The town was smaller than I expected.
I stared through the car window as we drove past rows of old houses, tiny shops and streets that seemed almost too quiet for a place where people actually lived,This is it I asked ?
My mother glanced at me before returning her eyes to the road.
" Unfortunately yes".
I signed dramatically and sank lower into my seat .
" Mom, you could have atleast warned me we were moving in into the middle of nowhere ".
She laughed softly. It sn't in the middle of nowhere
I looked out the window again, there were trees everywhere ( Sigh).
And beyond the houses and buildings,an enormous forest stretched along the edge of the town. The trees were so thick that I couldn't see what was hiding behind them.
For some reason, I couldn't shake the strange feeling that the forest was watching me. I frowned and looked away.
" What's the name of this town again?"
"Blackwood"
"Blackwood", I repeated. of course it is".
My mother laughed. You will get used to it.
That is exactly what you said about our old house,
She smiled but I noticed something strange. Her hands tightened around the steering wheel, I glanced at her.
" Mom? " hmm?"
"Are you okay?"
"I'm fine".
She said it too quickly.
I turned back to the window.
My mother had always been like that whenever she was working. She is a doctor but sometimes her curiosity takes her far beyond the hospital .
Especially when something didn't make sense. And eventually something in Blackwood didn't make sense.
"Are you still investigating those missing people?" I asked.
Her expression changed, only slightly but I noticed.
" There are a lot of rumors," she said carefully. That's not what I asked ". She sighed.
" Some people have disappeared recently". From the woods?" She didn't answer immediately. Then she said," just stay away from the forest."
I raised an eyebrow. 'Why?
"Because I said so."
I rolled my eyes.
" very convincing."
She smiled, but there was something uneasy behind it.
I didn't know it then,but that would be the last normal conversation we'd have for a while.
The next morning, I stood in front of the my new school,staring at the building in front of me.
BLACKWOOD HIGH.
Great. New town,New people.
I adjusted my bag and took a deep breath, "just survive the day", I whispered to myself. The moment I stepped inside, I immediately realized I had no idea where I was going. Students rushed through the hallway laughing and talking as if they New each other forever, probably. I looked down at the map."This can't be right ", I muttered.
"You're new .I jumped
I turned around. A boy was standing behind me, smiling. He look completely comfortable, like he owned the entire hallway. "Is that obvious ?" I asked. His eyes dropped to the map in my hands, you're holding it upside down" I froze then slowly looked down, He was right. Oh, I flushed. He laughed." I'm Elias Adelhart" I looked at him
I'm ---
'I know'. I raised an eyebrow. You know my name? He shrugged. Small town, news travels fast. I couldn't help laughing,That's slightly terrifying. Don't worry, you will get used to it,I stared at him.
"Why does everyone keep saying that?" Because you're to hear it a lot more. He took the map from my hand, come on. I will show you where you're supposed to go before you end up in the cafeteria".
Is that really possible? With this map?
He glanced at it."Very possible".
I laughed as we started walking, for the first time since arriving in Blackwood, I felt like maybe moving here wouldn't be so bad. Then I noticed some one standing at the other end of the hallway. A boy.
He stood alone near one of the windows, his hands in his pockets. He wasn't talking to anyone, he wasn't smiling either. But somehow everyone seemed to know who he was.i deliberately slowed down, Elias noticed. What? He asked
Who's that? He followed my gaze, his smile disappeared, for just a second, something changed in his expression ,Then it was gone.
"Don't bother with him".
I looked back, the boy was already looking at me our eyes met. For a moment, neither of us moved, then his lips slowly curved into a smile, it wasn't friendly. It was almost as if he knew something I didn't. And some how, I had the strangest feeling that meeting him was going to change everything.
I just didn't know how much