| abstract | - "…There's no such thing as ghosts." I woke up in the middle of a dark field. This location was very strange, completely void of any light. Not even the moon, nor the stars above, just black. Rising to my feet, I felt my heart throbbing inside my chest, as if I had just ran a marathon. As I looked around, I finally came to the conclusion that I had no idea where I was. You see I lived in the city, nowhere near any woods or forest. The closest thing was the city park, which only had a few trees. But the field I was in, was completely surrounded by trees. At first I had thought someone had kidnapped me. I knew it would be impossible for me to sleepwalk all the way out to the woods, but if I WAS kidnapped, where are my kidnappers? I thought. Well there was no point in just waiting for something to happen, I had to start walking. The trees looked dead, the branches twisted off the trunk in a painful and unrealistic way. I wove through the thick brush, and I was constantly wondering of how I came to be, in the middle of a field. Maybe I was drugged or something? But why would anyone kidnap someone and just leave them? I was starting to freak myself out, maybe I didn't want to find out how I came to be in this dark forest. Hours began to fly by and I felt as if I was walking in circles, I couldn't take this anymore. I stopped, dead in my tracks and sat down. I needed to reconsider what is actually happening. I'm alone, no memory of how I got here, no food, no shelter and worst of all I think something has been following me for the past two hours. A small glimmer of hope caught my eye, I saw through the throngs of trees, what appeared to be a small cottage. Quietly rushing to it, praying it wasn't a mirage I stopped three feet away from the front door. Too scared to touch it. What if it wasn't real? I was having doubts. Resting my hand on the frail wooden door, a tear fell from my cheek."I might just survive this." I said aloud. Pushing the door open I peered inside, still hesitant of entering. "Hello?" I asked, even though the cottage was obviously abandoned. Nothing replied, I was so happy nothing replied. Entering the cottage and shutting the door behind me, I took refuge in the narrow hallway and rested against a wall. 'At least I was out of the elements.' I reassured myself. As I gathered my breath, my thoughts started to race. 'Who builds a cottage in the middle of the forest?' 'Actually, who builds a cottage then just leaves it in the middle of the forest?' Rising back to my feet once more, I wanted to find out more information on what this place is. There was only a dining room, with a rotted table, a few overturned chairs, as well as a run down fireplace. That’s when I noticed the door. A bedroom, perhaps? I thought as I jiggled the handle. It wouldn't budge. After attempting to forced the door down, and almost fracturing my arm, I declined. Nothing's that important to get hurt over, right? That's when I heard the front door open and close, it was far too dark to see the door frame, or see who entered for that matter, but I knew I wasn't alone in this small cottage anymore. I steadied my breath and crouched in the corner, if it was the kidnappers, I better not give myself away. Whatever it was, it began tapping on the wall near the door, the taps were getting closer to me, is it searching the walls? I kept my mouth shut, and the thing kept tapping. Growing louder and louder, suddenly the tapping stopped. It sounded as if it was a foot away from me. I was holding my breath at this point. My lungs growing weak. I knew if I took a breath I was as good as dead. That's when I heard the front door open and close once more. I gasped for air immediately after, perhaps this wasn't the safest place to stay after all. I made my way to the door, reconsidering if I should make due with the woods, or remain here. That's when I heard it. The tapping, it started again. It was still in the cottage with me, this time the taps were growing louder, heading for this direction. 'Shit. .' I thought. 'It must know I'm in here now.' In a blind panic I pulled the door open and rushed outside. Sliding through the mud, I laid in the brush and focused my vision back on that door. Whatever it was it has to come out some time. And it better pray, it's not human. Or it's as good as dead! I waited for what seemed like another hour, almost dozing off. That’s when I saw something that I wish I hadn't. A hand protruded from the blackness of the doorway. It looked to belong to a petite, pale woman, but it was missing two fingers, and dripping a black inky substance. The very sight of this made me gag, and to think I was in the cottage with whatever that hand belongs too. The long arm reached out, grabbing the handle of the cottage door and slowly closing it. I took notice of the two windows the cottage had, one window was near the door and it appeared to be the window to the dining room. The other window around the corner, look to be as if it belonged to the bedroom. Slowly and deliberately I crawled my way up to the side of the cottage. Kneeling below the bedroom window. 'Ok! Just a peek then I'm gone.' I thought. 'I had to be sure, what if this person was dying?' Swallowing my fear I inched my eyes above the windowsill, cupping my hands around my eyes, I couldn't see anything. The darkness of the window mimicked that of a black blanket, hung up over the window. Sweat began pouring from my brow, a trembling sensation, started at the base of my neck and shot down to my legs. I could hardly breath, I was so scared. I couldn't see anything in this room, except the eyes on the other side of the glass looking back at me. I was locked in this insane staring contest, and I couldn't move a muscle. Then whatever was on the other side of the window, blinked. I snapped from my trance and sprinted through the woods as fast, as my legs would carry me. The brush became trampled underfoot as I pushed my physical body to its limit. Random branches caught my shirt, slightly tearing at it and cutting me. I only had a single thought at this point, that thing saw me. Then I slipped on something, and hit the ground hard. When I woke up, I was alone, hungry, and scared. I couldn't feel my arms, and it was completely dark all around me. I have no idea what that thing was I saw, but I know it saw me, and that can't be good. If you ever see something like that run! Run as far away as you can. Never stop running! "That was a very interesting story Mr. Jackson. Here's your medication, and please try to remember, there are no such things as ghosts."
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