Through the Shadowed Trees

I wrote this story right before Halloween because I wanted to scare my friends a bit. I wanted to write something has a fun little plot to it.

• Fiction

								
It was the night of Halloween, and the sun was starting to set. Sadie’s dark brown eyes drooped with exhaustion as she slowly trailed behind her parents. Her bright blue Cinderella costume dragged on the ground, nearly causing her to trip. Swish–the bushes rustled, and Sadie’s eyes widened with intrigue. She quickly glanced at her parents, walking and conversing on the sidewalk in front of her, then to her almost full bag of candy. “Just a quick look won’t hurt…” Sadie mumbled to herself as she quietly slipped into the bushes. I hope it’s a bunny! Then I can take it home and keep it as a pet! She thought happily. Crack–a twig snapped in the distance, and Sadie excitedly ran toward the sound. Panting, she whipped her head around, trying to find the cause of the sudden noise. She pouted in annoyance, for she found nothing, but continued on with a hopeful bounce in her steps. Rip–Sadie felt a sharp pain at the back of her head. Her brand new blonde wig got snagged on some low hanging tree branches, and was painfully torn off her head and left on the tree’s branches. She rubbed the sore area, already starting to get tired of searching. After a while Sadie realized that whatever little critter  made the noise was already long gone. She sighed in defeat and muttered, “So much for a new pet, I’m going home.” 
As she turned around, she took in her surroundings. Where…where am I? She thought, unease starting to fill her mind. She walked in a small circle, finally noticing the sun setting and the multitude of  trees that seemed to be closing in around her. Sadie’s face froze in terror as she realized how lost she was. She let out a shaky breath, trying to remember how she even got here in the first place. She ultimately decided to just turn around and keep walking in that direction. I’ll reach home eventually, right? She mused. The fallen leaves crunched under her feet as she continued walking at a steady pace. The sun had completely set by now, shrouding the forest in an eerie darkness. Sadie squinted her eyes, fearfully trying to determine whether the shadow in front of her was a tree or a monster of some sort. Twack–she crashed face first into the tree. She winced and let out a surprised shriek of pain, clutching her throbbing nose. She felt the warm blood trickle down her hand, and tears filled her eyes. I just wanna go home! I miss my mom! I– her thoughts were interrupted by a low growl of hunger from her stomach. She defeatedly plopped down onto the cold and somewhat wet ground, slightly shivering as a cold breeze blew past her, further messing up her already ruffled chocolate brown hair. Sadie wiped the blood from her nose and tears from her eyes, reaching into her candy bag and pulling out a pack of jelly beans. She popped a few in her mouth, hanging her head, and chewing slowly. A little bug started crawling onto her leg, but she was too tired to care. She lazily flicked it off, wondering if she’d ever get home at this rate. 
CRASH! Sadie let out a squeak of terror. What was that!? A monster? She thought to herself. “No, it’s not a monster.  Monsters are made up! Yeah, yeah…definitely” She whispered, trying to reassure herself. The spine-chilling sounds of crunching leaves and twigs started getting louder. Sadie sprung to her feet and quickly broke into a run, forgetting all about the bag of candy still sitting on the wet dirt. All she was thinking about was what could possibly be following her. Her feet slammed hard against the debris-strewn ground, yet all she could hear was her own heart hammering in her chest. Sadie’s mind replayed every scary movie she had ever seen, every story of terrifying monsters, and every whispered warning of what could happen to a vulnerable ten-year-old alone in the woods on a dreary Halloween night. 
Thunk–Sadie’s foot got caught in a tree root and she felt herself fall to the ground. She sucked in a sharp breath as a bolt of pain shot up her foot. She couldn’t move, couldn’t see, and she really wished that she didn’t have to hear the sound of the monster approaching her. Sadie braced herself as the noises got closer and closer, louder and louder, almost to her. She squeezed her eyes shut and thought, No bunny could ever be worth this! I should’ve just stayed with Mom and Dad–I just wanna go home and never leave again! The monster was close. She counted in her head, anticipating her demise as silent tears ran down her face. Ten steps, nine, eight–no, it’s closer–three steps, two…one. The trees rustled and the ground shook slightly. It was here. Sadie shut her eyes, not wanting to see the horrid being that was going to kill her. Then she heard a shout, a human voice calling out to her.“Sadie!” In spite of the relieving sound of a person speaking, Sadie’s thoughts were too jumbled up to comprehend it, her brain scrambling to assess the situation, and mind too full of the gruesome outcomes of what could’ve been. She let out a blood-curdling scream as she felt something grab her shoulder. Sadie started sobbing incoherently, face flushed, words failing to leave her mouth due to the sheer fear and panic she felt. Wait–I’m not dead? She timidly opened her eyes and looked up. Instead of a ghastly monster out for her blood, she saw the loving face of her mother, full of concern for her previously missing daughter. “You were gone for hours! Don’t ever scare us like that again.” Her mom pulled her into a tight hug, gently scolding her for her absence. “Let's go home, okay?” “...Okay.”
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