Forest of the Lost and Seeking

[1]

A dark sky above, ominous and foreboding clouds. The setting was unsettling, and Atticus felt anxious. Their car rumbled along a road, the tall trees on either side of their car seeming to watch, waiting with impatience.

The road had been long and winding, but this section was dark and overgrown. The forest looked older than the world itself. Atticus had been stuck in his head but was jerked out of this thoughts by the sudden change in the car's direction.

"Are we lost, Dad?" he asked, as his father gripped the steering wheel tightly.

"No," his father said softly. "This is the right way."

"Are you sure?" Atticus said, watching the dense foliage on both sides. It seemed to be getting darker. "Father," his voice was becoming louder. "Are you sure this is the right way?"

When his father didn't respond, Atticus really started to panic. He surged out of the car seat to grab his father's arm. "Father! Do you have any idea on where we are?!" He shook his father's arm.

When his father finally spoke, his voice was monotonous and hoarse. "We're going home, Atticus." His eyes were glued to the forest foliage ahead, fingers tightly gripping the wheel till his knuckles were white. "Now sit down," He demanded sharply.

Atticus sat back in defeat, stuffing his hands in his pockets. After a minute, he pulled out his phone, opening News. As he scrolled through, his eyes caught on an article from a few years ago. It talked about how there were many searches issued for people who had gone missing over the years. But none had been found. The only lead that the police had gotten was that all the people had been going to a forest.

Atticus felt his blood run cold as he stared at the photo of the forest the media had taken. It was dark and looming, branches reaching out in waiting, like a hunting monster. He looked out of his own window, comparing the photo to what he was in right now.

"Father." His voice was shaking. "Please. Stop the car." He glanced over at his father, his heart jumping into his throat. His father was still staring into the distance of the seemingly endless forest, a maniacal smirk on his face.

"No." Was the response Atticus received.

They continued to drive through the thick foliage, the jerking of the car was worsening as they drove over roots and branches. Although the headlights were on, it was almost impossible to see the ground. At some point. Atticus almost tipped sideways as they rolled over an unknown object that crunched loudly from beneath them. He winced at the sound, eyes traveling back down to his phone. But the more he looked, the more his screen seemed to glitch, the imagines going in and out of focus.

"Father," he tired again. "Stop the car, please!" Atticus was clutching his phone to his chest, realization dawning on him. "Do you know where we are?!" He grasped his father's arm once more. "We're-"

"I know." His father said, deadly calm, still staring ahead. "Now let go before you cause an accident."

Atticus hesitantly let go, warily eyeing his father. His father never had acted this way and it was unnerving. He turned back to the road, feeling his heartbeat quicken.

The forest was almost pitch dark. Atticus was unable to see anything around him. He could only hear the twisted branches of the trees surrounding them scraping horribly against the car. He cringed as the paint was chipped away, the car jerking right and left.

"Almost there," his father suddenly crowed, his eyes seeming to light up from excitement. The car seemed to speed up, and Atticus slammed against the back of his car seat with a gasp.

"Father! Dad! Please slow down!"

His father pressed his lips into a thin like as his gaze shifted to his son and a moment of clarity seemed to glint in his eyes. "Mn." Was the response he gave, releasing some of his weight off the gas peddle.

Atticus exhaled, his heart rate slowing enough for him to think and process what was happening properly. He looked at his phone, realizing it had turned off. When he tired to power it back on, the word error flashed across his screen. Atticus cursed.

"Fuck. This is bad. Really bad!"

Atticus' father turned to look at him with a simple smile.

"Bad? Not quite. You'll be happy, dear child." His voice was now light, eyes twinkling with excitement. "Just wait."

Atticus clenched his jaw. How could his father be so calm?! This was not normal. As he turned back to look at the front again, an inhuman screech pierced the black sky; and before Atticus could process what was happening, the car was airborne before crashing down and glass shattered, the body of the car crushing.

Atticus cried out, covering his head as he felt glass puncture his skin and the space close in tighter. Pain danced behind his eyes and he faintly heard his father laughing hysterically before going quiet. Atticus struggled to unbuckle himself as the airbags inflated. Once he succeeded, he glanced at his now still father then crawled through the window, blood blurring his vision. As he continued to crawl, a low, bone chilling growl came from behind him and Atticus turned, eyes meeting incandescent crimson eyes. The glow of sharp teeth could be seen from the shadow. The creature snarled, advancing and revealing a skeletal body barely covered by a thin layer of grey skin. Lowering itself on its fours, its limbs cracking like the sound of breaking branches; the face was idly humanoid, its lip curled, a clawed, bony hand raised as if to slash Atticus open.

As claw came down, and Atticus rolled away, but not without a scratch. Pain exploded from his calf and cried out, teeth grinding against each other as he stopped, his hands flying to his leg.

The creature snarled, but it seemed pleased with itself. It crept forward, teeth bared as saliva and blood dripped from its maw.

Atticus was in too much pain to think. He was positive the claw had tore through muscle and bone. His eyes were wide open as he felt light headed.

Another inhuman noise came from the humanoid creature's throat before it lunged, jaw unhinged unnaturally. Atticus' head spun, his eyesight dimming as he watched the creature loom over him, head tilting, almost upside down above him. He closed his eyes, waiting for the creature's claws to tear out his insides.  

A/N: I know this was short, but I hope you at least like it! I appreciate you all and I'm excited to have you join me on this journey of writing this story!

Don't forget to vote and comment your thoughts or constructive criticisms.

I'll see y'all later

-Erγχ