I turned around to look but no one was there. Again the voice came, "Don't fear me." Again I looked around, hoping for a clue that just wasn't there. "Who's there!?" I asked and tried to stand only to fall back to my knees. As soon as I landed on the ground, I was back in front of Mom. "What happened Nickole?" She asked and touched the hand print my dad left on my face. "Ouch!" I said and yanked her hand away from my face. I looked back at her, and saw Dad standing just beyond her shoulder. I swallowed hard and tried to stand. "You should stay still for a second more Nickole." She said and held me down, trying to prevent me standing.
"I told you I'm fine." I said and stood up anyways. I about fell but I grabbed onto the chain of the swing. Mom again threw her hands out to catch me. "I've got it Mom." I said and sat down. Dad walked over and looked at me, then at mom. "What happened?" He asked and again looked at me. "My god Nickole, who slapped you like that!?" He said, forced panic running through his tone. I wanted to say "you" so bad but held my tounge. "I don't know sir, all I know if I fell out of my swing and knocked the breath out of me." I said and twittled my thumbs in my lap. "Let's get you inside." Dad said and went to pick me up again. "I wanna stay outside for awhile." I said and looked away from his gaze of hatred. "That's fine, have fun and be safe from now on, okay sweetheart?" Mom said and intertwined her hand with Dad's as they walked back to the house. I stayed still on the swing and after so much time, I started to slowly begin swinging again.
Out of no where, I was back in the forest in the same spot. Again the crickets where singing their song and the leaves where dancing in the wind. I didn't want to stand up for fear I'd zone back into life. "Welcome back." Came a distorted voice from behind me. I went to turn and felt hands of my face, one covered my mouth and the other rested atop the one over my mouth. "Don't scream, you have no need to fear me little one." It said and one hand went to my back. "I sense pain coming from here. Why is that?" They asked in their distorted voice, making my skin crawl.
I wanted to talk but again, their hand rested over my mouth. They lefted me up and walked out in front of me. "He did this to you." They said in a clear and serious manner. I looked at them in confusion. "Who slapped you?" They asked back in there raspy voice, but it was still in a stern kind of way. I looked down at their hand then back at them. They removed their hand and I breathed in. "My father did." I said and looked down. They put their hand under my chin and raised my head. "It's okay child. Your safe here." They said and started to walk away. "Wait, how do I get back?" I asked and they stopped and looked at me over their shoulder. "Just touch the grass child."
I watched as they disappeared into the shadow's of the woods. I looked down at the grass and thought for a second. But decided to go back home, it was time to zone back in. I leaned down and touched the grass and opened my eyes. I was back in the swing and back in my right mind.