Into the woods I P U B L I S H E D

„Bring me back to the place where it all started,

bring me back to the night where it all happened,

the night where our story had begone.”

- Elizabeth

Elizabeth

„Here is the book and your library card, Mrs. Jeferson.” Smiling at the old lady, I gave her the book she wanted and her library card. Mrs. Jeferson smiled at me, placing the things into her small, black bag.

„Thank you, my dear,” She said „I didn’t see you here before. Are you new?”

I nodded. „Yes, I am,” I walked around the counter, helping the old lady to get out of the library.

„Goodnight, my dear.”

„Goodnight,” I turned the sign to closed and took a deep breath. Finally, it was all done. Today was a busy day. There were more people coming than usual. By that, I mean there were about 24 people here.

Most of my time I had spent sorting out books and placing them back on the shelves. I have to say, the whole day didn’t pass as fast as I hoped it would have, but now it was officially over. Now I could focus on my date.

Checking my phone, I looked at what time it was and if I had any messages from Henry. It was fifteen minutes to seven and I have no messages from him. He should be here in a few minutes. I grabbed the remaining books from my counter and started walking through the shelves to the back wall where a small shelf was placed beneath a huge portrait of a woman in a black dress.

The portrait looked creepy under the low light, and I have a feeling that someone was watching me from behind the portrait. Looking up to the portrait, I stared at the eyes for a moment before I placed the remaining books on the shelves. I placed each book in their place when I heard the bell ring.

It was him.

„I will be right there, I just need to place these books on the shelves,” I said, but there was no answer. Turning around, I screamed as I saw Tyler standing in front of me with his arms crossed.

„What are you doing here?” I asked him, trying to catch some air.

„I thought to come to say and wish good luck on your first day,” He made a step forward. „I didn’t want to scare you.”

„Well you did and thank you, I really appreciate it,” Making a step back, I finished placing the rest of the books on the shelves.

„I was wondering if you want to go out on a dinner with me.” When I turned around, he was already standing across the library, in front of the giant painting, admiring it. His fingers were slowly going down the little boy’s face.

I looked at the painting and my eyes widened as I remembered when Ashley told me that those were the Nightclaws. His family. And the boy that his fingers were passing down was probably him. His younger self.

„You didn’t change a thing,” I said, standing next to him as we both looked at the painting in front of us. He turned to me, his eyes were traveling through my face. He didn’t think that I already knew who he was.

„I guess you know who I am,” His eyes twinkled with amusement. „Did my brother tell you everything about me?”

„Nicklaus didn’t tell me a thing,” I looked him into the eyes. „The first time I saw you, you reminded me of Nicklaus but then I thought that wasn’t possible. Then I had seen both of you at the University. That was when I found out who you were.” He looked surprised when I mentioned Nicklaus. He didn’t expect that I would mention him. He probably thought about someone else.

„I thought that someone else had told you about me.” His fingers went through my hair, playing with it, he placed a piece behind my left ear. „You still didn’t answer my question.”

„What question?” I pulled away from him.

„About going out with me.”

„I can’t, Tyler. I already have a date today,” He frowned.

„I see,” He turned back to the painting. „So Nick already asked you out before I even got a chance.”

I shook my head. „He wasn’t the one who asked me out.”

„Then who did?” I prepared myself to answer him but a voice cut me off guard.

„I did.” Both of us turned to Henry who was standing behind us. How didn’t I heard him coming in?

Tyler looked at him then at me. Henry walked to us, placing his hand on my shoulder, he slowly pulled me to him and placed a kiss on the top of my head.

„Hi,” He said. „I’m sorry that I’m late.”

„I will go grab my things and then we could go,” I smiled up at him. Tyler shook his head and started walking away from us.

„Tyler!” I called his name. Moving away from Henry, I started walking behind Tyler. „Aren’t you going to say goodbye?”

Tyler stopped, turning his face to me. „Goodbye, Elizabeth.”

He started walking again, but I grabbed his hand, „Are you mad that I said no? Be honest, okay?”

„I’m not mad. And that is me being honest and not like someone else,” I slowly took a step back. „See you soon, Elizabeth.” He walked out of the library but not before glancing over to Henry who was walking to me.

„Did he hurt you?” He grabbed my hand and pulled me to him. His eyes were filled with fury and I could feel my arm starting to hurt.

„Henry,” I whispered to him, but he didn’t let go. He just stared at the door, not listening to what I just had said. His mind was in his own world now.

„Henry!” I said his name again, but this time louder. He looked at me and I could swear that I saw a hint of black in them. Realizing that he was hurting me, he looked down at his hand and quickly let it go. He turned around, ashamed of what he just had done.

„I’m sorry,” He shook his head. „I didn’t mean to hurt you.”

„It’s okay. I will go grab my stuff and then we could go,” I moved past him, trying not to cry. He didn’t hurt me that bad, but still, my arm and heart were hurting now. I didn’t expect from him to be this jealous, yet that possessive over me.

After I grabbed my stuff and returned back to the main room, I saw him standing in front of the portrait, looking at it for a second before closing his eyes.

„Shall we?” I asked him. He opened his eyes and looked at me. „Yeah, let’s go.” He reached for my hand, but I stood still, thinking If should take it.

When he saw my face, he opened his arm, showing me the way to the door. Smiling at him, we slowly made our way out of the library. He stood next to me as I locked the door and put the keys back into my bag.

„Wait,” He said, reaching for my hand and slowly turned me around to face him.

Leaning down, he smashed his lips on mine, his tongue passing through my slightly open lips.

The kiss wasn’t like the ones that we already had shared. This one was slow. Angelic.

His lips moved slowly over mine like he was afraid he would hurt me again. Everything about this was wrong, but at the same time right. I should have been mad at him for hurting me, but I couldn’t because a part of me was telling me that he didn’t mean to hurt me.

Breaking the kiss, both of us were trying to catch our breaths. He placed his head on mine, slowly whispering. „I’m so sorry. Please forgive me. It will never happen again.”

I nodded. „It’s okay. I was just afraid for a second that you will probably kill Tyler.” He laughed, kissing the top of my head. „Trust me, the last thing I want is to kill him.”

~ - ~

„Where are we going?” I asked for the tenth time during the ride. Like the past nine times, Henry answered that I needed to be patient and that I would soon found out.

We drove on a small road through the forest. My eyes were going through the darkness, looking for something that I almost forgot about.

The red eyes. They were probably somewhere deep in the forest, waiting. Waiting for me.

„Are you okay?” He asked and I nodded.

„Yes, it’s just that I’m afraid of the forest.”

„Why?”

„Bad memories,” I said, turning to him.

„We are here,” He slowed down the car as we reached something that looked like water. He parked the car, leaving the light on, he went out and opened the trunk.

Getting out, I followed him, taking two blankets and a basket while he walked to the coast. As he placed everything on the floor, I took my chance by looking everything around us.

This place looked familiar. I walked down the coast with my arms crossed, admiring the waterfall and his beauty. Everything about this was familiar. Every rock, this waterfall, and this place. I had a feeling that I had already been here.

„Elizabeth?” Henry called me.

„Yes?” I turned around, seeing that he had already started the fire.

„Come, let’s eat,” He placed the blanket next to the fire.

Sitting next to him, he opened the basket and gave me a sandwich. „I hope you like it.”

I took a bit of it and I immediately loved it. It was so delicious. „It’s delicious. Who made it?”

„I did,” He took a bite of his sandwich. I’m looking at him as he ate. I knew that it will sound wrong, but he looked so handsome as he ate it.

„You are a great cook.” He smiled at me. We ate in silence, sometimes glancing at each other as we ate, only the fire lighting our faces. I will remember this day forever. The fire, the place, the food.

Him and I. I will remember everything.

„Are you cold?” Before I could answer, he reached for the blanket and covered us with it.

“Thank you,” I said to him.

His shirt rolled up, showing a few scars down his arm. I didn’t saw those before.

„What happened to your hand?” I reached for his hand, going through each scar with my fingers.

„A dog bit me.”

„Why?”

„Because I was saving a girl from dying.”