'Second Soul' | Chapter 1

It was quiet. Creepy as usual, the inhabitants slept and the predators awaited their prey. Caelin was going about her nightly patrol through the area, wondering whom else might’ve visited these.. Eerie woods.

She’d been in the forest for a month by now and this was her second time patrolling on her own. The forest is a very sacred place to the grounders living there; so, every week, four people go on duty in different areas to protect their home. She was given a few days to become familiar with the place when she arrived, but was quickly assigned to formation only three days later. Tough? Maybe. But nothing compared to the life she once lived.

Her first mentor was Lea. A blind girl, wielding nothing but a spear. Despite her disability, she could see more than anyone in the forest. Her second was Zach, a cannibal who joined the forest, seeking a fresh start. They taught her how to keep watch, and what to do with trespassers when it happens. The rules were simple:

“If you catch someone trespassing, Ask them to leave kindly. If they don’t, make them.”

Nothing grave seemed to ever happen, though. The place was located right above the city, so of course, the more adventurous people out there enjoyed hiking to the forest at night. Thankfully, people usually aren't too much of a problem. When someone is told to leave, they tend to be very respectful and do so. Either that, or they’re too scared to find out what happens if they don’t, which they’d be right to do considering the ones who cause trouble have a tendency of not making it home. Not alive at least…

The sun was finally dawning, and Caelin’s shift was almost over. “What a great night,” she thought to herself, “Not a single boo in sight.” Caelin was somewhat poetic with her words, although she’s always had a bit of difficulty reading, her favorite author was Dr. Seuss, the stories he wrote always seemed to lighten long days on the street.

She began making her way home, seeing as she’d been all the way to the east side, it’d take her about an hour to get back. Although the essence of the night was eerie, she couldn’t help but notice the beauty of the moonlight beaming down through the trees. Rest assured, just because the moon appears to be generous enough to light the way, doesn’t mean the forest itself isn’t infested with crawlers of the night. Dark Woods has it’s reputation made in monsters and demons of all sorts.

Alas, the night was simply too calm. Sure, a few twigs snapped here and there, but nothing to truly alarm the girl. By the time she was finally nearing her cabin, the birds were chirping and the morning sun filled the deathly sky. Almost home now, she slowly passes by the glistening water, when out the corner of her eye, she notices a silhouette across the lake disappear into the brush.

She froze mid-step, cold shivers overtaking her body. “What?..” Caelin seemed a bit intimidated, her heart drumming out of her chest.. It’s probably just another trespasser after all, except, why this early in the morning? And how’d they get this deep into the forest without someone noticing? She continued swiftly to her home seeing as it appears to be the direction they were heading anyway.

She kept her eyes open wide, searching as she finally reached her destination. Movement arose from a bush only ten feet ahead, she stopped, inhaling sharply, “Who’s there?” … nobody answered. She walked cautiously over to the source of the noise, only to find absolutely nothing there. Even the birds who had been chirping their morning gospel on her walk home seem to be no longer apparent… “Strange,” she thought.

“Well that was… Odd. I need to sleep soon...” Letting her guard down, she turns towards the cabin only to find the silhouette standing directly behind her. He was very tall compared to Caelin, his mouth hung open slightly behind a worn mask; tired eyes bore down on her blankly. She shrieked and fell to the ground, attempting to back away quickly; as she did, the man fell to one knee, and disappeared.