Into the Everdeen

chapter 1

    *Beep beep beep* "UGHHHH SHUT ITTT!" As my eyes were fluttering open, I noticed some dark shadow of a man speed by quickly in the corner. I feel like Im being watched. There is this presence that I am incapable to describe. Like something is lurking in the shadows. Ive always believed in ghosts and paranormal but I have never seen one with my own eyes. It makes sense for them to be near me considering the tall pines of The Everdeen Forest greet me at my window every morning.

    "Hey Larry." Those words pierce through me like a knife, as I never heard a voice anything like that in my life. Unsettling wouldnt be enough to describe this sensation. The voice of a young child yet someone who has lived thousands of years. It almost feels familiar in a sense. "Larry..? Are you going to ignore me again?." "Who are you?" I manage to utter. "What do you mean Larry I've always been here with you." Its almost as if the floor shook with the rumble of the scream I let out. "Whats wrong Larry. I've never frightened you before?" Huh. "I've literally never seen you in my life leave me alone." "Oh I must've thought you were the other Larry! Haha when you're dead for hundreds of years you forget." Am I going berzurk or am I really speaking to a dead person right now? "Anyways my name is Henry and I've always been here but you my child, have a special connection to this realm." This "ghost man" disappeared faster than I can blink.

   
    My mind was rushing with thoughts. I am constantly thinking about what he had said. A special connection with his realm? Why am I special? What does this mean? I need to figure out a way to summon Henry again. What do I do? I ask a simple question. "Henry are you with us?" Nothing. I ask again. And again. Nothing. Not a single sign. Why could I see him yesterday and not today? I quickly go to the restroom and flush. As soon as I flush henry comes out of the toilet. "Heya Larry!" "JESUS YOU SCARED ME!!" Well now I know how to summon Henry.

    Hes gone again. Henry never seems to stick around long enough so I can ask him questions. I am still wondering what he meant. It was chilling and ominous the way he said that I have a connection. A glimpse of yellow catches the corner of my eye. I go to my desk and its a note. For me. "To Larry, this is Henry. I am sorry us spirits cannot stay in this realm and talk for a long time. You are special. Don't tell anyone about this. The reason you can see us is because you are half dead. You are in the in- between. Humans can still see you and so can we. You must be careful and trust me. Your body is fragile, you must stay in tact. Im sorry Larry."

    A rush of nausea washes over me. This makes me sick. My legs ache with pain. Is Henry lying? I hurry to the bathroom and meet eyes with the toilet, qucikly flush it. No signs of Henry anywhere. Where. Is. He. A rancid smell is coming from my bathroom. I follow it and find another note with a rotten egg attached. "This is Henry before we start heres an egg from when I was alive. I am about to meet fate with the second death. My soul will desipear and bring me to despair. Larry, you must go into the woods. You will find the truth there. I am full of sorrow writing this. You must go on and finish what I have done.

    Ugh yuck that egg. Why wont he just tell me the truth in the note? I rotate my body and face my uncanny fate with the truth. The Everdeen Forest. The tree tops barely stick out above that eerie fog. Leaping out of my window, finally ready. This forest is my destiny if Henry is right.

    One foot in front of the other. I have been wandering around so long, time doesn't feel real anymore. No clues or humans anywhere. Abruptly, a bloodcurling sound arose me within my skull. I go after the sound. An unhuman girl lies at the end of the path. Her eyes are blood red, her head has no hair, but the worst part is, her skin is plumping out green viens. "Uhm hello are you okay?" No response. I investigate her thoroughly without getting too close. Mystery girl's neck reads "Shmee" I think thats her name.

    "Shmee?" I exclaim. "Hm?" Finally, a response. "I am going to bring you to my home Shmee I need to find answers and I need your help." Within the 3 hours it took us to walk to the comfort of my own home, I barely managed to get a word out of her.

    "Okay Shmee this is my house you can stay here for now." "Honey who are you talking to?" My mom shouts from upstairs. Holding Shmee's unusually cold hand, I bring her upstairs. "Mom this is Shmee." "Are you delusional? There is no one beside you." Huh? Why can I see Shmee and my mom can't. Maybe this is part of the truth.

    Shmee's cold eyes lay effortlessly on mine. Still, not saying a word. "Shmee where are you from?" "If I told you, you would probably collapse on the floor." I still need to know this enigma that is the "truth". "I am not like you Larry."

    I glance over my shoulder and see something in my room that was never there before. It looks like an old crumbled up page from some kind of journal. It couldn't hurt to take a peek.

    November 18th, 1745
My name is Shmee. He's asking me to keep this journal I hate him so much. He is the reason why I am on this planet in the first place. This unfriendly planet that will likely lead to my likely fate of death. Everyone has the same fate. Where is Larry. He went missing ever since we left earth. Maybe he never left.

December 19th, 1745

They have me. The monsters. This skin isnt mine. This body, this face. None of it is mine. I am not like them. I am not one of these monsters. Please stop this.

January 31, 1746

I am escaping back to earth through a monster's machine mechanism. I dont know what their devices are Im only "human" after all. I cant even call myself that anymore. I have no memory of what they did to me. I just need Larry. Where is he.

April 12, 1996

I think whatever the monster did to me made me immortal. No matter how hard I try I cant die. I still will never know what they did to me. I still need to know where Larry is. Now I rome through the greens of the Everdeen forest. It goes on for miles and miles. I just need peace.

June 14, 2009

A boy came up to me and says his name is Larry. Is this my brother? It cant be. He is just a child after all, plus he doesnt remember me. I am just overthinking it.

It stops there. This is the present. I am not hundreds of years old am I? Maybe Henry was right. Maybe I am really half dead.

        Despearate for awnsers, I sprint into the Everdeen forest. Its a note for me. "Larry's memories." and an attached document. An old video plays of a boy who looks like me but cant be me. He gets stabbed in the throat by a blue monster. With the wound punctures gushing with blood, he turns his head to the camera and breaks the 4th wall. "Larry, me, I guess if you are watching this I am not dead, well I dont know what I am but hes taking my memories away right now please find Shmee for me buddy."

The job has been done, me. Shmee grins in the corner of my room. "Looks like after all these years we are finally together again, brother."