A Sick Boy's Story [HIATUS]

Chapter 4

Jumping off the log I had previously been balancing on, I continued to hum to the music in my earbuds and walk around my safe haven. Forest...woods...whatever you like to call them, they are away from society. They are quiet, isolated, and beautiful. I love it here, it's my safe place. The only place I can truly feel at home. I stopped walking as I reached the edge of a familiar pond. I always found myself at this pond, one way or another. I took out my earbuds, took off my shoes to set them down with my phone and buds, and slipped off my long socks to tie one around my wrist and one in my hair; making a small ponytail out of my almost shoulder length hair. Dad's always telling me I should get a haircut, but I like my hair this way.

Stepping into the freezing pond water, I admired the small minnows that began to eat at the dead skin on my feet. You can barely feel them, bit it still tickles a bit. After rolling up my light colored jeans, I began to walk further into the water. Sadly, the minnows did not follow, but not like I expected them to. Frogs that lived in the pond hopped away as I continued in. Deeper and deeper, I began to forget what I was doing here...

What was I doing here?

Before I would be able to react, something grabbed onto my ankles and pulled me underwater. But the pond isn't even deep. I began to claw at my throat as I lost more and more oxygen. Black dots clouded my vision, but not like there was anything to see. As I was dragged farther and farther down outside was getting darker and darker by the murky water. Before I inhaled the water, I looked down to at least see who was drowning me. No one was there. I can swim up!

I tried to kick up as fast as possible, but it wasn't enough. I was too weak from lack of oxygen. I accepted my fate and let myself drown. Down into the water, down, down, down.

Sam. Wake up.

Sam.

Sam!

You need to wake up, something is coming for you, it can't come just yet.

Samuel, wake UP!

I was outside the water, completely dry. How... No. I can't focus on that right now. I need to get home, it was dark outside and the moon was full. I should be able to make my way home safe enough. I put my socks and shoes back on and began my way home. Turning on my music once more, I tried to relax and recollect my thoughts. I...what exactly even happened? I can't remember anything. I just remember a burning sensation in my throat. Oh well, I'm sure it'll come back to me eventually.

I managed to get out of the forest unharmed, but the railroads were a different story. See, my dad's girlfriend's house owns half the forest since it was built right in the center of it pretty much. But she, of course, doesn't own the railroads. The railroads belong to the train, and the drug-doers and drug-dealers. A vulnerable boy like me walking around these creepos? Yeah, not the best idea. But it's either that or go through that part of the forest. The part of the forest no one returns from, yeah, maybe another day, but definitely not today.

I really wish I had worn something with a hood, all I had was a striped sweater. Even then, I don't think anyone would see me since they all looked too drugged out to see reality. I walked on the train tracks, keeping my head down to avoid making eye contact with anyone. I was really, really hoping that no one would try and make contact with me. I don't want to be sold any illegal drugs, I don't want any trouble. Of course, just my luck, I stopped walking as someone's hand laid onto my shoulder.

"Hey kid, turn around."

I stayed in place, I don't know if it was out of defiance or fear. Maybe both.

"Kid, I said TURN AROUND!"

I slowly turned around and lifted my head slightly to see a skinny man with brown hair, with bangs that covered his eyes. He was about to say something but before he could a blur of white jumped out from the forest and tackled him. I didn't take the chance to see what the creature was, I turned back around and dashed back home. My feet moved faster as the screams of the men behind me rang out and the shrieks of a monster reached out all over the neighborhood. Maybe the monster didn't see me? Or maybe it's right behind me, chasing after me to eat me whole!? As my house came in sight, I took the chance to turn around and get a quick look of the creature.

It looked almost like a human, but you could tell by its features it wasn't. At the moment, it was sitting like a dog; all fours on the ground. Their skin was completely white and leathery looking, the eyes were gone. Just left with shining white sockets. Its hands were bony and had long black razor claws attached to 'em. The longer I stared at it, the more frustrated it got as it began to run towards me on all fours. I began to run faster now that I had a couple seconds to catch my breath.

Finally reached my home, I slammed the door shut and run up to my room, ignoring my dad's calls for me. I changed out of the dirty and sweaty clothes and laid down in my bed, covering my head with the blanket and pillow. That monster couldn't have been real, it wasn't real, demons aren't real, monsters aren't real. None of that was real. You just didn't take your medicine today, that's all. Yeah, just go take your medicine and you'll be fine!

I sat up and opened the drawer of my wooden nightstand. Inside were piles of papers with illegible scribbles and bottles and bottles of pills prescribed to me for my list of disorders. I searched through the different bottles and finally found the pills for my schizophrenia. I personally don't believe I have schizophrenia, but the pills do help with my anxiety and make the voices stop. I know I sound out of my mind when I say that, but it's not like some edgy voices-in-my-head bullshit. No, it's just my mom's voice. I hear her voice in my head a lot, the doctors say it's from my mass amount of grief over the incident. I choose to believe them.

I calmed down after swallowing the dry pills and laid back down in bed. As I closed my eyes to hopefully fall asleep quick, I mentally repeated to myself that what I saw was not real.