Into The Woods

Chapter 17

After the occurrence of the laugh, the whole forest went silent. It was like someone had covered their ears so they could hear nothing but their own thoughts.
"Who was that?" Tatum asked Malachi.
"You'd know better than me" Malachi shrugged.
Something started rustling in the tree tops aggressively. Tatum and Malachi couldn't see what it was but they estimated that it wouldn't be something normal. They were beginning to wish that they had never planned this terrible trip in the first place.
"Is that-" Malachi paused.
"...the cabin" Tatum said ecstatically.
The two of them looked at each other in disbelief. They thought it was too good to be true. They finally found the cabin, and they could finally drink that crisp and refreshing water they've been dying for, and eat some food even if it was just something as small as a berry.
"Should we go tell the others?" Malachi exclaimed.
"Let's hurry" Tatum agreed.
They started running back as fast as they could. They were so happy that they had found the cabin. For the first time, the boys felt useful throughout this whole mess, and they knew that their friends would be proud of them.
"Guys! We found the way to the cabin!" Malachi yelled happily.
"You what?" Vanessa shrieked, unable to believe him.
"The cabin! It's right over there!" Tatum said proudly.
"Well, let's go! Help us grab Charlie and Vincent!" Serena clapped cheerfully while jumping up and down.
     "I can get up myself" Charlie informed while trying to push himself up with his he's ily scratched hands.
     They others watched him try to get up by himself but he was struggling. The expression on his face said it all, he couldn't do it alone. He was in excruciating pain and was unable to even raise himself one inch off the sopping ground.
     "Grab my hand Char, you're too wounded to get up yourself" Vanessa suggested sadly.
     Charlie grabbed her hand with a sign. He was disappointed in himself. Even though he had a good reason for not being able to, he still felt as if he was letting his friends down. Like he was just an anchor to their boat.
     Beside the bush lied Vincent still unconscious, so they thought. Vincent's eyes began to flicker with life and he turned his head left and right as if he was having a bad dream.
     "Vincent? Vincent, wake up" Serena instructed.
     She put her shaking hand against his forehead. His entire face was hot like a sauna. You would think that his face would be beet red, but it was more of a pasty white colour. He just kept twitching, but now it was his whole body. Not aggressively yet, but still quite noticeable.
     "What do we do? What's happening to him?" Vanessa questioned.
     "Did he ever tell you that he has seizures or anything?" Charlie posed.
     "Nothing like that" Vanessa replied as she put her hands on her hips.
     Serena shook Vincent by the shoulders in hopes of making him wake up, but nothing seemed to be working. They were afraid that they were going to lose him, but they would keep trying everything they could to save him.
     Serena blew a gentle breeze onto his flaming face to cool him down. Vincent's eyes flickered and he opened his mouth slightly. Then he began talking to himself.
     "Go away, you'll never hurt me again. I know what you are. Y-you can't take her from me"