I would just like to say thank you to all of my reviewers. Please keep reviewing! I have like three other fanfics in the works right now but it'll be awhile before they're ready to be uploaded. Until then I can gurantee you I'll finish "Afraid of the Dark". I would love it though if people would comment more on the plot or tell me what they would like me to add in the future. I appreciate the reviews that say "it was good, I loved it" or whatever. But, uh...what exactly was good about the story? PLEASE TELL ME! THANK YOU! MUCH LOVE!

Chapter 9: The Woods

"I wish I had some breadcrumbs to leave a trail back," Rey said conversationally.

He was following Sylvia through the woods beside her house.

Sylvia looked back at him and giggled.

"You know the story of Hansel and Gretel?" Rey asked her.

Sylvia nodded.

They were quiet for a few more minutes. Rey had to be careful not to trip. The forest had become thicker. They were pretty far in.

"How much further is the spot you need to show me, Sylvia?" Rey asked her.

Sylvia stopped, turned and stared at him.

He'd forgotten to use a yes or no question again.

"Is the spot far from here?"

Sylvia thought and then nodded.

Rey sighed. "Well…I guess that's all right. Keep going. The faster we reach it, the faster I can head back, right?"

Sylvia beamed at him and nodded.

Her face brightened with an idea and she dashed ahead of him.

"Sylvia, wait!" Rey shouted and caught up with her a minute later. Then he realized what she was doing. "All right, lead the way," he told her.

She could run ahead far enough to where she was just in his line of sight and then when he almost reached her she would take off again. It was faster this way because Sylvia didn't have to slow down to Rey's graceful stumbling through the woods.

They kept at this for about two minutes.

Then suddenly when Rey reached the spot he thought he'd seen the girl, she wasn't there. He froze and shone his flashlight all around him.

"Sweetheart, where'd you run off to?" he called.

She didn't come back.

He was surrounded on all sides by enormous, black pine trees.

It was cold and the wind didn't help.
He shivered and wondered about his body temperature, hoping he wouldn't make himself sick by being out here.

"Sylvia, where are you?"

Rey got a bad feeling.

Damn it, baby girl, this isn't the time to play games with me.

"Sylvia!" Rey shouted. "Stop playing hide and seek, I need to go straight to the spot you wanted to show me! We'll play later back at the house but it's too dangerous out her in these woods, okay?"

No answer.

Rey was worried now. Where was she?

"Sylvia, please come out, baby girl, you're scaring me!"

Rey listened closely.

He heard a bloodcurdling female scream.

Rey started and looked around, but there was no one there.

His voice stopped working and wouldn't rise above a whisper. It occurred to him suddenly that maybe there was more than one ghost. Or that there could be another living person out here other than him.

Rey tried not to hyperventilate and tried to retrace his footsteps, but it was no use, he was thoroughly, thoroughly lost. His footprints hadn't made a dent in all of these leaves.

He sat down for a second, shaking in fright.
Maybe if I wait until morning I'll be able to find my way out.

He knew that wasn't true. He was too far in for that.

Maybe someone will come looking for me.

Tonight? No, they're all asleep. In the morning? No, they don't know you're out here.

And from the sound of that scream, Sylvia won't come back for you. And whatever scared her or took her is probably coming after you next.

A rustling of leaves made him freeze and his heart started pumping more blood than could possibly be needed to fill his entire body. He put the flashlight's beam of light against his stomach, smothering it, scared to turn it off lest the click give away his location. But the light would give him away faster.

Oh God, Oh God, Oh God…

He stood and started backing away. He knew that was a bad idea, but at this point everything was a bad idea, he just needed to escape.

A tall, black, bulky shape kept moving towards him, coming steadily, like it was looking right at him.

He didn't think. He just threw the flashlight at it.

"OW! FUCK! Jesus Christ, Rey, what did you do that for?!"
Rey stood still, shaking. His voice returned a little.

"Dave…? Is that really you…?"

"Of course it's me, who the fuck did you think it was?!"

Rey ran over to his friend. Batista was rubbing his head in pain.

"Oh my God, I'm sorry, I thought you were a serial killer or something."

Batista glared at him. "Jesus, who taught you to throw?"

Rey shrugged. "I-I don't know. Did it hit your head?"

"Yes, it hit me in the head, God, I think I might even be bleeding…"

"Let me see." Rey picked up the flashlight and positioned it a little ways away from them so that it illuminated both of them. Batista was bleeding.

"Oh, God. I'm so, so, sorry, Dave, I…I was scared, it was stupid, I'm so sorry," Rey apologized, gingerly touching the wound on Batista's temple.

He winced.

Rey gulped worriedly and tore off a piece of the bottom of his shirt.

"Rey, don't do that, I'll be fine-" Batista protested, not wanting to make Rey feel guilty.

"No, I can get a new shirt. I can't get you a new head. So just hold still."

Rey pressed down on the wound with the makeshift gauze. With the added pressure, the pain lessened.

Batista looked at Rey, who had only just stopped shaking in terror.

"Its okay, Rey, I know it was an accident. Sorry I came up behind you without warning."

Rey swallowed. "How did you know I was out here?"

Batista dropped his eyes. "I-I followed you."

Rey took the piece of cloth off. Batista's cut was clotting.

"Why?" Rey asked weakly.

Batista didn't know what to say.

"Do you really not trust me that much, Dave?" Rey asked sadly.

Batista shook his head. "No. I-I just want to protect you."

Rey looked away and tore off another strip of his shirt.

"Come here."

"What?"

"I need to wrap up your wound."

Batista leaned his head in and Rey carefully wound the cloth over his head and tied it.

"I'm sorry I thought you were with a guy all this time at night, Rey that was…"

"Jealous and insensitive," Rey supplied.

"Yeah. I was being a dick. I'm sorry. I'm such a screw-up; I don't even know how you put up with me."

Batista hung his head.

Rey touched his cheek. "Dave…you're not a screw-up. Don't think that way."

"Well, what good have I done you lately? I've just accused you of things that I had no proof of!" Batista's eyes were glistening now.

Rey thought for a moment and pulled off a glove and held up his finger.

Batista looked at him. "You still have that band aid on?"

Rey smiled. "Yeah."

Batista smiled for a second.

"But I can only do little things for you. You always do me huge favors. I'm not a…" Batista swallowed. "I'm a bad friend."

Rey stared at him. "Dave, no, no. You're not. You're just…stressed. We're all stressed right now. You're a very good friend, you are."

"You just can't think of any examples of nice things I've done for you recently other than giving you that band aid," Batista reminded him. "I do little things for you, Rey. And anybody could do those favors for you. I can't help you with the things you can't fix yourself. And that kills me."

Rey looked at him for a minute and then said quietly, "Dave, don't knock the little things. I am a little thing, remember?"

Batista smiled.

They embraced each other. Batista was glad Rey was a better friend than he was. Maybe that made up for his shortcomings.

"I am so sorry I hit you with that flashlight just now. But I'm mad as hell that you're stalking me."

Batista sighed as they came apart. "You never answered me. Who taught you to throw?"

"You'll laugh," Rey warned as they both stood up and started to walk out of the woods.

Batista led the way because he had an uncannily good sense of direction.

"Uh, I'll try not to…?" Batista offered.

Rey shook his head. "No, you'll laugh, I'm not gonna tell you."

"Your papi?"

"No."

"Your tío? Your uncle?"

"No."

Batista frowned.

"My mama," Rey said finally, grimacing.

Batista's eyes widened. "Your mother?"

Rey shrugged.

"Wait…how did she learn how to throw like that?"

Rey shook his head. "I have no idea. Mexican women all have like, super powers if you give them kitchen utensils, that's all I'm gonna say."

Batista chuckled. "Poor you," he said, thinking of Rey having to dodge projectiles as a kid when his mother was mad at him.

"My poor father, really," Rey admitted, sighing.

"Ouch."

They made it back to the house and went to sleep.