Chapter I

The Beginning

"3 more miles up this way. Are you sure we shouldn’t burn the body?" Henry paused then spoke firmly to his brother John “This will do the fire will attract too many town folk.” Seconds went by and John looked at him worried. “Okay I don’t care as long as she is gone for good. I need you to tell me she will be gone for good.Tell me now this bitch will be gone for good." He said as he looked at his brother for reassurance. Henry only returned silence. John sensed the uncertainty from his brother and began to worry. “I-I- I can’t do this again. I- just, you need to be sure of this. I can’t live knowing she might come back.” John rushed in the words. Henry stared blankly than repeated. “This will do.” A couple of seconds of silence past by. The two men continue dragging the girls body. John on the left and his brother on the right. They moved the little girl down the forest path with ease. As they dragged her down they failed to pay close attention to the moving body. Their only concern was the destination. As the path lead them closer and closer tension arose in the air. The lake was just ahead in sight. As they walked sticks and rocks scraped and hit against the sheet covering the little girl. the men were too focused on the mission to make sure everything was in tact. In the back of henrys mind he knew that the sheet wouldn’t hold up for much longer. He sped up knowing there was not much time before she would wake up. John on the other hand began to slow down. John’s mind raced at the thought of her gaining consciousness. He felt more terrified as the thoughts circled his mind. he wanted to stop but he couldn’t. Even with being unsure if the plan was really going to work or not he knew doing anything was better than nothing. Doing nothing would cause death. Nothing would give nobody a chance. He at least wanted to give people a chance. All the responsibility weighed from his heart through his arms and shivered down his body causing a tremble. The strong feeling shot throughout his body. he held it in. he knew no matter how he felt he had to do this. this was better than nothing he kept telling himself over and over again. he let the words run around his brain hoping it would become the truth. His brother kept his pace steady. Not wavering not a shiver throughout his body. No thoughts at all. His head was on one thing and one thing only. Destroying her. What she did and what she will do was the only thing that consumed henrys mind. His head was his greatest strength but also his greatest weakness. Because while focused on one thing he failed to notice another. A growing hole in the sheet. “Oh shit” they both said simultaneously as a huge burst erupted. A singular beam of light blasted through the hole in the sheet. The light was no normal light. It glowed red and bright orange . Multiple beams started to break through as the holes started to grow around the entire sheet. Tiny explosions of the light erupted around the sheet blinding the men. They struggled to see anything. They dropped down to the ground covering their eyes from the blazing light. How could she still be so powerful. After all they’ve done. Their efforts meant nothing as she regained all the power they took back in just one moment. It was as if she never lost it. The light disappeared and the two men uncovered their eyes. They stood back up looking around. She was gone. Both the mens’ heads turned in every direction possible. She was nowhere in sight. Henry took two steps back. His brother John doing the same. Only a second went before Henry looks at his brother and mouths the words “run.” John took no time registering the word.

The two men run in the opposite direction hoping to make it out the forest before it's too late. Before she gets to them. No noise is heard besides the pounding footsteps of the men. They were fearful of death. Even though fearful they did not look back. Not for a second, not for a moment, not for any reason possible. They knew if they looked back it would all be over. The men kept their heads up straight and forward only focusing on escaping the forest. Tiny footsteps could be heard behind them very faint. The sound started to grow more and more loud. the sound filled the forest. They were close. The way out in sight. But she was closer. Tears fell down johns cheek as he knew she was not a little girl but a much stronger force. Her footsteps were strong behind him. He couldn’t do it any longer. He couldn’t run. He couldn’t walk. He couldn’t think. Everything in john’s mind went blank. He was accepting death as his fate as he slowed down. But he knew him and his brother did not share the same fate. He knew that Henry was stronger than him. He was faster than him. More useful than him. He wasn't the only chance of the earth surviving. Henry didn’t notice his brothers halt until he came to a stop himself. It was as if they were stuck in quicksand. Their legs suddenly became useless. The men were stuck unable to move. The trees swayed around them but there was no breeze. How could that be possible John thought. As the thought circled around his head a branch slivered from the tree and wrapped around his ankle. The branch reached around John’s ankles and pulled them hard and fast. He fell to his face. Henry stuck couldn’t believe his eyes. John looked down at his neck remembering what he brought. The necklace was the only chance. John quickly snatched the family heirloom from his neck and threw it towards Henry. Henry’s hand reached forward catching. He looked at his brother. “Please…Take it” John said before pausing. “Its the only way” Henry was frozen in place. He couldn't believe his brother would give him the only thing that was protecting himself. The only thing preventing her from killing him. Henry feel pain rush through his heart. “I need you alive John please take it back you are my little brother I will put myself before you every chance I get. In every lifetime” John looked at him with a smile. “I love you” he said. Just as the words came out the branch pulled johns legs again. This time dragging him back down the forest.

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Still stuck in quicksand Henry placed the necklace around his neck. As the he clasps it together he becomes unstuck and quickly races down the forest towards his brother. He had hope. He felt that if he ran with everything in him he could still make it. He could save him. Henry ran with all the force and energy left in his body. John's screams pleading for his life could be heard and it only made Henry run faster. He has to make it. I’m his big brother I have to. I have to. I have to. The words repeated in henrys brain as John screamed louder. Henry rushed further and further. The lake becoming in sight. The lake. “No. Stop!” Henry screamed. “Take me. Please!” There was no response. No noise. Henry made it to the lake as he sees John. "Oh thank god” Henry says to himself. There was still time. But John was not John anymore. He was completely frozen. He stared blankly at Henry. As if he had no ounce of soul left in his body. Henry terrified of what she could have done to him already. But even though he feared there was no chance in hell he wasn’t going to give it his all. As he walked towards his brother his brother started walking in the opposite direction. Towards the lake. Henry didn’t understand why he couldn’t seem to recognize him and why he wasn’t running towards him. Henry still continued to walk towards him trying to catch up to him. John is mute. No words come out his mouth as he walks into the water. Henry’s heart drops.“What the fuck are you doing John?” Henry shouts. No answer. It was as if he couldn’t even hear him. Henry shouts again racing towards the water “where are you going John?” No answer. John’s feet began to touch the water as Henry raced towards his bother. He reached him and grabbed his right arm. As he does a force of wind pushed out of John body surrounding him and blowing Henry back. Henry’s back hit the ground. Still determined he tries to stand back up. He can’t move as he looks towards the ground at his feet. The branch that had a hold on his brother earlier now slowly wrapped around his legs. Henry wiggled his legs around trying to free them. The branches held his feet tight against the ground. He reached down trying to break the branches with his hands but the branches felt strong like steel. His mind raced as his brother continued to walk into the lake. The water now at his knees. The branches moved fast around henrys body and traveled up now covering his arms and holding them in place. They surrounded his body eventually covering every inch leaving only a space at his nose and his eyes. With full force he still tried to break free. Nothing budged. The branches settled down. Into the ground. Forcing Henry down and connecting to each other. He was stuck. The only thing keeping him alive was around his neck. The only thing that could save him now was the necklace. While the branches tangled around him he watched as his brother walked deeper and deeper into the water. until he was gone. Henrys mouth being covered prevented outward screams but he was still screaming. Internally. As johns head disappeared underneath the water Henry knew it was too late. He couldn’t save him.

The hope he once had was gone. Sadness washed over his body slowly turning to guilt. He should have never brought John and even doing so he should have at least listened to him when he told him to burn her. If I wasn’t so worried about other people then John would still be here. The thought takes over his mind and stays there. he couldn’t help but feel like everything was his fault. The was little to no time for guilt as the little girl resurfaced at the exact spot John had drowned in. She walked up to Henry slowly making eye contact she didn’t release. Henry felt her eyes piercing him as he looked at her with no mercy just pain. All the pain she made him feel he wanted her to feel. Knowing nothing would get John back the least he could do is get rid of this bitch. Make her pay for his death. As she made her way to Henry she stops right before him and speaks “be grateful I only took him. He will feed me for many many years but I will be back. and when I do. I’m coming for everyone.” After the words came out her mouth Henry watched as her pale small frame turned into dust. The dust circled around above him. It circled higher and higher until it reached a crow sitting up on a tree. As the dust touched the crow. It disintegrates into dust and blows around in the wind before forming into ash hitting the ground. But there was still an outline of the bird on top of the tree. The dust that originally touched the bird was there forming into its shape like sand becoming solid. the bird became alive again. The eyes of the bird were dead. It flew away into the sky before reaching a certain point and disappearing into the night sky.