Intro - 1

The woods. It’s always the woods and it’s always the same. But this is different, this isn’t the right place. It’s normally a quiet, green place where I’m surrounded by the life of the forest, the last connection I have with my father. This place has always been a sanctuary for me, a safe place. But this is a dead, empty spot, a spot that looks nothing like my forest. I’m in a small opening, surrounded by fallen leaves and dead trees and I shudder as a breeze ruffles through the air. Suddenly the only sounds are those of someone, or something, running. It is approaching faster and faster and getting closer and closer and I feel the earth shake beneath my bare feet, my body freezes in fear and confusion of new addition, then instinct kicks in and I run. I can feel the earth pounding underneath my feet and the sounds of the running feet behind me fill my head, blocking out everything else. I go further into woods until I can’t see anything but trees all around me. I turn to look behind me to see if it’s still there, knowing I shouldn’t, and catch a flash of deep, dark green eyes. The turn catches up with me and my feet fly out from under me. I feel my hand slide across a sharp rock, slicing it open and my head slams against the ground.
Gasping, I sit up in bed, my legs still twitching, trying desperately to run. I raise my hands to brush the hair away from my face and see red. Looking at my hands, I see a long, deep gash and sigh and feel the twinge in my stomach that I always feel when I see blood. Staring at my hand in shock, not really wanting the think about how the gash could have gotten there, I mutter, “Damn” as I climb out of bed, trying to be careful not to let my hand touch anything as I head to my bathroom.
Needing to calm myself and knowing that a hot shower is the best way, I turn on the hot water and as I wait for it to heat up decide to take care of my hand. Trying to clean my hand up in the sink and watching the pink water flow down the drain I try to forget the forest and the thing chasing me. I open the medicine cabinet and finger the bottle of sleeping pills that I hide there.
Tapping the bottle, I try to convince myself that I don’t need them. I turn away and step into the steaming shower. The burning hot water instantly relaxes my tensed muscles. I lean my head back, letting the water soak my hair, hoping that it will relax my mind as well. Instead, it makes my mind race faster, taking me back to those woods that have been in my dreams for so long. It had always been my place until tonight, no one else was ever there. So why was it different now, what has changed that would alter my world so much. Shaking the thoughts from my mind, I realize that the water has gotten cold so I step out of the shower.

Drying my hair off, I think about the first time I dreamt of those woods. I’ve dreamed of those woods since the night of the accident with my dad. We had gone camping. I can’t remember much about it so I don’t really know what happened to me. My dad was found in the woods; he had been dragged and attacked by some kind of an animal. I saw the attack happen but have suppressed the memories, so the doctors said, my mind is trying to protect itself. The doctors tried to make me remember what happened exactly but I never have. When I told them that I knew when things were going to happen, they thought that I was in shock, post traumatic stress syndrome had to be the answer, they told my mother. Just give her time they said. Time doesn’t always help.
Since then I’ve kept to myself, always afraid of what I would see if I got too emotionally attached to someone. I didn’t know how powerful the …sight was or what I would see and I have been so afraid that I would see something bad happening to someone I care about. I’ve been very guarded about who I let into my life.
I was doing so well, hadn’t had but a glimpse of anything, until the night my dream completely changed. I have always dreamt of those woods, the woods we were in that night, but I’ve always been by myself in the dreams.
Pulling the tank top back over my head and sliding my underwear up my legs, I suddenly feel exhausted. Crawling back into my bed, I pray that the rest of night is spent dreamless. Miraculously, it is and my mind gives me no more surprises that night.
My eyes flutter open and I groan, hearing the alarm screaming at me. I roll over in the bed, slamming my hand down on the alarm, hoping to hit the right button to quiet the noise.