Deep in the Forest (Wattpad Editor's Pick, June '22)

3.5

A Western-screech Owl's call pierced the night sky. It was a creepy noise Zoe heard hundreds of times and set her teeth on edge. Tonight, the avian sounded like it was telling her to go to bed. 

She stood from the bench, obeying the wisdom the owl offered. 

As she made her way to the back door, the pine trees moved. They twisted and stretched up towards the dark sky. Her breath caught in her throat as she noticed the stars grow dim. They bled into the great expanse, like a balloon losing its air, slowly fading from sight.

All of them gone but one lone twinkle, defying the darkness. The inky black pushed and pulled at the pinprick, threatening to blot it away. Maybe if Zoe held it, the star would be able to find its gravity again, and pull itself back together--burn brighter than before. That is, if she could catch it.

Zoe reached up, in an attempt to cup the fading light in her palms. Her movements were slow, like she was in quicksand, sky quicksand. 

She clasped her hands, lacing her fingers together around the small glow. The heat burned her palms. She held tightly, and pulled her extremities close to her chest. As she did, her feet left the ground. 

The black sky enveloped her fingers. The heat inside her hands grew cold as her arms vanished, sucked into the void. 

She wiggled, tugged and jerked to get away, but she was stuck in a battle she couldn't hope to win. Her arms and top of her head chilled, then froze. She wished more than anything she didn't touch the star, fearing her life would soon be extinguished. 

Everything turned black, she couldn't stop shivering as she was pulled into the upper atmosphere. As she opened her mouth to scream, her breath was stolen from her. 

She was going to die. 

Zoe startled awake, gasping for the air the dream ripped from her. She was seated on the bench swing with the Pendleton holding her in place. Her cold fingers tingled against her face as she rubbed the nightmare from her eyes. 

The halogen lights hanging on the back of the house like a pair of alert rabbit ears snapped on full blast. She stopped moving as her gaze ran the length of the yard for the culprit. 

Deep in the forest, the crack of wood on wood shattered her nerves. Once, twice, three times. 

The light turned off, faster than usual, but the moon shone bright in its fullness. She could see the small buds on the cherry trees and all along the backyard to the dense forest line some three hundred yards away. 

Hundreds of fireflies flashed in unison close to the start of the forest. Nothing moved, but the hairs standing along her neck alerted her to the fact that something was watching her. 

She grabbed, Ichiro, her dad's Mariners baseball bat sitting next to the white rocker. Shivering, she rose to her feet. The grass sounded like paper crinkling under her boots as she went to make sure the pesky raccoons hadn't gotten into the garbage again. 

Crooked branches loomed closer as the light turned on. As quickly as they appeared, the darkness enveloped them and everything within sight. She fought with the flickering light that kept her from seeing clearly. 

Zoe trembled under the blanket as the light shut off and didn't blink. She blamed the dream for her frazzled state of mind. She waved her free arm to get the sensor's attention, and shake off the nerves that came with her nightmare. 

Any second now the motions sensor light should turn back on. Any. Second. 

She stared at the device, wondering if she imagined it flashing or if her tired mind was messing with her. 

Standing under it, the sensor stayed off. 

Fishing her phone out of her back pocket, its flashlight lit up the surrounding area. The motion sensor's housing didn't appear to be any damaged. Standing on her tip-toes, she tapped the bulb with the end of the blue bat. 

The light didn't so much as flicker. Zoe decided it must be in the end stages of its life. She would change the bulb tomorrow and check the batteries while she was up the ladder. 

She scanned the yard one last time and pulled the Pendleton closer about her. The feeling of being observed hadn't left her, but as far as she could tell, there was nothing more than the fireflies. 

She twisted the doorknob. 

The motion sensor flooded the back yard in yellow light. 

Zoe suppressed a startled yelp as she darted into the house. She slammed the door closed behind her and locked the deadbolt for good measure.