Chapter 4 #2
My boot fills with snow and the uncomfortable cold invades my feet.
I take another step and brace myself for more cold wetness but nothing.
The snow neatly holds itself around the edge of my boot.
I think about it falling in and then it does.
I take a few more steps thinking about my foot sinking in the snow but without the snow falling in and it does exactly what I'm thinking.
I laugh and jump. I sink in the snow and it goes everywhere except in my shoes.
The snow doesn't even dampen my jeans. My clothes are completely snow free and toasty warm.
It's crazy but it feels normal. I laugh more, then realise the others are staring at me.
Robbie with his camera snapping photos of me.
My cheeks immediately redden with embarrassment.
I look at them and shrug. “I enjoy the snow.”
“I would never have guessed.” Says Cassey with a grin. She bends down and grabs a hand full of snow. She's rolls it in her hands then throws it straight at me but it crashes to the ground right in front of me.
“You missed!” I shout and make my own snow ball. I throw it at her and it hits her back as she turns to shield herself from it. Snow goes in her hair and she looks at me with mock shock.
“Oh no you didn't!” She throws another at me and again it misses. It lands somewhere to the side of me.
“Cass your aim really is terrible.” Says Christian rolling his own snow ball.
Within seconds snow balls are flying everywhere and not a single one hits me but the other three are drenched and shivering. Cassey's hair is a complete mess and her nose is bright red. She walks over to me shaking her head.
“Once again Kris, your hair is untouched when it should be destroyed. You don't even look cold!” She whispers.
“Another perk I guess.”
“I'll give you perk! It's awesome!” She runs back to Christian and hugs him. He leans in and kisses her.
Robbie, who had just been chatting to Christian, bristles and walks to a bush with his camera in his hand.
They haven't noticed Robbie's reactions to Cassey at all and I realise that Robbie has a thing for Christian. Although it's clear Christian is not that way inclined. He's all over Cassey, which is fair enough. They are together now by the looks of things. It's clearly hard on Robbie though.
I feel bad for him and decide to do something to help him out. Even if it's just for a few minutes. It must be pretty horrible seeing the one you like all over someone else.
I go over to where he's standing clicking buttons on his camera with his brow furrowed.
“Get many good pics today?” I say whilst rubbing my hands together even though they're not cold.
He doesn't look up and his voice is a mumble. “Yeah a few. Some will need a bit of editing but I think I got one or two really nice ones.”
“Getting numb fingers was worth it then. Did you fancy getting a drink in the cafe to warm up?” I gesture to where Christian has Cassey pressed against a tree. Seriously!? “I doubt those two will notice we're gone, and to be honest there's only so much mushiness I can stand.”
He looks at me with relief. “Hunni, that sounds like just what I need.”
We make our way back through the woods the way we came. Having to duck occasionally from thin branches weighed down by snow.
Robbie is the first one to break the silence.
“Thanks for this. I was beyond fed up with the 'mushiness' hours ago.” He holds his fingers up in the quote sign.
“I noticed. I gathered you could do with the break. Although Cassey is really nice once you get to know her.” I smile weakly. Not wanting to push my luck as I don't really know him that well. He might be a really private person.
“I suppose but it's hard to like the one person who has the only thing in the world that you want.” He shoves a branch roughly to the side out of his way.
“I can see how that can be a barrier in a friendship.” I say to try and lighten the mood.
My efforts are rewarded with a slight smile.
“I can't blame Cassey. Christian likes girls and that's never going to change.” He sighs. “Thanks for this chat and the mini escape. I didn't realise how much I needed it.” He looks at me with the first genuine smile I've seen from him all day.
“No problem. I was hoping to trade a coffee for you to delete the photos you took of me jumping around like a fucking nutter.” I bump my shoulder into him.
“Oh! I see! Bribery will get you nowhere young one.” He teases back.
“It was worth a shot! Just don't let them end up on Facebook. Cassey will tease me for the rest of my life.”
“They won't, don't worry. Oh my god, you did look like a kid on Christmas morning though. So funny.” He snorts as he laughs which has me laughing more.
The walk is really enjoyable now that Robbie is distracted from Christian and Cassey. He's a really nice guy and I feel bad for him.
We make it to the cafe in no time, eager to warm up. Robbie joins the queue, but I spot the toilets just to the side.
“I'm just gonna nip to the loo.” I hold out a fiver. “If I'm not back can you get me a mocha?”
He waves my hand away. “Don't worry Hun, I got it.”
“Awesome thanks!”
I go to the toilet and then check myself in the mirror whilst washing my hands.
I was expecting my hair to be a scraggly mess and my cheeks and nose to be bright red but they're not.
In fact, I don't think my complexion has ever been this perfect.
No blotches, blemishes or spots. Just smooth even toned skin.
Clearly the fresh air is working wonders.
And my hair still has that new shine to it.
I smile to myself and turn for the doors when an immense sense of dread fills me. It's leaking in through the door like fog. Invisible but undoubtedly strong.
I take a step back as this horrible feeling spreads around me. I get goosebumps and a shiver runs down my back. It feels dark and menacing. Like a living presence looming over me.
Then just when I feel like this feeling of despair is suffocating me it slowly fades away through the cracks around the door.
I stand there for a few more minutes until a couple of girls come in covered in snow and giggling.
A peak out the door shows everything exactly how it should be and I head out to find Robbie.
He's already got our drinks and is sat at a table near the door with a blank look on his face.
He's probably thinking about Christian again the poor guy. I sit down in the seat across from him.
“So, which ones mine?” I say with a grin trying to snap him out of his brooding.
He blinks and shakes his head. “Oh, err that one.” He pushes a take-away-cup over to me and I wrap my hands around it. The uncomfortable chill from just now has left me feeling cold.
“Thanks. Are you sure you don't want any money for it?”
“What? Oh no that's fine Bub.” He mumbles.
The positive, fun mood I got him in on the walk up has completely gone. Instead he's just a bit out of it. Deflated I guess. Hopefully in time he'll be able to move on from Christian. He's clearly heartbroken.
We sit in silence despite my best efforts to tease conversation out of him.
He just stares out the window the whole time and doesn't touch his coffee.
Mines long gone and Robbie's is probably cold by now, but I don't know if I should mention walking back to find Christian and Cassey or whether he wants some more time to think and be away from them.
Luckily just as I'm about to suggest we head back he beats me to it.
“So, you wanna go?” He asks as he's already getting out of his chair.
I jump up. “Yeah sure.”
We leave the cafe and walk across the open field to the woods where the little track is. We walk in silence for a couple of minutes. Pushing branches out of the way and stepping over logs that have fallen across the narrow path.
Robbie still hasn't said a word. He's walking in front of me. His usual relaxed movements are tense.
The path gets even more narrow and obstructed until I'm pretty sure we're not on the path at all.
“Hey Robbie I think we went the wrong way.”
“Nah it's a short cut trust me.” His voice is low and unemotional. He doesn't look back. He just keeps walking briskly through the dense woodland.
I follow him, though as we walk I get an unsettling feeling.
The hairs on the back of my neck stand up and I look around.
Seeing nothing but trees and snow. The air feels charged like it did last night at the dance and my heart rate picks up.
My instincts are telling me to get ready for something and in the back of my mind I think of Alistair.
It's the same negative feeling that I get whenever he's in the vicinity.
I focus on the woods around us seeing nothing but trees and we've walked far enough in that I can't hear anyone around. It's deadly silent all around us which only adds to my growing sense of dread.
“Robbie.” My voice comes out as a near whisper. “I think we should go back to the path.”
Robbie turns around to look at me then at the area around us as if seeing it for the first time. Then his eyes darken as he stares at me. “No here's just fine.” He says in a monotone. Completely emotionless.
I look around nervously. “But Christian and Cassey aren't here.”
Robbie's eyes take on a glazed look that I recognise instantly. It's the same expression Nick had after Alistair spoke to him last night. My breath catches and I take a step back.
“Robbie?” I manage to squeak out as he steps towards me.
He says nothing just stares at me with that blank look. His fists clench and unclench. Then he takes a few more steps towards me. I instinctively take hasty steps back but my boot hits something on the floor and I fall backwards.
I land flat on my back and my breath is knocked out of me. Before I have chance to catch my breath a weight lands on top of me and I feel hands grab me around the throat. Squeezing tight until I can barely breathe. I stare up into Robbie's glazed over eyes.
I try to wriggle out of his grip, kicking and hitting anything I can reach but he only tightens his hold. Seemingly oblivious to my attempts to hurt him.
My scarf is making it harder for him to get a tight grip on my throat and I'm able to take short shallow breaths.
Fear coils around my chest like a vice and I can hear my heart pounding in my ears.
I try hitting him and scratching at his arms and hands, anything I can think of in my panic to get him off me.
Nothing works and my vision goes blurry from the tears in my eyes. I try to speak but it comes out as a barely audible squeak.
I stare pleadingly into Robbie's unemotional eyes. His mouth is open in a grimace from his efforts to strangle me and his breathing sounds more like a grunt.
My head starts to feel heavy from the little to no air in my lungs.
Can no one hear or see us? Panic and terror flood me as I realise I could die.
I don't know what I did or said to make Robbie act in this way.
The little I know of him he seemed like an alright guy.
Someone I could call a friend and now he's going to kill me in the middle of these woods and no one is going to know.
Despair joins the tsunami of emotions roiling through me and more tears start to fall from the corners of my eyes.
What did I do to deserve this?! I've never so much as squatted a spider and now I'm going to be murdered and I don't even know why!
Anger boils up inside me at the unfairness of this situation and I make one last attempt at somehow surviving this. In any way I can.
I reach up at his face. Trying desperately to scratch anything I can reach through my fingerless gloves.
I manage to scratch him just under the eye but he doesn't even acknowledge it.
His determination to strangle the life out of me is his only purpose and anything that gets in the way of that is just a minor hindrance.
I change tactic and put all my remaining energy into trying to loosen his grip on my throat.
My scarf is still giving me a minor amount of protection otherwise I'm sure I would already be dead.
Although the tiny amount of air my scarf allows me is still barely enough and I start getting black dots filling my vision.
My panic reaches a whole new level as I realise I'm nearly out of time.
I dig my fingers into the tender underside of his wrists with all my remaining strength.
As I do a familiar power rises within me.
Filling me completely like it did the night before when I pushed the tree back up.
This time instead of giving me strength I feel it rising to the surface.
Clinging to my skin and travelling to my fingertips.
My skin tingles all over but it's strongest in my hands.
I grip Robbie's wrists as tight as I can and then I feel the power release through my fingertips. He cries in pain and jumps off me cradling his hands.
I immediately suck in air and cough and splutter. Then getting my breathing under control and clearing my head I scramble to my feet.
Robbie is writhing on the floor screaming in pain. I can't help but watch in horror as purple and green vein like lines cover his skin. From his hands, slowly spreading beyond sight up his sleeve.
What did I do?!
The feeling of power is gone but it's left a slight tingling in my fingers.
Robbie's screams have turned into chocked sobs and then I see the vein like pattern appear from his collar and work their way up his neck to his face, then up into his hair line.
Within seconds he stops moving and his eyes close.
I stand there frozen in shock. I take a deep breath and start to call for help but then a hand clamps around my mouth from behind.
I jump and lash out at whoever it is behind me but another arm comes around my waist trapping my arms. I try everything to get away but the person holding me has a hold like steel.
“Shh. Calm down. He'll be fine.”
I vaguely recognise the voice but the panic I'm feeling blocks out everything but my desperation to get away from him.
“Gods! Will you stop moving!”
Yeah, like that's gonna happen!
I start trying to stomp on his feet to no avail.
As I exhaust myself with my efforts to get away, I notice something both familiar and unnerving.
A feeling of despair hangs heavy in the air.
Like invisible empty darkness. Like Death.
.. That's it... It's what I'd imagine death to feel like.
It's been coming and going since yesterday.
But I've never felt it so strong as I do now.
“That's it. Calm. I'm letting go OK?”
Without realising it I'd stopped struggling but as long as he lets go of me I'll roll with it. His grip on me loosens and I turn to see Alistair. He looks amused.
The moment there was space between us the horrible feeling ebbed away slightly but I could still feel it emanating from him like an aura. All my instincts tell me I can't let my guard down around this guy.
I hear a moan from behind me. Shit it's Robbie! I drop down on the floor next to him and notice the purple and green veins have nearly disappeared.
“See I told you he was fine.” Alistair's nonchalant tone grates on me and I spin around to face him.
“How the fuck do you know that?! I thought I'd killed him and you just show up out of nowhere and find this all funny?!” I get up and shove him but he doesn't budge an inch. The no-it-all's a statue now?!
I feel myself hyperventilating with all the craziness that's been going on and all I wanna do is scream and run away. Nothing makes sense any more.
“I told you to calm down Krista and why do you even care if he's fine? He tried to kill you.” He leans casually against a tree and gestures in Robbie's direction who was attempting to prop himself up looking confused.
I remember the pressure of Robbie's hands around my neck and I move marginally away from him. He sees me move and locks eyes with me.
“Krista? What's going on? Why aren't we at the cafe?” He doesn't seem to remember anything since we got coffee and that cold distant look in his eyes is gone.
He doesn't scare me now even though moments ago he was strangling me.
His hands start to shake as his eyes dart around and land on Alistair. “You... I know you....”
Alistair moves towards him and cuts him off. “No, you really don't.” He kneels down in front of him and stares him directly in the eyes. “You got coffee, got lost in the woods, tripped and hit your head.”
Robbie stares back at him. “I tripped...Hit my head...”
That's a lie! I shove Alistair on the shoulder. “What are you doing?”
He holds one finger in my direction. “Shh.”
“Don't shush me, you're lying! I did something to him! I hurt him but I don't know how!” Panic rises inside me as I realise that somehow I hurt him and it was out of my control. What if it happens again?!
He ignores me and keeps his gaze fixed on Robbie. “You’re going to find your friends and go home. Forget I was here..”
He's doing it again. Telling him to forget just like he did with Nick.
They both stand up and Robbie walks past me back the way we came. He seems cheerful and relaxed like he has no idea what just happened. “Hey Krista you coming? Christian and Cassey are gonna be wondering where we are.”
“Umm...” I turn to Alistair but he's gone. I look around and he's nowhere in sight. No one can move that fast. It's impossible. Then again what just happened is impossible... Maybe he's like me?
Robbie calls me again and I follow on auto pilot. The further I walk the invisible dark fog that seems to surround Alistair disappears.
As we walk Robbie chats away happily as he was before.
It's totally unnerving seeing as he nearly killed me earlier and yet I'm walking with him alone in the woods!
? What the fuck is going on!! I should be running for my life and yet I feel safe.
Maybe none of it happened. Is it possible I imagined everything?
Is Alistair even real? Yes, Cassey said she saw him.
Even so, no-one goes from murderous too completely normal moments later.
What do I do?' My minds racing faster than I can process.
All I want to do is go home and cry and sleep forever.
In a perfect world, I'll wake up and it will be Friday again and I'll finish college like normal.
No hiccups and no weirdness. It has to because the only other alternative is insanity.