Piper spun round, her breath coming out in short, sharp gasps. Her heart was pulsing madly. A cracking sound came from behind her. She turned to what she thought was the direction it came from. That's funny, she thought. The sound seemed to be coming from everywhere around her. Everywhere, yet nowhere, at once. The night air was cold on her bare skin, the wind howling through the trees, causing leaves to float down and stick in her hair. She couldn't see anybody else, but she was somehow sure that she wasn't alone. 'Hello? Anybody?'
'G'day'
Piper nearly screamed out loud. She couldn't breathe, her throat was blocked in fear.
'Hey, chill out Beauty Queen. I'm friendly'
'Jason?'
She frowned. It didn't sound like Jason, but it had to be him. Who else would it be? The voice had gone silent, and Piper saw no more movement in the forest. 'Where am I?' She murmured.
Suddenly a figure emerged from behind her. Piper could just make out the silhouette of a person. A boy. She figured he was around her age, judging by his height.
'Who are you?'
He just laughed. He had a nice laugh. A joking sort of laugh. She had to smile. It just had that effect on her. 'I am me' he told her, and Piper could tell he was smiling, although she couldn't see his features in the dim night light. He glanced up, as if he had been reading her thoughts. Piper still couldn't see his face.
'Well, nearly morning, have a nice sleep.'
Piper felt herself frowning again. Gods, she was confused. 'Sorry?'
'Don't be.' The boy started to retreat back into the woods, and for some reason Piper couldn't follow. She felt like her legs were made of lead, she couldn't lift or move any part part of her body, for that matter. 'Wait!' she muttered, her voice was getting fainter, heavier. She could feel her eyelids beginning to close, despite her best efforts for them not too. 'Wait?'
The boy paused, nearly out of sight. 'You know, you should grow your hair. Would suit you.' With that, he turned on his heels and disappeared into the silky darkness.
Piper could feel herself falling, but there was nothing she could do about it. As she hit the ground, her last thought was how soft it was. Unbelievably soft. How could the ground be so soft? Almost like, a pillow... Before Piper could think anymore, her vision flashed, scenes running past her eyes. She saw her Dad, with who she assumed was her Mum. She saw her kissing a baby on the forehead, and whispering something. The baby smiled.
She was three years old, standing alone, watching her Dad cry softly, when he thought she couldn't see him.
She was five, staring out the window into the rain. Waiting for her Mum to come back, until her Dad pulled her away, telling Piper that she never would.
She was ten, eating lunch in the school toilets. Hiding from the girls who always laughed at her. Who didn't care. A tear fell onto her sandwich. Why me? She thought for the millionth time.
She was twelve, looking into those piercing blue eyes for the first time.
She was sixteen. Behind the sheds, watching as he laughed, wishing those arms were around her. Jason. She could feel herself falling in love. She tried to call out, but her voice wouldn't make a sound. Jason. Jason. Her vision dimmed. She could make out him walking away from her, after she had knocked him down. She tried to reach out, to apologize, but her arms wouldn't respond. She wasn't sure that it would have mattered anyway.
Her vision went black. The scene was gone, and Piper woke in her bed, the smell of burnt toast in her nose, her body beaded with sweat, and the name Jason still clinging to her lips, the memory of him walking away, again, still burning through her mind.