Dawn Hollow

XII

The bus had grown eerily quiet since he had become the last remaining passenger. They had been nearly all over town before finally making the familiar trek up the mountainside. But it had made sense to the young boy, especially considering it was the last stop of the day. The few who had heard about PJ's dangerous adventures had given him well wishes for his survival and return home. It went to show him how afraid and terrified the general public really was of this place. And he didn't know if that made him more uneasy or more curious, but either way, it continued to fuel his desires to find out more.

Just as they did before, the rolling hills were lined with beautiful trees that bled pinky gold and tangerine as the sun was set to sleep. It was even more beautiful than the last time PJ had observed it. It was more than likely because he was more conscious this time than he was prior. He could barely catch glimpses of the foxes and the bunnies scattered into the forest at the sign of their presence. He didn't mean to intrude.

It was all starting to settle in on his poor stomach. How absolutely crazy this really was, so much so that he was now on his way there willingly! But, of course, this could merely be a complete waste of his time. It could be all for nothing, not that it mattered; he was too deep into this now. But then again, this could be the start of everything he's ever wanted. A chance to prove himself.

When the yellow vehicle reached the cul-de-sac type end at the top of the mountain, PJ gathered his bag and crutches. The bus driver watched the boy from the mirror, her eyes stone-cold and untelling, "You gotta lotta guts, kid; wanting to be brought up here and all. I don't even like being up here. I was there that day at Pearl Harbor, and even the idea of being up here terrifies me more than that."

"Well, what makes you so afraid of it?" PJ kindly asked as he finally made it up to the front.

"I've seen and heard things from many people on my bus, and the scariest thing I've ever heard was about what went on in the lab in those very woods," she regarded to him, pointing aimlessly in the trees, "They talked about how so many kiddos came in but not nearly as many came out! Maybe what makes it worse is having a kid of my own." She took a deep breath and let it pass through her. PJ caught sight of the small picture of what he assumed was her son next to the air vent by the steering wheel. "I guess I'm just worried for ya, kid, and I pray for your safety. Don't meddle in the things that you don't understand. I'd hate for another mother to lose their child to the woods up here!"

"W-Well, I appreciate it, thank you. But this place is calling me. And I can't just leave it alone," With that, the driver rolled her eyes with a soft grin and opened the bus doors. PJ hobbled out, leaving his two feet and crutches on the ground before the warm headlights of the bus turned away, and he was left in the sun's fading rays.

He set out to make the most of it with the still young light. He mainly kept his eyes on the ground knowing the transition from concrete to grass could be rough on his balance. But, once snapped out of his laser-sharp concentration, he could hear the owls, birds, foxes, and wolves make all their calls out to the open air of the twilight. A symphony of the wild wrapped around his body like a siren's song and pulled him in deeper.

It only came to PJ's forethought a few steps in that he had no idea where he was going. He didn't have any sense of direction, and whatever purpose he had of it was starting to fade the more he walked. Everything looked the same. A small eruption of panic flooded his gut, but he took a small breath, staring down at his feet in thought. The ground had a pre-formed path in it, which had gone unnoticed to the boy prior. His eyes fondled it with intensity, nothing in it making any sort of sense until it clicked. They were footprints, his footprints from the few days that had passed. That gave him an idea. Using the guide he unknowingly gave himself, he followed them further into the forest; the memories of all that had happened here were flowing back to him.