Refraining from saying such, I bit my cheek and stood up. There were things to be put away, and I knew no one else was going to do it. Mom had excused herself to lie down, but she'd already done more than enough. Benji... he was just lazier and more easily distracted than me, more so to the point that he'd stopped halfway up the stairs to check something on his phone. I only stared for a moment before losing interest, moving on with a sigh.
There isn't much to pack away, as we'd only got the bare essentials, plus the gardening stuff. When I was done, the pantry and cupboards weren't so empty, and the fridge's light grew a bit duller, blocked by groceries. Satisfied with my work, I moved to put the bags in a cupboard. However, I stopped when I noticed one had a rip going down the side. The spade must've done it.
Scowling all the while, I shoved the tools into a drawer before setting the bug spray on the counter. Moving to throw the bag, I braced myself for the onslaught of rain. It was worse than anticipated, with a strong gust of wind almost knocking me over. Through it all, I had to squint, struggling to not trip en route to the trash can. Fallen over on its side, trash was strewn everywhere by the wind. I groaned at the fact, dropping to my knees to gather as much as possible. Swearing up an entirely different storm, a splinter entered the palm of my hand. Again, I groaned, my pain tolerance being ridiculously low. Bringing it to my mouth, I pull it out with my teeth, eliciting a sting and drop of blood from the area. I continued to gather trash in my arms, moving it into the bin. Before I finished, I set it inside and lingered, just peacefully taking it all in.
Then I hear it again, over the pouring rain and thumping of my heart in my ears. Rustling from the bushes, and this time, I see it, a pale thing covered in leaves. Or rather, it was him I saw. Just a face made half visible with the flash of lightning, eyes seeming like dark holes. When he realized I was staring, his mouth went wide, a pit of black with two strangely sharp teeth briefly on display. He was gone in the next second. So brief was the encounter that I was left wondering if it even happened.
I didn't know what to do, whether to yell after or chase him. But then, I also didn't know him. There were too many things to be unsure of. Except for the fact that he was a person, one who would only be in more trouble as the storm raged on. The phenomenon only seemed to be growing and doing so at a dangerous rate; the wind whistled as if it were a million screams, whipping my hair around into disarray. Huge, swirling clouds had all but enveloped the sky, turning it into an inky dark wine. Even if I didn't know him, I knew no one deserved to be outside in such a state. So, I rushed back inside, scrambling to find a flashlight. It was in a box beneath the sink, and I hit my head in my haste.
Benji came down the stairs just as I swooped up the umbrella once more.
"What are you doing?" He asked, a disoriented look in his eyes. "Are you going out in that?"
"Yeah, tell mom if she asks. I saw someone, and I think he needs help."
Before he had the chance to respond, I was already rushing out. On the porch, I almost slipped while climbing over the railing.
"Maya, what are you doing?" Benji shouted from the doorframe.
Landing in the grass below with a thud, I felt my joints pop. "I..." I didn't have an answer, only a feeling that told me that I should've already been gone. And since I was unable to answer, I took off with my brother calling after.
The umbrella lay forgotten on the floor; it felt as if something clouded my mind, guiding me into the thicket. Without the haze, I was sure I would've been shaking from both the cold and fear. Branches were reaching out, snagging on my drenched clothes. The flashlight wasn't much help, too shaky in my hands as I jumped over the obstacles in my path.
Time felt as if it slowed, the droplets of rain falling at a slowed-down pace. Over that, I almost wanted to stop, to turn around and march back to the house, but I couldn't bring myself to.
My lungs felt as if they were on fire as I ran. Tearing through the underbrush, falling far too often to not feel pain. I wondered if this was somehow a lucid dream of sorts because although I'm aware of it all, I don't feel as if I can stop. When I do, it's a relief, the nearly flat, even ground beneath my feet. It's easier to tread, and I didn't stumble until I heard something other than ambient nature sounds.
Still, I don't slow, sensing that something about the area is off. Here, I couldn't shake the feeling of being watched. Pure unadulterated dread pooled in my gut. This spot, in particular, felt as if it were brimming with things vicious and unseen. Dangerous things that would make my heart stop dead at sight. Yet despite that, my muddled mind carried on, carefully stepping as if I were in a cemetery trying to avoid trampling graves. I was surprised to not have yet met mine with how compulsive my actions were.
As I pushed back a branch, it fought back and smacked me in the face. Grumbling, I swiped at the leaves now decorating it, eyes pricking with tears from the slight pain. "Shit," I hissed. "Why did I-" I stopped dead in my tracks.
"Yuwen?" Someone said, gentle and barely loud enough to be heard amidst the storm. Despite how bizarre the circumstances were, the sorrow and desperation in his single word nearly broke my heart, goosebumps rising on my flesh. "Have you finally returned?"
The chills weren't because I was cold, I realized. Instead, they were produced by the word reverberating in my head, circling around and piercing my ears.