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

„There was a path between two hidden doors,

in one of them is our love and int he other,

is the truth about you. Which one do I choose?”

- Elizabeth

Elizabeth

We were lying down on the planet as the fire was keeping us warm. His muscular body was pressed against my back, and I couldn’t lie that I didn’t enjoy this moment.

It was special.

Magical.

His fingers moved from my arm to my neck, making my heart beat faster. I stared at the fire, enjoying this moment between us. There were no words spoken, our bodies were telling us what we wanted. And they never wanted to end this.

“You know what I realized?” He asked.

“What?” I looked up to him.

“You never talked about your parents.” The moment he said those words, my mind became paralyzed. I don’t know if I’m ready to talk about them.

“Neither will I,” I moved from the lying to the sitting position.

“Why is that?” He sat next to me, wrapping his hand around my waist.

“My family isn’t good. Especially my father. He made me do such horrifying things that still hunt me today,” I tried not to think about him, but I couldn’t. No matter how much I tried.

“He can’t be that bad,” He said.

I looked at the fire in front of me. “I almost killed a person because of him.”

Henry turned quiet. I know what he is probably thinking now. How could someone like me do such horrible things?

“Don’t worry, I didn’t kill anyone,” I looked at him. “I almost did, but I stopped myself.”

“Who was it?” I felt his fingers moving up my spine.

“Him,” I chuckled. “I almost killed him.”

“Why?”

“Because he abused my mother for years. I watched it for years what he would do to her. The anger became so unbearable that one day I finally snapped and wanted to kill him,” I paused for a moment. “I waited for him to come home and go lie down on a couch until he finally fell asleep. I took my chance and grabbed a pillow, and stood in front of him, thinking if I should do it or not.”

“What stopped you?”

“He woke up,” I looked ahead, not wanting to see his face.

Henry cupped my cheek, wiping off a tear that I didn’t know was falling down. “Hey,” He made me look at him. “Tell me, would you do it? I mean, if he didn’t wake up.”

I shook my head. “No.”

He leaned down to me and placed a kiss on my forehead. “Do you want to know why didn’t you do it?” I looked at him speechlessly as he continued. “You are too kind to do something like that.”

“How do you know that? You don’t even know me.”

He smiled. “I know enough about you to know that you are not a monster. You are just a girl who tried got pushed into the corner and let her darkness get the best of her. But you know what? You won. You didn’t let the darkness consume you.”

“Thank you,” I leaned into him, kissing him on the lips before pulling away.

„Anyway, Did you like our date today?” He asked, his fingers stopping at my neck, he slowly moved my hair behind my neck. I turned around, my hands accidentally touching his chest. I looked up to him, and that amusing on his face was telling me that he didn’t mind that I was touching him.

„I did,” I smiled at him. „I really did. Thank you for bringing me to this place.”

Tracing my fingers over his face, he took my hand and pressed it on his lips. How could he be so perfect? He knew how to make my heart skip a beat.

„You are welcome,” We stared at each other’s eyes.

Gren to green.

I could see the desire showing up in his eyes. He wanted me as much as I wanted him. But I’m not ready for that yet. It was too soon.

„You know, I have never danced next to a fire,” I stood up, moving to the fire, I started clapping my hands and moving my hips. I created a bit in my mind that would probably work with this dance.

He smiled at me, clearly enjoying this side of me. His eyes traveled down my body. I wanted to get into his head and know what he was thinking right now.

„Come,” Taking his hand, I pulled him up to me. He immediately snaked his hand around my hips and pulled me to his body. We danced, moved in a melody that was in our head. He spun me around with his left arm and I laughed. I felt like a princess and he was my prince charming. An older, hotter prince charming.

„Where have you been all my life?” He asked me as he spun me one more time.

„In Sweden.” He bit his lip, sat back down on the blanket and pulled me on his lap.

„What are you doing tomorrow?”

I shrugged. „I have to go to the University tomorrow morning, and I’m free later.”

„No support group tomorrow?”

I shook my head. „No.”

Smiling at me, he leaned his face at me and said during each kiss. „Then. I. Will. Pick. You. Up. In. The. Morning. And. When. You. Are. Finished. Too.”

„You can pick me up after I ’m finished. Nicklaus is picking me up in the morning,” I said.

Taking a deep breath, he looked away for a second but when I made him look at me again, I leaned into him, kissing the softest lips I had ever felt against my lips.

He took a chance of my parted lips and slipped his tongue into my mouth, deepening the kiss as he rolled us around. I was lying on my back and he was on top of me, his hands traveling down my body. My mind was long gone and I couldn’t think clearly anymore.

„Henry, we need to stop,” I whispered up to him, trying to move his body from mine but there was no way, he was too heavy for me. His eyes traveled all over my face, and when he leaned his forehead on mine, he took a deep breath.

„I’m sorry for that. I got carried away,” He rolled over and stood up. Rolling my eyes, I stood up too, placing my hands on his shoulder. As I was about to say something to him, a deep growl came from the forest.

„What was that?” I asked even If I already knew the answer.

„We need to go,” He grabbed my hand and lifted me up at the same time looking at the forest in front of us. He was searching for something but he couldn’t find it.

Throwing everything in the trunk, he opened the door for me and I got in. Going around, he got into the car and shut it at the same time as he turned the car on. He was angry even if he tried to hide it from me. I could feel the bad energy coming from him.

„Are you okay?” I was afraid to ask him. He didn’t answer, instead, he drove like a crazy person through the forest. I felt like I was going to die at any moment.

„Henry!” The car stopped in a second, luckily I had my arms in front of me so I didn’t hit my head on the board. Henry breathed heavily, his eyes shut tightly.

Fixing my hair, I placed my shaky hand on his shoulder. He turned his head away from me so I couldn’t saw his face.

„Are you okay?” I asked him. My voice was shaky as hell.

„Yeah. Let’s drive you home,” He smiled at me as nothing had happened. Looking at him confused, I nodded and leaned on my seat again. He was definitely strangest guys I had ever met.

~ - ~

As soon as he parked the car in my yard, I stepped outside, shutting the door without saying goodbye. I know that it was wrong being so rude, but when I wanted to talk to him during the drive, he only gave me nods, yes’s and no’s.

„Elizabeth.” I didn’t know how, but in one second, he was in the car, and int he other, he was standing in front of me with my hand in his hand. I wondered how could he be so fast?

„Thank you for everything today. It was amazing, but I want to take a hot shower and have some sleep,” He stopped me before I walked away from him. „Wait.” He said.

Turning around, I saw that he didn’t know what to say to me. He was looking, searching for something that would tell him that I wanted to see him again.

„I know that I screwed up. I know that I’m not perfect but please give me another chance,” I stayed quiet and listened to what he had to say. „This date wasn’t the best one. And my behavior. I’m not like that. It’s just...” He shook his hea., „Sometimes I’m extremely over protecting person, and I get easily jealous but that’s not me. Not at all.”

„Then show me,” I said to him.

„Show what?”

„The real you,” I started walking to the house as he stopped me again. „Will I see you tomorrow?” I wanted to see him again, but I didn’t want to tell him that yet.

„You will find out tomorrow.”

~ - ~

„How was yesterday?” Ashley appeared around the corner with her arms full of books.

I smiled at her. „Hello to you too. But yesterday was great,” I bit my lip, thinking about that steamy moment between him and I. I had never experienced something like that with Jack. Like never.

„What are you thinking about?” She asked, showing me one of her smirks.

„Nothing,” I shook my head, trying to look convincing.

„What are you two talking about?” Kathryn asked us as she waved her hand at a girl.

I was about to say something but Ashley cut me off. „She had a date yesterday.” Kathryn opened her mouth, eying first Ashley and then me.

„Yes, it’s true,” I say, shaking my head.

„Who is it?” Kathryn asked as we walked down the hallway where Nicklaus and his group of friends were standing next to their usual wall, talking to each other.

The brown-haired boy, Boby saw me and slapped Nicklaus on his shoulder. Boby nodded his head to us and Nicklaus turned around, waving at me. He then whispered something into Nicklaus’s ear, but he ignored it and walked to us.

„Hello, girls,” He said, looking at Ashley, giving her a small nod. „Ashley.”

„Nick,” She said coldly.

„Do you need something, Elizabeth?” He turned to me again.

I shook my head. „No. I’m going with someone later you don’t need to wait for me.”

„Going with someone? Who is it?” Looking at me confused, he slipped his hands into his pocket.

„You probably don’t know him anyway,” Kathryn said instead of me.

„Trust me, Kathryn, I know everyone in this place.” He said sarcastically to her.

„You already met him, Nicklaus. His name is Henry.” His eyes widened at the mention of Henry.

My phone buzzed in my hand. I looked at it and saw a message from Henry.

I’m outside. – Henry

„I need to gon ow. See you later,” I gave Ashley and Kathryn a hug.

„Say hi to him from me,” Ashley said into my ear.

„I will. Don’t worry,” I waved at them as I walked out of the University. I saw him as soon as I stepped outside. This time, he wasn’t driving his Jeep. He was leaning on a black car that suited his personality.

„Hi,” I stood in front of him. He took his sunglasses off and looked down at me. „So you decided to see me after all?” He raised his eyebrow and I took his hand, standing up on my toes, I kissed him on the lips.

„I’m here, aren’t I?” He shook his head. „You little vixen,” He said.

„What car is this?” I asked as he opened the door for me.

„It’s a 1968 Chevy Impala. My baby.”

~ - ~

It was almost 8 p.m. when I came home from my date with Henry. I have to say, it was much better than the one we had yesterday. He took me a garden filled with white roses. It was beautiful.

We talked for hours. Both of us learning more about each other. About our past, about our present, and even future.

Now entering the house, I get greated with a tired Lena sitting in the kitchen. “How was at your date?” She asked.

“It was good. Better than the one we had yesterday,” I said to her, taking a seat next to her.

“At least your night was a blast,” She took a cookie from her plate. “I’m dying here.”

“Why?” I laughed.

“Ronny,” She sighed.

“Oh, I understand now. Do you want me to take care of him?” I offered.

“If it’s not a problem, you could let him on a run at the backyard.”

“Sure,” Standing up, I called for Ronny, and a second later, he showed up from the top of the stairs. “Come, boy,” I said to him as I walked down the hallway to the living room, and opening the balcony door, letting Ronny out.

I walked outside with him, turning the flashlight on my phone on. I walked side by him as he continued to sniff around until we reached the vine wall beneath my room.

“What are you doing?” I turned the flashlight at him. He was sniffing the vine wall, and when he moved, I saw some heavy footsteps on the grass. They looked too big for a woman, so I guess that they belong to a man.

Ronny lifted his head and started sniffing the path down the vine wall to the fence.

I walked behind him, lighting the footsteps in front of me.

We reached the fence, and I stood still as I saw the footsteps disappearing, and becoming something else. They transformed into large pawprints with an awful smell coming out of them.

“Oh, God,” I placed a hand over my mouth.

Ronny suddenly barked at the fence, and something moved behind it.

Taking a deep breath, I stood up on my tiptoes and leaned over the fence, lighting the path that leads to the forest.

There was no one there, except the heavy pawprints leading to the dark forest.