The poetry of a dead man [h.s]

The art of believing

(Changed some small details from Copper Ridge because they wouldn't make sense, sorry not sorry).

I'm trying out something new that I don't know if it makes sense, but we'll see, I guess. At some parts, it seems like Annalise knows about Lenore, but we know she doesn't, it's just in his head. At some parts, the name Annalise is switched to Lenore as in his mind he sees Lenore in Annalise. I don't know if this will be confusing, but I hope it makes sense whilst reading. And if not, welp then it is what it is.

***

Now the real fun was about to start.

He carried an unconscious Annalise over to a tree and sat her down against it, making sure her wrists were secure against the trunk so that she would not fall over. He tied both of her wrists behind her back, using some rope he carried in his backpack.

You see, even though Harry's plan was still under construction that night when he drove back home to get his hiking equipment, he made sure to pack the necessities.

He double checked the knot he had made, making sure it was not tight enough to cut off her blood flow but not loose enough for her to get out of it.

Then it was time for the hiker. He did not give him the same gentle treatment he had Annalise. He took a grip on the collar of his jacket and dragged him over to where Annalise were sitting against the tree, still unconscious. The man groaned in pain as he dragged him over the uneven ground. He let go of his jacket and his head fell to the forest floor with a soft thud. He removed the hiker's thick jacket to make it easier for himself for what was about to come.

Then, he waited. It felt like he waited for an eternity for her to wake up. He started to get impatient. His excitement for what was to come was eating him up from the inside out, and it took everything in him to not start without her. Although he had already started without her in a way, but just a little bit. He had only stabbed the hiker once, and it was for good reason so he hoped that Annalise would not get too disappointed with him for getting a head start.

He looked over at Annalise, admiring her beauty. Granted, she was bleeding from where he had hit her temple and she had dirt on her from being on the forest floor, but she was still beautiful. He still could not fathom how much like Lenore she was, it really felt as if he had hit the jackpot with her.

"Look at what you did to her." He got startled by hearing a voice that did not belong to neither him nor Annalise. He looked around him but could not see anyone close by. It was only him, a still unconscious Annalise and the hiker that was on the ground, but he was hardly in any condition to speak. "Look at what you did to her." He heard it again, closer this time.

He retrieved his knife from his pocket, keeping it steady in his hand. He left his place standing leaning against the tree and did a quick scouting of the area. Still, he could not see anyone else. "Look at what you did to her." This time it came from behind him, and as he turned around, the hiker was now no longer lying on the ground, he was standing right behind Harry, speaking right at him. "Look at what you did to her." Scared, Harry took a step back.

Just moments ago, the hiker was not strong enough to move on his own and now he was standing in front of him as if he never were hurt in the first place. When Harry took a step back, the hiker took a step forward, continuing with his chant. "Look at what you did to her." For every step back Harry took, the hiker took one forwards, repeating the same seven words, over and over again.

"I didn't do anything to her." He said, trying to keep his voice confident. "Look at what you did to her. Look at what you did to Lenore." It was all he could hear, it did not matter that he brought his hands up to try and cover his ears, the voice would not go away. It kept repeating "Look at what you did to Lenore. Look at what you did to Lenore. Look at what you did to Lenore." He kept his ears covered and his eyes closed, frantically shaking his head no and repeating "I didn't do anything; I didn't do anything."