The Deserted Woodland

My distorted breath carried through the darkness as I nestled terrified from a presence surrounding me.
A tree amongst the wooldland within the darkness of the night protected me from the intrepidation of the un-known, but still, solitude from any human life greatened my fear.
I had previously spent the day with friends. You know how young and foolish girls like to show off and to become popular with their mates - until it all goes wrong.

Im seventeen, slim build with a funky style of fashion. Well, let's just say - I get noticed with my purple and yellow layered hair.
My friends are all simular - some people like to name us as punks or just 'waste of space.' I wouldn't say that though. All we wanted was to be different, and boy did we get what we wanted.
The woodland everyone avoided because of rumours of multiple of murders years previously, seemed a great day out for myself and my five other funky friends. It was all fine during the day, swinging off branches, climbing the trees and even an old game of hide and seek. And then darkness crept in, that's when the fun really began.

A sudden mist crepted through the woodland from the distance, but within it, the mist carried a presence. This presence was evil and wasn't going to let us go without a fight. The whistle from the strengthening breeze added to my fear and the call of the wild stood hairs upon my body, like defensive soldiers on guard.
My body shivered as the darkness greatened. My call to my mates who I'd seperated from due to the thickening mist, went un -noticed, and the presence that was taking notice - I wanted to ignore.

The coldness sliced at my revealed skin as I waited for a response from my mates. But still, the waiting proved I was still alone.

Suddenly a whisper carried past me as I nestled for protection. The whisper deep, and thretened from my presence. But It was me who was trapped. I wanted to run but couldn't.

An icy touch upon my shoulder startled me. The touch springing me to my feet, but there was nothing there. And then my attention was alerted by a sudden scream echoing from the distance. I called to the cries which suddenly faded.

Was it one of my mates? I was terrified as one by one, the screams echoed witin the distance, only to fade like the first.
It was difficult to tell if it was them. I tried to control my emotions but was beaten by my fear. My eyes filled with tears as I broke down. All I wanted was to go home.

From the distance, a light slowly approached me, and within it, a cry for help filtered through. Again, I experienced the same icy touch, but also endured visions. The visions like flash backs of a troublesome past-life, pain, torture and death. I was taken over by this presence, the lives flashing hastily and my body enduring the pain within my vision; which soon caused me to pass out at the base of the tree.

Hours passed and the night soon became day. My trembling hands wiping at my eyes as I focused.
The sun beamed down upon me and the clouds passed slowly within the blue sky. I returned to my feet but was unable to see any of my mates. Prehaps they'd found their way out and made it home.
Upon the tree trunk a message carved within the wood had caught my eye.

'This tree is the protector, those who believe will survive.'

I stumbled as the statment rolled from my tongue. A whisper following and carrying with it lonely souls.
Prehaps the rumours were true all along. But were they murderd by some nut case or is there a killer within the presence of the woodland?

One thing I knew was that I wasn't hanging around to find out.

When I did eventually make it back home, I found out that none of my mates had made it out of the woodland.

Who ever carved that statement into the tree knew of the dangers lurking within the darkness.

The tree protected me, but I guess I'll never find out what happened to my mates.

Are their souls lurking within the darkness? All I know is that they're now listed as missing.