The huge oak tree stood but several yards away. It’s hulking branches thick and twisted, splaying out through the night sky in every direction. Daryl took in a deep breath and moved forward. Adam and Joey stared on in expectant glee as Kevin watched from behind his older brother.
The old tree appeared to creak and moan under its enormous weight as twigs and rough foliage snapped under Daryl's feet. As it’s presence grew in size with every step, he observed many secondary, yet smaller wooden limbs protruding from the thick, coated bark. The sight looked even more disturbing close up like some giant centipede had embedded itself upside down into the trunk.
The others could see Daryl's bleached grey jacket fading into the shadows as he was almost within touching distance of the oak's wide, curved base. ”Damn, man. He’s actually gonna go ahead with it.” Whispered Joey, curling his lips toward Adam. ”And all this time, I was convinced he’d stand his ground and chicken out.”
”Not me.” Adam mumbled back. ”Did you see that look in his eye? I knew the crazy asshole would do it. You know the brownie points this’ll score for him tomorrow?” He was busying himself by holding the camera phone steady, capturing the whole thing from beginning to end. Though the tiny beam of light shining from his hands did nothing to improve the visibility of the black void in front of them. Daryl only showed up as a faded smudge against an almost pitch black background. But Adam decided the vague, grainy footage was adequate to serving their purpose.
Daryl glanced back and saw the silhouettes of the other three standing against the dim glow of the streetlamp above. An eerie nervousness came over him. The realisation of being so exposed to the witch’s wrath. He had already passed the point of no return and there would be no escape. A barrage of ghastly images flooded his mind. Demonic visions, a guttural cackle nearby, the hellish creature’s outstretched claw ready and waiting to pull him into some hidden fissure where her previous victim’s remains were now nothing but dirtied, rotten bones.
He trembled with fright, took a deep gulp and pressed on. It’s large roots were now distinguishable just above ground as the thick, bulbous veins trailed off into the earthen floor below. He placed one shoe on the smooth surface. It appeared slippery at first but a quick heft up with his other foot, he found himself near face to face with the trunk itself. A part of him wanted to run screaming but he had come too far. Now it was clearer to view those smaller branches and twigs near the base of the trunk, poking out like hundreds of twisted sharp needles. He seemed to have discovered a new definition of terror as his heart raced like a galloping horse and his head felt light. Two further quick steps in succession and a broad girth of brittle bark was in front of him. He peered over his shoulder one last time to check on his companion’s. It was then with sudden alarm that he reflected on how deep he was within the open jaws of the tree. It appeared to be swallowing him whole and Daryl felt the precarious danger of the situation he was in. Three small specks in the distance made up the team he had arrived with. He had never known isolation of this kind before. Eyes wide with horror, he crept forward and placed a clammy hand on the tree. It felt cold and rough to the touch.
”Can you even see anything now?” Joey asked, squinting into the dark. ”I can hardly make him out with all the hanging branches in the way.” Adam had shifted to one side. ”I’ve found an angle, man. A gap right up ahead in-between those two massive drooping arms.” He tipped his head in the direction he was referring to. ”And it looks like he’s done it. I’ve adjusted the zoom. I’m sure I see his hand rested up on the tree.” A subtle smirk broke out on his face. ”That brave bastard. He really did it.”
Joey had been staring at Adam speaking for an undetermined amount of time but turned back and hollered out, cupping two hands around his mouth. ”OK, enough already! Get your ass back here now!”
Daryl had gone white with fear. His hand was numb and his head swam from the intensity of the stress. The witch would grab him any minute now. But all he needed was a confirmation that Adam had caught his courageous deed on film. Through the clouded interference of his mind’s eye, he heard the faint call of Joey. The signal is get out of there as fast as possible. In a surge of panicked flight, he tore his hand away from the tree and leapt away in an attempt to flee. However a dormant, hidden evil encased in the innards of the giant oak had other plans for him. A flurry of sharp nails dug into the sides of his jacket, preventing him from leaving. Another set of nails clawed at the side of his face, sending a searing pain down shooting through his neck. The last sound he heard was the shrill laughter of the witch behind him, ready to drag his ragged body down into the bowels of her lair. Forever more.
”Holy shit!” Adam shrieked. ”You won’t believe this!”
”What’s the problem?” Replied Joey.
”He did this weird manoeuvre where he jumped away from the tree and… kinda fell down. I can’t see him now.”
Joey studied the blackness in front of him. ”What the hell?” He muttered to himself. ”Daryl! Get your ass back here immediately!” There was still no reply.
They exchanged looks wondering what was going on. A tiny part of Joey could not help but contemplate the fact that the legend of the witch may have been real after all. He tried again. ”Goddamnit, man! What’s the delay?”
”What if she really is out there?” Adam muttered, somewhat rattled. ”I mean, he wouldn’t hang around there for this long, right? Even if he was trying to get you back for going ahead with it. You saw how scared he was.”
”I know. It doesn’t make any sense." Queried Joey. "But in the end, no one forced him. He could have refused anytime. I don’t know if I should go…”
”Oh my god.” Adam interrupted, with an expression of unmitigated shock. ”I think I see him…”
Mr. and Mrs. Hartley waited at the station. It had been four hours since they received the phone call. She had managed to console herself with voluntary thoughts of positivity. Perhaps her son had got himself into a spot of bother with the law. Some experimentation with drugs or the like. It would not be the first time and god knows she had dabbled in that area of promiscuity in her former teenage life. Whatever it was, it would be resolved somehow. But a stern lipped gentlemen from the police station asking her to come down as soon as possible, at this late hour, could by no means warrant anything but trouble.
”You alright dear? I’m sure everything is OK.” Assured her husband. At the precise moment, the door opened to their right and a short, bald man in a uniform emerged looking sombre and thoughtful. On impulse, they sprang to their feet.
”Officer!” She called out, wrought with despair once more. ”What’s happened? Is my darling Daryl alright?”
He took a deep sigh and continued. ”Mr. Hartley, Mrs. Hartley. I’m sorry but I have some terrible news. We were called out to investigate a disturbance down at Lakesmeed Road. It appears Daryl was with some friends out there playing by the large oak tree at the far end.”
”Please! Just get to the point!” She yelled, tears starting to stream down her delicate skin.
”We've got our top men trying to get to the bottom of what happened tonight but it appears to have all been part of some elaborate dare. Your son was discovered tangled in the lower branches of that tree, Mrs. Hartley. It was late and there were various cuts to his face and clothing. I’m sorry, Mrs. Hartley, but your son has died from what looks like severe traumatic shock. We have the other three in custody here as I speak…"
(The End)
@ezzy)