They Should Have Listened

The Case..

A group of friends goes for a hike and a camping trip deep in the woods. As night falls they slowly begin to realize they are not alone but also way more alone than they thought. I told them not to go in, they knew the cycle of the forest, after all it is called Perpetuus Arbores, standing for 'never ending trees' in Latin. They knew that past a certain depth, a certain tree line, they would be doomed only to be consumed by the flora and fauna that lies so deeply in the trees. Each member would be plucked from the forest with no trace, like the rest of us. Soon they would find out that there was no will and no way to find out.

I told them not to go, but they didn't listen. I told them what happened to me, what happened behind all the trees deep in the forest. I told them about the slaughters not limited to animals, about the ropes constantly being tied to trees, about the roamings of us once lost in what we could only explain to be ourselves. Still the group continued on. I told them that they'll see things, feel things and hear things but they continued on. Shortly upon entering the forest the creams of the group echoed throughout the darkness. I chuckle to myself just a little bit, if only they knew. I could hear the horror and pain in each shriek escaping their mouths between slashes, between gasps, and between bones snapping. I heard the regret as the group witnessed their deepest secrets exposed, their guilt, their sins, shown for all to see.

Babies slaughtered, voices dying out calling their names, memories flashing back to the night they lost their innocence. Mothers burning reaching out to the hand of their spawn. The group came into the forest full of jokes, full of spirit, sanity and smiles. The group will now be found lifeless, limless, and stuck with their sins for all of eternity. They get to bleed out wondering if they will ever be found, if their families will get closure, why they were so enticed to come into the very forest they lost me too. If only they knew. I told them what happened. I told them what happened to me but they didn't listen, they continued on toward the deepest part of the forest and into the deepest part of themselves.

I watched as lights shine into the forest flashing us with reds and blues in the wake of the night. I stare as cars slow, cautiously staring back at me, staring back at us. They look at us as if we are broken as if we are did this to ourselves. I watch with pleading eyes as not a single person steps toward the forest. Tears roll down my face as I see that people fear that what happened to us, happened to the group and could happen to them. I turn my head as news reporters plaster their faces on screens all over the world, just as theft once did with me. I told them not to go, but they didn't listen they continued on.