Greenwood Springs.... It was a town known to the outside world as the town of magic. The town was said to have been built by the love of a blue haired witch and a human boy. And was also said to have welcomed supernatural creatures.
Whether the townspeople believed it or not, was another story. However, the Mayor of the town made it clear that the forests and the springs there, were sacred ground and if any were to step foot there, they'd go missing and wouldn't be found again. It seemed farfetched at first....but then, ignorant and defiant teenagers felt like trying their luck, and couldn't be found again after venturing off into the northern forests. It was only then that people believed what was going on. But when Sloane and the others had ventured into the southern forest, it came as a surprise to everyone when they had found the bodies of the others and also when they found out Sloane had managed to survive even after being seriously wounded.
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Everyone in town watched as Nathan and Sloane rode the bike through the slightly empty streets. It seemed like the incident that happened the day before had affected everyone in town. Sloane gripped Nathan's shirt a bit; it was clear to him that she was uncomfortable with everyone's questioning stares.
"Where am I dropping you off at?" Nathan asked and she was dragged out from her thoughts
"Eh?....Uh.....at the university.....down the street then a right" she said and he nodded as he accelerated a bit. As he went down the street, he noticed more people staring at Sloane as though they were trying to dig holes into her and he could feel her heartbeat and the grip she had on him increase. He finally made a right turn and the university could be seen.
"Sloane" he called out
"Yes?"
"Remember to keep whatever you saw a secret....even if someone threatens to kill you.... please, keep it a secret" he said and she sighed
"I promise...." She said "It's not like I have anyone to tell or anything to lose. Plus, if someone threatened to kill me....I'd happily let them take my life" she murmured and Nathan frowned
'Is this how bad things are for her?' he wondered as he looked to the side and saw people still staring intently at Sloane 'Their looks are asking why is Sloane still alive when the others that are with her are dead? They look at her like she's not a human like the rest of them' he sighed as he parked his bike at the entrance of the university. The students that seemed to be entering the campus, stopped at the gate and all stared at Nathan and Sloane.
Sloane slowly let go of Nathan and got off the bike. She stood to Nathan's side and took off the helmet and gave it to him.
"Thanks for everything" she said with a sigh and Nathan took off his helmet
"No problem" he said before staring at the students and then at her "Aren't you going in?" he asked
"Yeah. But....you're going to have to leave first" she said with a sad face
"I was told to make sure you get back safely and...." He looked at the students again before looking at her "....You're still here staring at me" he said before getting off the bike and grabbing her uninjured wrist.
"Wh-wha-wha-what are you-" she wanted to say more but he glared at her and she felt the need to keep quiet. He took her hand and led her through the university gates and onto the campus grounds. Walking passed the crowd and everyone staring at her, he could hear every word they said; "Why is she alive?"
"Scott and the others died in the forest and of all people, she had to survive?"
"Bright and I were about to start a relationship. But he died. Yet....this...this thing is still alive"
"I never got to say goodbye to Lizzy and Megan. They had helped me out a lot. They were fun people...and yet, they died horrible deaths"
"Elias and Scott were always competing because of this girl and after going out on a camping trip with her, they died but she's still alive. I bet they died because of her".
Tears were already dropping from Sloane's eyes and her head seemed to be lowered down to the ground. She could hear all the words they said, all the silent whispers ad murmurs. While Nathan was using everything in his body to not turn into a werewolf and spill the blood of all these people.
'Isn't she human too?' he asked himself 'Is there seriously nobody left to welcome her?'
"Sloane" he heard someone shout and raised up his head to see two girls. One of them had long black hair, brown eyes, and pink lips while the other had long goldenrod coloured hair, grey eyes and thin pink lips.
"Alexa....Fernanda....." He heard Sloane mumble as she lifted up her head. She could see both Alexa and Fernanda crying as they ran towards her and gave her a hug. Nathan had let go of Sloane's hand when he saw this and his anger seemed to have dwindled.
"We were so worried" Fernanda said as her goldenrod hair stuck to her face "We thought you had died"
"I told you to stay away from Scott....but you didn't listen... Why?" Alexa asked as she stared at Sloane in the eyes
"I-"
"You put yourself in danger. I had my reasons for breaking up with him Sloane. I told you to say away because of the others that surrounded him" Alexa interrupted her "They took you to the southern forest.... knowing full well of the stories that go around in this town....of the things that are there....they all died yet-"
"Don't say it like that Alexa" someone shouted from the crowd of students "Scott was your boyfriend and he died in the forest because he took that girl with him. She's a curse" the person shouted and everyone agreed but Nathan's hand began to shake a bit; he really wanted to crush this person's throat.
"Yeah...." Alexa said and they all calmed down to listen to what she had to say ".....Scott was my boyfriend. He was a good guy...but, he was Sloane's best friend and if not for her, I wouldn't have met him...." She wiped away the tears in her eyes ".....Although a part of me wants to blame Sloane, I just can't. If it was her fault, she wouldn't have gotten injured and the trauma of watching everyone die, wouldn't have been engraved into her head. All of you are just blaming her for their deaths because she's the only one who came back, alive. Even though she'll never be the same again, she came back alive....." She looked at Sloane "....If someone else from that group of party animals had come back, I bet you'd all do the same as what you're doing to Sloane.... All of you, are just....truly disgusting....." She shouted as she took Sloane's hand and walked away.
"I pray that your bodies be ripped to shreds by whatever's in that forest" Fernanda said before looking at Nathan "Thanks for dropping her off. We'll handle whatever these people throw at her" she added before going after Alexa and Sloane.
Nathan watched as Fernanda and Alexa took Sloane's two hands and walked away into the university building and he sighed before walking back towards his motorcycle and getting on it. He looked at the university again and put on his helmet before starting the vehicle and riding back the way he came.
'I hope we never have to meet again, Sloane. Because you're finally back home' he thought as his bike disappeared into the forest.