The Mask Man In The Woods

40.

CHAPTER FORTY

"Varia, it'll be okay. We'll figure it out." Javon assured, resting his hand on my back.

I said nothing and stared at the ground, my hands buried in my hair as I tried to think about what happened. That wood piece from the wall must've killed me. As I tried to remember, the wood didn't hit me, but maybe it did. Maybe when I leaned forward, my soul got separated from my body and it all happened to fast to feel any physical pain.

Even though it went against everything I believed about death, it was the only thing that came to mind. I was fine in the kitchen. I was fine in the closet. I was fine in the bathroom. Everything changed when the shadow monster grabbed me and threw me in my old bedroom. That must've been the place where I... died.

A chill went through my spine at the thought of Drakon or Tristian finding me dead in my old bedroom. The more I thought about it, the more I wanted to desperately go back. This couldn't be it. This wasn't supposed to end this way. There had to be a way to go back, even if just to say goodbye. I couldn't even remember the last thing I said to Drakon or Tristian or even to that cat.

"This can't be it..." I whispered to myself. I shakily inhaled and shook my head, my hands grabbing fistfuls of my hair.

"You know... being dead is not so bad. There are no responsibilities and—"

"How could you say that?!" I snapped, standing up and facing Javon, "My son is alone out there! My son has been through horrible things and he's alone! It's easy for you to be like, 'Oh I have no responsibilities and the dead life is great!' since you weren't there!"

"Of course I wasn't there! I was fucking murdered!" Javon shouted, standing up and looking down at me, "Don't you think I would have been if I was alive? I was killed because of you!"

"I didn't want any of this to happen," I softly said, my shoulders dropping, "But I just can't sit here, kick my feet up and pretend the afterlife is awesome. There's nothing even here, but an endless road to-to nowhere!"

Javon sighed and ran a hand through his hair. "I know, Varia. I was just trying to... I don't know, lighten the mood or something."

"You were always bad at comforting people." I said, sitting back down on the road.

"Yeah, I did make Hailey from freshman year cry when I joked at her father's funeral." He pointed out, sitting across from me.

I smiled but it soon disappeared as the trees moved around yet there was no wind or air. Everything was strangely calm yet there was nothing calm to be about. This place screamed terror as the fog around the trees made it hard it see anything. The moonlight cast creepy shadows and the branches of the trees swung on its own even though I felt no wind. It's like if we were here but not at the same time.

"How did you know you were dead when you first woke up here?" I asked, looking away from the trees. Javon leaned to the side, propping himself up with his elbow.

"There was an old woman here who told me what this place was and why I was here. Since then I've seen people come and go."

"Have you seen the old woman? Or anyone else again?"

"No. People usually freak out and run away to find the exit. I did that too, but this road goes on forever. I tried both ways and nothing."

"Have you ever tried going through the trees?"

Javon paused and sat up, his eyes searching through the ground as if trying to remember something. "You know what... I remember coming across this lake. When I was looking at it, I swear I saw you and Drakon in there as if..." Javon trailed off and his eyes grew wide.