So sorry for the late updates again :( Been super busy. Sorry if this story is a bit darker than what you expected (I think that's an effect of watching Supernatural), but I still hope you enjoy it. Thankyou to mel2403, Amy and Mystery00Meat for your great reviews :)
Chapter 15- Forest
Suddenly Tom, Harriet, Danny and Harry were standing in the middle of a dense forest. Pine needles covered the floor and tall pine trees blocked the view of the sky above. Tom checked his watch quickly. It was six in the evening and was already starting to get dark.
'Where are we?' Danny asked, his voice faint.
'Somewhere in the forest behind the house I think,' Harriet whispered.
'Where're the girls?' Tom asked quietly.
'They can't come, you know that Tom,' Harry scoffed.
'Oh, well I am so very sorry that I'm not thinking straight after watching our best friend get beaten!' Tom shouted and Danny grabbed his arm.
'Stop it. Both of you. Please. We don't need this too. We're wasting time.' Harry and Tom nodded. 'Now, which way do we go?' Danny murmured, taking Harriet's hand. His was stained with blood, an effect from his still bleeding arm.
'Okay...' Tom murmured, looking around. 'Which way's the house? Harriet?'
'How am I supposed to know?'
'Which side of the house does the sun set on?' Tom asked quickly.
'Umm, it sets in front of it, why?'
'Because, if the sun is that way-,' Tom indicated behind them, 'it means we'd have to go towards the sun, and we'll eventually find the house. Or maybe even the road. Come on, quick, let's go,' Tom said, hobbling off towards the setting sun. Harry followed obediently, leaving Danny and Harriet to follow on.
'I don't trust that,' Harriet whispered as Danny pulled back a branch from a pine tree.
'I don't either. But it's the only plan we have...' Danny trailed off, looking at the ground sadly. Harriet squeezed his hand.
'It's going to be okay. We'll get back in time, Dougie'll be saved, we can take him to hospital, he'll be fine.' Tears ran down Harriet's cheeks as she clutched at Danny's hand, leaning her head against his arm.
Danny squeezed her hand tightly. 'I know love. I know.'
They'd been walking for almost fifteen minutes with no interruptions, and nothing going wrong. But the sun was setting fast, and soon it would be gone. They quickened their pace, helping Tom especially to keep going.
'Why is it so bad that he possessed Dougie again?' Harriet panted as she kept up with the others.
'He's already been possessed before. It's not good for it to happen again. He was already so weak...' Harry said sadly, his pace slowing to a stop.
'Quick break okay?' Tom panted, dropping to the ground, his crutches falling beside him as he massaged his arms. The group looked like they'd spent weeks in the forest. Twigs and leaves littered Harriet's hair, and small scratches and cuts covered their faces and arms, in too much of a hurry to worry about it. There was a loud clap of thunder and Harriet screamed, grabbing Danny's arm. A freezing breeze blew and spots of rain began to fall. Footsteps began to approach them, crunching through the dead pine needles on the floor of the forest. Holding their breath, the group waited, anxiously not wanting to move. Another set of footsteps joined in and the sounded as though they were right next to them.
'Show yourself!' Harry shouted and two men appeared. One had no hand, and the other was the ghost with the nail through his heart.
'What we got here then?' he grinned, moving closer to the group huddled in a tight bunch. He ran a ghostly hand through Harriet's hair. She squeezed her eyes shut, not daring to breathe.
'Don't touch her,' Danny spat.
'Who are you to tell me what I can do and what I can't?' the handless ghost asked, turning to Danny. Danny bit his lip. He swung his hand and Danny's head swerved sideways, a red bruise on his cheek as he moaned in pain, curling into a ball as the ghost continued to throw punches at him until he screamed at him to stop. The tears welling in Harriet's eyes spilled over as Danny lay moaning on the ground. Tom gently took her hand in comfort. The two ghosts laughed loudly, grinning at each other. The one with the nail moved down close to the group.
'I think you better run,' he whispered, running another hand through Harriet's long hair. They didn't need to be told twice. Scrambling off the ground, Harry grabbed Tom and Harriet took Danny by the arm and began to run in the same direction they had been going. The crutches lay forgotten on the ground, and Tom struggled to keep up, practically hopping, using Harry as support. Danny's movements were slow and painful as Harriet dragged him behind her. Behind them, trees began to fall in succession and rocks landed at their heels. Their chests ached with lack of breath, but they dared not stop. The ghosts laughs were following them. In their path appeared a little girl. The crying one Dougie and Tom had seen.
'Where's my mummy and daddy?' she wailed as they ran past. She appeared in front of them again.
'Where ARE THEY?' she screeched, pulling on Harriet's leg. As Harriet bent to remove her, looking horrified, the girl grabbed hold of her long blonde hair, pulling hard. Harriet yelled in pain, trying to get free.
'We don't know where your mummy and daddy are!' Harry yelled. The little girl stopped pulling on Harriet's hair and turned to look at him. She began to cry, ran straight through him and disappeared into the forest, her wails still echoing around them. Harriet collapsed on the ground, sobbing. Danny knelt to lift her back up, but she slapped his hand away.
'I don't want to keep going! They can kill me! I don't give a shit anymore!' she screamed hysterically.
'Harriet, listen to me, do this, please. We're not leaving you behind. Do it for Dougie, please,' Danny whispered, encasing her in a hug. 'Please,' he whispered softly in her ear, tenderly kissing her cheek. As if Danny's kiss had been a sedative, she suddenly calmed down, nodding at Danny, climbing back up.
'We need to keep going. It's already six forty-five...' Tom said quietly. They nodded and began to walk off again, the rain keeping it's slow and steady pace, drenching them.