Chapter 3

It was now two days before The Harvest festival. Everyone had everything set. What used to be the Dormitory was now a library and event center. The decorations were up, and the apples were ready for the dunking. The children's activities were ready and there would be live music with Joshua and Jeremy providing the entertainment along with some of the ladies as well.

Shellie, Nan, Jonathan, and J. J. were walking near the forest, it was getting dark earlier and earlier.

"Hey Shellie, Nan, want to play in the 'haunted Forest?" Jonathan asked as he winked at J.J... Shellie looked at Nan and Nan looked at Shellie, then Shellie said:

"You boys are just as scared so, if you want to play, we can watch you go in and get lost first!" Shellie said and Nan said:

"Yeah, and maybe stay lost! You know that forest is haunted, people have disappeared in there and have never been seen again!" Nancy said to the boys and the boys said:
"We aren't scared, we will meet you tomorrow night after Jason's ghost story and then we will all go in together!" said Jonathan then J. J. added:

"That is if you girls aren't afraid! Boo!" Shouted J. J., then he ran back towards town and Jonathan also ran. Both Shellie and Nan stood there for a minute or so.

"Do you really believe it is haunted?" Asked Nan.

"Naw, the boys just want to scare us. It's not haunted. See, I will go in right now!" said Shellie who started to walk into the forest. Nan grabbed her hand and followed her into the forest.

"Where is Nancy?" Biddie asked J.J. as he was running past her house.

"She and Shellie are still in the forest, I think?" said J. J. as he ran past the house. Pilar saw that J.J. was running fast, she also noticed that Jonathan had already got home. She stopped J.J. in his tracks and said:
"Where is your sister?" He stood there for a moment then saw his dad coming up the walkway.

"Ah, ah, she and Nancy are still at the forest!" said J. J. as he tried to get past his mother, but Joshua got there and stopped him and looked at him and then at Pilar.

"I'll go get the girls. J. J. I need to talk to you and Jonathan after dinner." Joshua said as he headed back toward the forest.

The forest was getting darker, the trees were getting closer and closer. Shellie felt as if they were closing in on them. Nancy was just a little more than nervous, she had inherited her mother's fears somehow and was ready to run at a moment's notice. A bird screeched and she let go of Shellie's hand and ran back to where they had come in. There was just enough light for her to see. Shellie shrugged, she wasn't scared but at the same time she was a little worried and wondered if she shouldn't go back. A branch creaked in the breeze that had just started up. The darkness was suddenly upon her. She came to a tree that looked like a man's face. It was too dark to tell. Suddenly she felt hands pulling her back away from the tree! She screamed a piercing scream!

"Shellie! What are you doing out here?" Joshua, her father said. "It is getting dark, and we can barely see! You are lucky that I know this forest like I know the back of my hand!" He picked her up and took her out of the forest. Shellie held on to him for dear life. The face was familiar, but she did not know why. Joshua was carrying her to safety, like he had when she was 3 years old. She tried to remember what happened then but since she felt safe and warm in his arms she relaxed.

Nancy had waited like Joshua told her too at the opening of the grove of trees. She was sure something was in there, a big, horrid monster, she was shaking when Joshua came out with Shellie.

"I, glad she is safe, thank you Uncle Joshua." Nancy said as they walked back towards town. Once deposited in their own places the children sat at the respective dinner tables and ate their dinner. Pilar had just cooked up some soup and tortilla's and Shellie and her brother J.J. were happily eating away. Joshua and Pilar talked a bit about the day's events and the children joined in. But Shellie was a little quieter than usual. When it was time to get ready for bed, she wanted to ask her mother and father about something. So, after J.J. went upstairs, she stayed downstairs.

"Mama, papa, something happened in the forest before papa came to get me. I thought I saw a man, an ugly man who was going to reach out to grab me. That is why I screamed when you put your hands on me papa." Shellie said as she snuggled between her mother and father.

Josh looked at Pilar and neither of them knew quite what to say.

"Shellie, It was just your imagination. Things look different in the dark and sometimes especially trees can look threatening or scary in the dark more so than in the light. We can go look at that tree tomorrow if you wish in the daylight." Said Joshua.

"Okay, papa. Were you scared of that tree when you were young?" Shellie asked Joshua.

"No, I can't' say that I was. Tomorrow is the festival, but we will take a look at that tree before it gets dark. Are you aright tonight?" Shellie shook her head yes and then Joshua went to make sure that she and her brother were in bed, and he read them a bedtime story. They both fell asleep.

He went back down to his and Pilar's room and was getting ready for bed when they both heard a scream, Pilar was the first to go run upstairs to check on the children. Shellie had screamed but she still looked like she was sleeping. When she finally awoke, she held onto Pilar but refused to hold onto Joshua.

"Mama, Mama, I saw that man, I saw him again, like I saw in the forest, he was reaching for me, except papa wasn't there!" She started to cry. Joshua heard. He was angry and upset.

"Shellie, sweety, can I help?" Joshua said. Shellie just pressed herself closer to Pilar. She would not let Joshua hold or touch her. There was fear in her eyes. Joshua was hurt but he knew it was from something else. He would have to see Dr. Wright about this. She was the only other one who knew.

"Josh, that is okay, I will get her to sleep, we will see the Doctor tomorrow." Said Pilar as she patted Shellie and shushed her to get her to stop crying. J.J. woke up and wanted to know why his sister was crying.

"She had a bad dream J. J.," said Joshua. Are you okay?" J. J. said he was and went back to sleep. Joshua went outside to sit on the porch to think.