Haunteds

Chapter 13

"What are we looking for again?" Cana said, kneeling on the grassy field beside the tree.

"We've gotta find out why this tree fell in the first place. It just doesn't make sense."

"Like the fact that we're playing detectives while they're having fun inside?"

"You know you followed me out here, right?"

Just then, the glass doors slid open again, another guy stepped out.

We stood up as he approaches us. He looked at us, then the tree. "Guess we had the same idea," Cato said. "Mind if I join you?"

It's not like we have exclusive rights over the tree so we let him. And so we spread out, checking every inch of the fallen tree, hoping to find something, anything that could help. The tree was wide and tall, at least the same height as the dorm. Leaves are scattered around its sturdy, barky trunk. Nothing was out of the ordinary.

At first glance, everything was exactly as it looks. A tree fell. That's it. No Shade. No dead kid. Whoever Major Coleman called, they did a great job cleaning up. I looked at where Kent's body was supposed to be lying. Now, the grass had been mowed down, the only trace of him left was a dark patch created on the dirt, like a dried mud puddle after raining. The image of his death returned, reminding me of last night's horror. My heart started pounding. It's all right. It's morning. We're safe. I had to tell myself, repeatedly.

I took a deep breath and continued working down to the base of the fallen tree. That's when I noticed something strange. The base was cut diagonally. I ran my fingers on its surface. It was...smooth.

I tried to recall what I've remembered last night. The Shade floated behind the tree. Then Mr. Donovan followed. After that, Mr. Donovan screamed and the tree started to slide and crashed to the ground. That's about it. So what happened last night? Shades have no physical body so it's just impossible for them to touch things let alone fell a tree. I walked over to the stump and squatted by it. The surface has the same, smooth diagonal cut. Next to it was another dark patch of the ground. I assumed it's where Mr. Donovan's body was found.

"Hey guys," I said. "I think you should see this." They immediately came over and sat beside me.

"So it's been cut," Cana said. She ran her hand on its surface. "A clean cut."

"Way too clean," I said. "What could cut down a tree this size, this smooth?"

"A chain saw, maybe?" Cato offered. "Although it's not exactly something you carry around with you."

"And wouldn't that take at least minutes before it cut through?" Cana said.

"Not to mention the noise it would make," I said. "We couldn't have missed hearing something like that. In fact, I don't think we ever heard anything before Mr. Donovan screamed."

"So what could cut a tree in half as if it was butter without making any kind of noise?" Cana asked.

For a moment, we just stared at the stump as we try to come up with possible answers.

Cato shook his head. "No idea."

"Isn't that kind of impossible?" Cana said.

Cato nodded. "By normal means, yes."

I took in a lungful of the fresh, mountain air. The forest was full of life. Birds were signing. I spotted a squirrel scurrying down a tree. It was invigorating. I should have been enjoying this, but now that I've got my answer, a new, more troubling thought prevented me from doing so. If no natural means could've have done it, then what about a supernatural one? But that would mean...