting to strike. If it weren't for Scott and Stiles there is no doubt in my mind I would have turned around and gone home, but I knew there was no chance the latter would abandon his quest without a good reason. I've never been good about talking about my "intuitions", if I tried to tell him I'd just end up stumbling over my words and he'd assume I was just being paranoid. Besides, both boy's on my left seemed totally unaffected by the cold and the setting, maybe it's just all those Steven King novels coming back to haunt me, making me afraid.
"We're seriously doing this?" Scott complained- my thoughts exactly Scotty, but it's kinda late to turn back now, Stiles is determined to find the damn body and so no one but his dad can stop him.
"You're the one always bitching that nothing ever happens in this town." Stiles retorted.
"Actually that would be me. I can see why you'd get confused though, Scott and I are practically the same person" I said, playing it cool, trying to lighten the mood. Stiles gave a quiet snort and nudged my shoulder in response. I hoped it would calm him down but Scotts mind seemed somewhere else entirely.
"I was trying to get a good night's sleep before practice tomorrow." I mentally groaned, I forgot about Lacrosse tryouts. It's not that I hated the game or watching them play, it's just that I felt so uncomfortable sitting on the bench alone while they failed to make shot after shot, having to listen to Lydia and her friends rate the players on level of hotness, watching Jackson and the jocks laugh at them from the sidelines- it was the worst.
"Right, 'cause sitting on the bench is such a grueling effort."
"No, because I'm playing this year. In fact, I'm making first line." My stomach dropped. A small, selfish Part of me really hoped that Scott and Stiles never made the lacrosse team, then they'd be noticed by the popular kids and it would come down to them having to decide between me and them. No contest. I always felt incredibly guilty for thinking that about my best friends, I know they'd never leave me behind on purpose, but I can't help but feel like that's exactly what would happen.
"Hey, that's the spirit. Everyone should have a dream, even a pathetically unrealistic one." Ouch, nice going Stiles.
"Hey I've seen him practice, I think you can do it Scotty" I retorted, trying to be the positive friend. Scott sent me a bright smile in return whilst Stiles just rolled his eyes. Then a thought suddenly occurred to me, one I probably should have had the minute he told me about the body.
"Just out of curiosity, which half of the body are we looking for?"
Stiles looked surprised and answered "Huh! I didn't even think about that."
Scott joined in asking "And, uh, what if whoever killed the body is still out here?" Good point.
"Also something I didn't think about." Stiles answered casually as if we were just discussing the weather.
"It's - comforting to know you've planned this out with your usual attention to detail."
"I know." He laughed. Perfect, now a part of me is hoping we do get caught by the police before something worse catches us.
...I mean someONE worse, I really need to stop with this supernatural monster bullshit.
I glanced passed Stiles to gauge Scotts reaction and saw he was falling behind a little.
"Hey Stiles, maybe the severe asthmatic should be the one holding the flashlight" I suggested, Scott shot me a grateful smile which I returned. But Stiles didn't seem to even hear me as he was staring at a clearing in the trees a few feet away.
"Wait, come on!" He cried out suddenly and took off, me following closely behind.
"Stiles! Wait up! Stiles! Emily!" I hung back to help Scott but a stream of light between the trees made me panic and duck behind an old oak. I tried signalling Stiles but by the time he looked in my direction it was too late.
'Hold it right there!" A random deputy shouted, the man looked all too pleased with himself for catching what is obviously a teenage boy- I assume he thought he was going to be rewarded for apprehending the killer. Moron. Thankfully Sheriff Stilinski chose this moment to appear through the thick of the trees and save him from being arrested.
"Hang on, hang on. This little delinquent belongs to me." I had to bite my lip to stop myself from laughing.
"Dad, how are you doing?" Smooth Stilinski, act like you just bumped into each other on the street and I'm sure he'll let us off scott free.
"So, do you, uh, listen in to all of my phone calls?" Yes. Yes he does.
"No, heh. Not the boring ones." I mentally face palmed at his inability to not be a smartass.
"Now, where are your usual partners in crime?" Great, we're dead.
"Who, Scott? Eff? T-They're home. He said he wanted to get a good night's sleep for first day back at school tomorrow and she didn't answer when I dropped by. It's just me. In the woods. Alone." Urgg! It would be so much easier for me to stay mad at him if he wasn't such a loyal friend. Stupid Stiles.
"Scott, you out there? Scott? Effy?" He flashed his torch in our direction and I had to duck lightning fast to not be seen.
"Well, young man, I'm gonna walk you back to your car. And you and I are gonna have a conversation about something called invasion of privacy." I was able to catch Stiles eye for a second as he was being dragged away and sent him a quick grin. He paused at the sight and almost blew my cover again grinning back- luckily his dad seemed too preoccupied with getting him home, before he made an even bigger mess, to notice.
It was a few more minutes before the coast was clear and I was able to come out from behind the tree.
"Scott? Where are you?" I whispered into the dark...no answer
"Scott?!" Okay i was starting to panic, I was now stuck out here alone. Maybe I should have just gone out faced my punishment- it beats getting lost in the woods and murdered by some psycho who cuts his victims in half. And, If that wasn't bad enough, Stiles took the only flashlight.
"Effy!" My heart nearly jumped out of my chest as the silence was broken by Scotts 'quiet' whisper from behind me. Before my mind could catch up to my mouth I let out an embarrassing yelp of fear.
"Sorry, I didn't mean to scare you" Scott said guiltily.
"It's fine, I'm just a little jumpy from, you know, being out in the middle of the woods-at night with no phone, torch or car while there's a crazed murderer on the loose." I meant it jokingly but my voice betrayed how nervous I really was.
"Understandable" Scott replied getting out his phone for light "I think there's a path this way, it'll lead us out of here and we can figure out how to get home from there" he started walking towards the clearing with me at his heels. After a few minutes of comfortable silence I'd started to calm down and spoke up. "So do you wanna do rock, paper scissors to decide which one of us has to tell Stiles we gave up on the search and went home?" He let out a light hearted laugh and was about to reply when he tripped a fell down a steep hill. My heart jumped to my throat as he fell, i felt like I couldn't breathe, move, speak everything went in tortuous slow motion as I heard him tumble and fall , his whole body slamming against the ground like a sack of potatoes.
I was so shocked I forgot how to speak for a second. Just as I was about to call out his name a low sinister growl behind me- unlike any animal I've ever heard, almost...human. The cold seeped back into my bones and the feeling of being watched got unbearable, like something monstrous was peering into my soul and tainting it. All of a sudden my head was spinning out of control, i felt my chest constrict and breathing became nearly impossible. My heart throwing itself against my rib cage as if it was trying to escape. The beast was getting closer, I could feel it, but still not see it. I had never been this terrified in my life- I just knew this thing was going to kill me, slowly, painfully and enjoy every second of it. I'm sure I can smell it now, a mixture of burnt flesh and wet dog.
I can feel it's breath on my back and my mind is screaming at me to run!...fight!...beg for my life...ANYTHING! But my body was useless and my mind almost as bad. I had practically accepted my fate when I heard the faintest crunch and time, which had previously been racing ahead at an impossible speed, froze.
My heart seemed to stop beating in the moment it took for that thing to back away and disappear into the trees.
I don't know how long I stood there waiting for my senses to slowly return to me. First I let out a breath I didn't know I had been holding in, based on the relief I felt- another 10 seconds and I would have passed out. Then my heartbeat slowed to a pace that wasn't painfully fast. After that my legs gave out and I collapsed on the ground in a curled up heap. The next... However long... I spent just trying to control my breathing and make my brain process what happened. There was a mons-MAN behind me, the killer? Some other random, harmless guy looking for the body? Was there ever anything there at all? Did I imagine it? Am I crazy?! The answer is yes. I am. If there was someONE there and they were dangerous then they would have just killed me, what would have possibly made them stalk towards me and then just leave? Unless something else distracted them...SCOTT!
Without another second of hesitation I got to my feet I bolted down the hill where I think he fell, but without any source of light I could only guess and pray I'd find him- alive and unharmed. It was miracle I didn't slip and fall myself on the way down, I almost lost my balance at the bottom but managed to drab hold of a branch on the tree next to me, pine needles on harsh bark bit at my skin but thankfully didn't break the surface.
I could see more clearly here as the moonlight leaked through the trees and illuminated the clearing.
My heart stopped beating again when I saw Scott laying on his back, not moving. In that moment my world froze, I feared the worst had happened, that one of my best friend was...dead.
My small voice croaked out his name not expecting a reply, so when I got one, in the form of a loud groan, I jumped about a foot in the air. My feet acted ahead of my mind and before I knew it I was by his side, only one thought running through my head- "he's alive, thank god he's ALIVE". Another groan left his lips as he opened his eyes and looked at me.
"Eff...? What happened? Are you okay?" He questioned dazedly. Then "why are you crying?"
I was confused at that last one, I never cry. I touched my cheek with one (still shaking) hand and sure enough it was damp from tears. My logic was finally returning to me and I couldn't help but laugh shakily. I hugged my friend, partly needing physical proof that he was okay but mostly wanting comfort for myself. He hugged back slightly baffled. A minute later I pulled away and he asked again "are you okay?" God the sincerity in his voice was so genuine I wanted to tell him everything, but I stopped myself at the last second- he'd think I was crazy. Absolutely insane- or just weak and pathetic. No, I'd rather suffer alone than lose a friend. So I lied. Or at least told a whopper of a half-truth.
"Yeah, I'm fine. Really, you just had me worried there for a second" I attempted a smile at the end but It came out as more of an ugly grimace. Scott couldn't have looked less convinced, I'm certain he was going to call me out on it before he saw the look in my eyes begging him to let it go. And so he did, though I wasn't sure how long he'd wait until he brought it up again, it was something I didn't want to think about.
"But what about you? You're the one who face planted down a hill. Oh crap, nothing's broken, right? Because I cannot carry your fat ass all the way back to town on my own" he looked slightly reassured hearing me talk like myself again and sat up more fully.
"Yeah...I think I'm okay, I'm just lucky to be alive" I tensed at that- Scott wasn't one to be overly dramatic, that was Stiles job. I helped him to his feet and noticed he was clutching his side.
"Haha it wasn't THAT bad a fall Scotty, you could've just sprained your ankle... and then Melissa would've murdered you for being out here in the first place" I was trying to stay calm but somehow I knew what his next words were going to be before he even opened his mouth.
"It wasn't the fall that hurt, it was the wolf bite" Wait...wolf? That doesn't make any sense, the thing that I saw was more like a beast. Did I really just hallucinate the whole thing or what?
"Erm I think you must have hit your head on the way down, there is no way a wolf would've bitten you once and run off. If you were attacked by a wolf- you'd be super dead right now." I said casually.
"Oh really? Then what's this?" He lifted up his shirt revealing two rows of jagged bite marks deep in his skin. The sight temporarily pushed all other thoughts to the back of my mind.
"Jeez Scott we gotta get you to a hospital before this gets infected"
"No! It's fine, really. I've had way worse than this before- remember when I crashed my bike into that tree last year?" I did. Vividly. In case you haven't guessed by now, I don't do well with blood and gore- probably why I'm barely scraping a C in biology.
"But what if it was like, rabid or something- you could need shots" I argued
"Look, If my mom finds out we were out here we're all dead." I can't believe he'd risk his life to avoid being grounded. I swear guys are so dumb.
"If you don't get that checked out you'll literally be dead" i retorted in a matter-of-fact tone.
"I know how to clean a wound properly and if it looks worse in the morning I'll go to the doctor. Okay?" It wasn't but I was too exhausted to argue with him further. It wouldn't do any good anyway, Scott could be so stubborn person when he put his mind to it.
"Fine" I gave in. "Let's just find the path" the rest of the walk was spent in semi-awkward silence. I was still kinda annoyed at him- I knew why he was afraid of his mom finding out- there was a possibility she would punish him by taking him off the lacrosse team- once again proving that he would risk life and limb to make it to first line.
It hadn't taken us that long to get home, once we had wifi Scott Googled the number for an all night taxi service and we got picked up by this slightly shady looking guy in what was clearly his own car with a homemade Taxi cab sign precariously balanced on top and hot glued on. The interior smelt of gas station air freshener and cheap cologne, the seats were made of that harsh carpet-fabric you get on crappy trains and one of the interior doors didn't have a handle. Any other time I would have noped out of there faster than Wiley Coyote but I honestly didn't have the energy to trek down this road another 2 minutes let alone hours. So we got in and I told him the addresses, Scotts first, since his mom was home and he didn't have enough money to pay the guy, then mine. The ride was silent, I knew Scott was dying to bring up what happened but obviously couldn't in front of creepy cabbie so things went back to awkward.
Now that I had a minute to think clearly I started freaking out all over again. I was barely containing my fear as it was, there just wasn't enough in me to pretend everything was fine anymore, and the driver didn't seem like the kind of guy to make small talk. The only word I spoke to Scott was when he got out to leave-
"Scott" I called out, my voice coming out a croak. He turned around hopefully, but everything I wanted to say- all the reassurances and half-truths died on my tongue when he looked me in the eyes.
"I'll see you in school tomorrow" I lamely stated with small, genuine smile. He looked disappointed but just nodded, replied "yeah, I'll be there" and walked away.
...
It was just after 12 when I first lay down, having managed to creep in and out of the house to pay the driver and not wake my dad in the process. I was expecting to crash as soon as I got under the covers, that the weight of everything that happened would send me straight to sleep. It always has before when I've had a stressful or eventful day. Now it was like the opposite was happening, my mind was itching to talk about whatever the fuck just happened, scream about it even. But nobody would ever believe me, dad would send me to Eichen house, Scott would be even more concerned and freaked out- he'd encourage me to tell my dad or have his mom check me over, then I'd have to tell her about it and she'd have to tell my dad etc. Stiles would do his research and 'science' it- saying I just had an adrenaline rush and minor hallucination or whatever, he'd ask countless questions and get me to analyse it in ways I really didn't want to- either that or he'd think up some crazy theory and puzzle it out as if we were the main characters on a supernatural drama.
Deep down I couldn't deny that I know what I felt, it was beyond rational explanation and I definitely didn't want to poke it with a stick. My thoughts buzzed like flies in my mind, every time I tried to focus on one it would fly away. For over half an hour I just quietly paced around my room, jumping at every noise, unable to sit still for more than a few seconds before jumping up and starting over again.
In times of crisis I usually calm down by doing something productive like drawing or reading a book but I couldn't even think straight enough to draw anything, besides nightmarish monsters and those haunted woods, let alone read. So I just continued my routine of getting up, pacing the length of my room twice, sitting down, letting my thoughts wash over me again then getting back up.
Then an idea hit me and I felt stupid for not thinking of it sooner. I got off of my bed and dug around in my closet looking for something I hadn't seen in over a year- in the process finding about a dozen things I thought I'd lost ages ago. After an hour of searching I found what I was looking for, an old brown leather journal covered in dust but still in unused condition. My dad got it for me 2 Christmases ago because I kept 'forgetting' dates and appointments made. Why did I need this item in particular instead of just using a regular old notebook? Because this had a lock and key- I couldn't have anybody knowing what happened tonight but I needed to get it out somehow, this was the only solution I could think of. So for the next 2 hours I wrote and re-wrote what happened in excruciating detail, so much so nobody could deny that I believed I was telling the truth, no matter how insane I sounded. I was starting to see the appeal in having a whiteboard like Stiles, seeing the words enlarged would have made the events a lot easier to organise.
When I was done it was after 3 in the morning and I didn't even have the energy to climb under the covers, or care about how terrible I was going to feel tomorrow morning on the first day of sophomore Year.