Alone in the Woods

"His name is Garrett and you love him though yo

u grow apart." The shadow in the distance stood still yet her ethereal voice came from every direction.

"I don't love him! I'm not gay. He's like a brother. I mean he was..." Despite the urban legends the dead woman of the forest was hardly malevolent, much to Chris's relief. He was surprised to find her so welcoming of trespassers. Well maybe not welcoming but definitely not hostile. Just questions.

"Are you lost? Are you meant to be here? What is your name? Why are you here? Why would you do that? What is your friends name?"

"It just feels like Garrett and I are becoming strangers." Chris continued "He has new friends, and interests, and I just can't keep up." He sighed and looked down at the leaf covered ground. "Without him I'll just be left myself. Alone." Chris stood motionless surrounded by trees, the only response be the rustling of dead leafs and the cold autumn breeze. After a few minutes he had made up his mind. He sighed again and began unfurling his rope.

"No." The sudden reply broke the silence, coming from one direction as opposed to all of them. Chris looked up and found the spectral inhabitant of the woods stood right before him. She was a pale and fragile looking thing, appearing no older than a girl of Chris's own age. Her face was completely white and framed by her raven black hair. Her skin appeared unblemished apart from what appeared to be a bruise around her neck. The ghost would had appeared completely otherworldly if not for her deep emerald eyes. Were not for her eyes one would find it hard to believe such a thing had ever been human. Chris thought she was beautiful. She was beautiful.

"No more being alone." The ghost had a small distant voice filled with melancholy. "And no more rope." Chris felt a faint chill as she placed her small hands on his. Without breaking eye contact he dropped the rope.

"I don't... I don't think you're broken. You're not lost." She attempted to smile, but it had been so long since she had, she struggled. "I think you're missing a part. I was... am missing a part." She moved her right hand on Chris's chest. "If you, I, we become combine our parts, we can be whole and leave this forest. But everything will change." Chris knew this was the point of no return, yet he had no fear and grasped the ghosts free hand. "Than let's change." His reply caused her a brief expression of surprise, before becoming a more successful smile. The ghost began to fade as Chris felt a new energy enter him. As soon as she had vanished, he blacked out.

It had been a year since Christine entered these woods, and in truth she wasn't sure why she had come back. The trees had looked so sad and lonely last year, but now she just saw them as dead trees. Strands of black hair blew before her eyes as she observed her surroundings and pondered on why she had returned. Her thoughts were only interrupted when the strong arms of a man wrapped around her.

"Look out for bears!" Garrett shouted as he grabbed his fiancé and lifted her up. "Garrett stop!" Christine laughed as he gently set her back on her feet. "Did you find whatever it is you were looking for out here?" She once again scanned the forest until realization hit and her emerald eyes met his. "Yeah." She grew a sly smile and brought her face closer to his. "I did."