Into The Woods

Chapter 13

     "Can anyone hear me? Help!" The voice continued.
     "Hello?" Serena shivered.
     "Serena?" The voice replied in relief.
     A shadow peered around the corner of the cave. The person's face was pale and covered in dark spots. They looked scared for their life and scared to come into the open.
     "Tatum is that you?" Malachi questioned cheerfully.
     "I-I think so" Said the person confusingly.
     "What do you mean you think? What happened? Come out here!" Malachi insisted.
     The person stepped into the open so everyone could see him. It was Tatum but he looked much different than when he was last with them. Tatum stood very nervously moving his hands in every which way.
     "Woah, woah, woah. Calm down Tate. Tell us what happened" Charlie proposed.
     "T-there's s-something" Tatum struggled to say.
     "What is it?" Irene asked concerned.
     "T-the k-keeper of t-the forest. That's w-what it c-calls its-self" Tatum explained fearfully.
     "What does this keeper look like?" Uriah asked intriguingly.
     "Tall. Dark. Skinny. G-glowy eyes" Tatum described.
     "G-glowy eyes?" Vincent whispered.
     Tatum nodded his head and grabbed his throat as if he was in tremendous pain. He seemed to be struggling to remember things like his last name, his parents names and what school he graduated from.
     "Can you tell me what this thing did to you, Tatum?" Vincent requested.
     "I-I'm not aloud t-to s-say" Tatum said uncomfortably while looking over his shoulder. 
     They all had the look of fear plastered on their faces after Tatum refused to tell his own friends what happened to him. Tatum stepped closer and his knees began to wobble. He looked malnourished and like he had been in a fight. Fighting for his life maybe?
     "We need to get out of here now that we're all together again" Vanessa suggested.
     "I agree. But we need to stay partnered up so we don't end up alone in here" Charlie posed.
     "Me, Ness and Malachi will be a group. Serena, Uriah and Irene in another. And Vincent and Tatum?" Charlie mentioned.
     They all nodded agreeing to Charlie's plan. They looked outside to see that it was not longer raining but the sky was still gloomy, dark and filled with fluffy clouds.
     "Me and Vanessa will stay behind everyone. Let's get moving" Charlie instructed.
     Each group walked closely together, making sure that they don't lose anyone on their way back to the cabin. Their shoes squished into the drenched ground making sloshing sounds every step they took. They were all shivering from the coldness and their wet clothes but they managed to not think too hard about it.
     "How do we know which way to go?" Vanessa asked Charlie.
     "Well, the sun rises from the east, behind the cabin, so if we could somehow see the sun, we'll be able to follow it back" Charlie said smartly.
     "I hope you're right" Vanessa said with a smile looking up at him.
     "So do I" Charlie agreed as he put his arm around Vanessa's shoulder to keep each other warm.
     In front of them was Vincent and Tatum. Tatum seemed to be tripping over his own feet and slightly limping. Vincent turned to him as he was very concerned without even knowing him.
     "You okay?" Vincent asked Tatum helpfully.
     Tatum shook his head indicating that he was not okay. In fact he had felt the worst he had in all of his life. Even his sports injuries had been less painful than this.
     "I think Tatum definitely needs medical help" Vincent implied turning around to Charlie.
     "We'll find help as soon as we're back to the cabin. I'm hoping it's soon. See how the sun is rising ahead? That's the direction of the cabin" Charlie explained.
     "We'll look how smart you are, eh?" Vincent said sarcastically with a laugh.
     "Why, thank you" Charlie bowed jokingly.
     "Guys...there's something moving in the tree over there" Irene said while pointing in the direction of the tree.
     "Something sprung onto the ground, forcefully sending a vibration through the earth.
     "T-that's the k-keeper" Tatum struggled to say.