Scene 6 : Forest, Forest Where are you ?

Mike fell unconscious on the stairs. He felt a cool spat of water on his face. He woke up to see Jen worried, holding him in her lap.

"What happened babe..??

Did you pass out on the stairs in excitement to see me..?? asked Jen with a subtle but tensed tone.

Mike knew all this was happening without Jen's knowledge. So he didn't want to cause her any panic. Not when she's bearing another life inside her. Mike wanted to keep the truth for himself. He wanted to take good care of Jenny and their baby in her womb no matter what happens.

"Aww.. you got me.. I was so excited to see you after you told me such a good news.. I rushed home and was running up and down but couldn't find you.. I was gasping for air and finally passed out here.." Mike was thinking if he did weave a believable lie, trying to read Jen's expressions.

"My silly Mike.. I knew you'd be such a hurried little boy.. anyway come down.. let's drink champagne and celebrate..!!!" Jen shouted in excitement.

Mike's face was still pale. But be brought himself together and swore to himself not to involve Jen in any of his delusional illusions.

He smiled and picked up the chocolates that rolled down the stairs and Flowers from the bouquet that came off.

Mike poured Jen a glass of champagne and one for himself.

"Cheers to my lovely husband.. Cheers to the little storm in my belly.. Cheers to the new life.. Cheers to US..!!" Jen screamed in joy. Mike was looking at her with sparkling eyes.. Like there is nothing more precious to him in the world other than Jen. He always want to see her happy and joyous like this.

He said cheers, with tears of joy running down his cheeks.

"Aww.. my sweet baby.. don't cry.. come here.. gimme a hug.. let me caresse you.." Jen spread her hands and called out to Mike.

He put his glass aside and hugged her. He felt warm and safe I'm her arms. Like he was going to melt out of her love. Jen caressed his hair and kissed on his forehead.

After they drank for 30 mins, Jen almost fell asleep on the dining table. Mike held her in his arms and put her to bed upstairs. Put on a warm blanket and gave her a good night kiss. He came down again.

He couldn't get it out of his head. It was all too much. Everything felt so real. Jen calling him from kitchen, bedroom and finally a phonecall.. he couldn't confirm which one was real.

Lost in thought, he picked up his champagne glass to drink. He took a sip. It tasted funny. Not like champagne. He looked at the glass. It's all black. Not like alcohol. More like coal tar. He immediately spat it out. He ran into the bathroom, washed his mouth and hands and looked in the mirror. Everything looked normal. He was still startled and kept looking.

Everything in the mirror went dark except for his reflection. In the distance a figure formed. From feet to head. Only the outline. Not a real person. As it moved close to Mike it took on colour and facial features. The figure slowly became Jen. It was right behind him in the mirror. But Mike didn't dare look back to check it it's real.

He built up some courage and asked, "What do you want..?? Who are you..?? Why are you taking Jen's form..?? Are you really inside my head or is this all happening for real..??" He spilled out everything he wanted to ask.

But the figure didn't answer. It just gave a grim smile.

"You don't belong here Michael. I've come to take you to where you belong. Come with me.. I'll take you there.." the figure said.

"Take me...wh.. where..??" Mike stuttered.

"To HELL.." the figure screamed.. it felt like a tornado in the bathroom with wind blowing so hard. The figure turned all black. Opened it's mouth all the way to the ears and bit off Mike's head.

........

"Aaaarrrrhhhhhhhhhhh.." Mike touched his face all over to see if it's there.

"Babe.. are you ok..?? Did you have a bad dream..??" Jen woke up and asked.

Mike checked around him. He was in bed. He lost his mind for a moment. He then realised that he never went down. He went to sleep after he came upstairs to put Jen to bed. So he sighed pat on his chest, realising it's all just a bad dream.

"Nothing babe.. I just dreamt that I was falling off a cliff. So I screamed.." Mike hugged Jen and gave her a forehead kiss.

"Silly baby.. I'll make breakfast. Get up and come down sweety.." Jen kissed him on the cheek and went to the kitchen.

Mike sat still on the bed. Getting back to his senses. He went down to the kitchen. Jen was cooking some bacon and eggs. He went and hugged her from behind. Jen smiled and carried on with what she's doing, caressing Mike's face with one hand.

Mike closed is eyes and was kissing on Jen's neck. When he opened his eyes, his gaze fell on the champagne glasses in the washbasin. There was a black stain in one of the champagne glasses.

Mike gulped with fear. He was shaking. He kissed on Jen's head from behind and walked upstairs. He closed the door and started to look for Jen's diary. He opened the safe, wardrobe, shelves and everywhere in the room. He couldn't find it. He was so frustrated that he angrily hit the bed's leg. It hurt his feet and he yelled in pain..

"Ouch ouch ouchhh.. you son of a..." he looked under the bed. There was a box. He reached for it and pulled it out. He looked at it. It was a very old metal box. The box was probably a sewing kit of late 40s or 50s. He opened it. There inside he saw Jen's diary. A broken bracelet. A locket and a piece of rolled leathery paper.

First he picked up the bracelet. It was broken. 60% of the part was missing. Only a small piece was left. There were writings on it. Just like the one in Jen's diary. He put it back in box.

Out of all the locket caught his attention. He picked up the locket. Put the box down and opened the locket with his two hands. There were two black and white pictures in there. A woman's picture on the left and a man's picture on the right.

The women looked like royalty. Wore a mediaeval period dress with a long hat. The man was bearded, fit and tall. He too looked majestic. Mike thought they were Jen's parents who abandoned her. He felt sorry for them for losing such a gracious and precious daughter.

As he kept of looking at the pictures, lost in thought, he felt an eerie feeling like the pictures were looking back at him. He immediately closed the locket and put it back in the box. He was about to open the rolled leathery paper, but he heard Jen calling him..

"Come down honey.. breakfast is ready.. or you're gonna be late for your new job on the first day.." Jen called

"I'll be there in a sec honey.. I still have to brush my teeth. I'll make it quick.." Mike replied as he closes the box and put it back under the bed.

Mike had his breakfast and got ready for his work. He kissed Jen goodbye and hurried towards his car and remembered he forgot the keys.

"Jenn.. can you please get me my car keyss..." Mike shouted from the garage.

"Be there in a second honey..." Came Jen running with the keys.

"Take it easy big boy. Slow and steady wins the race.." Jen smirked.

"No babe, I still have to find the constitution site location. I was jus told it's nee the Forest. But I have no clue where. So I have to hurry and find the way and be there on time... bye honey.. take care.. and take care of little storm too.." Mike smiled as he left.

Mike drove on to the road leading to the forest. It looked like the forest was in a distance but he still couldn't reach. He drove for almost 40 kilometres but still he was nowhere near. And in a distance he noticed a gas station and a convenience store.

"Ah.. finally something in this lonely way. I will ask for directions or if there's any shortcut route to reach the site.."

Mike got off the car and looked around. It was pretty beat up. Looked like it has been there for a pretty long time without any customers. He doubted of there would be anyone at all in the store. He pushed the door. It made a terrifyingly loud squeaky noise.

"Welcome to the store. What can I help you with.." an expression-less oldman. Looked like he didn't take bath for almost a week or two. He looked so dirty and lean.

"Uh.. I was just looking for directions to go to the forest where a new construction is going on. I wonder if you could help me with that.." said Mike expecting that he won't get any help anyway.

"Ah.. I see.. so you've been seeing things and is afraid to tell them to anyone.." said the oldman

"Ha..how..howw..do you knoww..??" Mike stuttered, thinking it was again one of his delusions or mysterious figures.

"I could see that in your eyes boy. When we feel empty, we look into nothingness. We stare at the abyss without blinking.. But things get funny when the abyss blinks at you.." said the oldman with a scary smile on his face.

"That's it I'm leaving.." Mike was about to open the door and come out.

"Get in your car and say, 'Forest, Forest where are you..' It will show you the way to where you want to go.." said the oldman. Mike listened to it and said, "whatt.. you are a crazy oldman.." and ran to his car.

He hurriedly got in. He didn't start the car. He held his hands on the steering wheel hesitantly. Thinking whether to say it or not.

"Nothing's gonna happen, it's just a phrase. Say it Mike.." he told himself.

"Forest..."

"Ah..um.. Forest..."

"Why am I afraid to say a simple phrase..." He hit the steering wheel angrily and shouted.

"Forest, Forest where are you..."

The next moment be felt like someone is dragging him. As he opened his eyes, he was shocked to see that he was outside the construction site's office and not in front of the convenience store anymore.

He got off and went in.

Mr. Harris was instructing other engineers about the plan and that days work.

"Good morning Mr. Simmons. Glas to be working here for you.." Mike extendes his hand for a handshake.

"Good morning young man.. what took you so long to get here.." Mr Simmons shook Mike's hand.

"Wooohh your hands are awfully cold Mike. Don't get tensed. Don't swear it. I'm not a strict and bad boss you see.." Mr Simmons laughed.

"I was lost after driving for forty kilometres sir. So I stopped at a convenience store on the way here to ask for directions. So it took time to get here.." explained Mike, wiping his hands with his kerchief.

"Forty kilometres..?? Young man I gave you the villa so that it'd be easy for you to get here since it's just a 10 kilometre ride from your home to this site. And it's a straight road. There's nothing in there to get lost.. And finally there's no convenience store anywhere here on this route. I've known this area for the past twenty years you see.." said Mr Harris laughing..

Mike was still as a stone. He couldn't process what Mr Harris just said. He was gazing into the forest. All the tall trees. And in between there was an lean and dirty oldman looking at Mike and laughing scarily..

To be continued..