Whispers in the Woods

Oh, Little Lou. Oh, Little Lou. What will you do?

The edge of his skin broke into goose bumps. A thrill of excitement burning through his blood. Licking the corner of his mouth and rolling it over the tips of his bottom teeth. His shoulders tightening and flexing them as a shiver ran up his spine. Closing his eyes, groaning as tight muscles in his neck were pulled and worked out.

He tugged the sack further upon his shoulder. Fingers re-anchoring on the rough material. Ignoring the muffled screams the moving back seemed to emanate.

He marched onward, his shoes trekking through the forest floor nosily.

Effectively blocking the fluttering screams and frantic cries from over his shoulder.

He bared a toothy grin as he walked toward onward. Fog sweeping his from sight, his ghostly green eyes disappearing.

“Oh, Little Lou. Oh, Little Lou.” “Welcome to the night.”

---

He threw her. The raw and hoarse scream ripping through her throat. The sudden jolt with the ground shocking her into terror. Her scream caught mid way, the air rushing from her mouth nosily as her body slammed into an unforgiving point. Her lungs revolting each and every time until she fell still.

And she laid there. Lungs cringing in her chest, breathless and blurry eyed.

A strangled noise escaped from her throat as tears started to drain from her eyes. Her side hurt, she thought rubbing her face on the rough bag, she hurt. Momma, Momma. Her tears burned her face. Momma. Body jolting adrenaline raced through her arms as legs, scrambling and writhing as her bindings held her ankles and wrists captive.

She felt light, her eyes glazing over and eyelids fluttering closed. Panic seizing her as her body relaxed, falling heavy under her. And finally sleep took her, brown eyes taking cover.

“Lou.”

---

When she woke, she awoke to the smells of husky autumn leaves and the crisp chirpings of birds she’d never heard before.

Her eyes blinking slowly as light seeped into the rough brown canvas bag covering her face. She breathed, the humid and stuffy air filling her dry mouth and choking her with the heavy musk of earth.

She closed her eyes breathing fast, “ I’m not here. “ I’m not here.”  She kept repeating this to herself. Imagining her pink bed and her glow in the dark flowers that shined for her every night. A tear slipped her eye as the smell of earth filled her nose. She thought of her mother, the lovely little stories about princesses that she read to her every night.

She imagined until she couldn’t imagine anymore. where the bag grew so hot she felt sweat stick to her skin and clothes, drops beading at her hairline and eyebrow.

Panic filled her being again. She twisted and turned scrambling in the bag for air,  for just a cool breeze she couldn’t feel.

She jerked back, startled by the stream of light hitting across her cheek. She hesitated, bound hands traveling from her side to rest by the small hole.

Her eye peared into the small glimpse of light, jerking back as her eye watered. She couldn’t contain herself, darting back to chance a look.

The sun blurred her vision for a moment before solid figures started to emerge. Jerking brushes of leaves and then branches. Tree’s. She could see a tree. The thought brought a soft bubbly  laughter from her throat.

“Lou.”

Lou froze. Her heart thumping wildly in her chest. Was it the man? Had he come back? The thoughts raced through her mind, making her blood turn to ice suddenly feeling cold she shivered.

“Lou.” Lightly whispered the voice again.

A soft lit of music accompanied the voice. Soft and thruming sounds, filling her ears.

“Who?” She croaked.

“Open the bag.” whispered the voice.

Open the? She looked back at the small rip in the bag, her fingers hooking around the edges she hesitated for a moment. Thick sweat rolling from her hairline. With the little bit of mobility she tore the hole a little wider. Big enough for her arm to stick halfway out. She grew frustrated when she couldn’t rip it any farther. With a sudden agitated fit she kicked her legs downwards, stretching the bag.

A crackling sound flew into her ears and she could hardly believe her eyes. Sun graced across her face, a breeze sweeping onto her skin..

A billion trees seemed to surround her, lungs grabbing gulps full of clean fresh air.

“Lou”

Her head whipped to the side, Lou’s brown eyes expanding as air hissed from her dry lips.

---

She was pretty. Light golden hair, drifting and wavering across her sun kissed skin. The whiteness of her dress deepening the draw to her eyes. Enchanting dew like blue eyes peered up at her.

Lou was frozen, her eyes drinking in the figure.

Soft gentle arms stretched out to her from where the woman lay sitting beside the tree.

Lou’s body froze, tensing as the sudden flashes of ghostly rough and calloused hands reached and grabbed her. Her mind was leaping at the chance though. Desperately wanting the soft rubbing of her back and warm embrace with the soft and tender words that “ It was Ok. “She was safe.”

“Lou.”

Her body struggled from out of the bag before she had even knew it, crawling and wiggling to the outstretched hands awaiting her.

She felt the leaves and other mysterious things cling to her skin. She dragged herself over, flinching when those soft hands ghosted over her cheek, dislodging the orange/ browning leaf from her face.

“There, there Lou.” “ You’re safe now.”

A sob broke from her lips and before she knew it she was crying again.

“We’ll protect you, Lou.” “We're here now.”

Echoes of other soft voice’s agreed.

She was safe. Her fairy’s had her now.

---

My daughter! Have you found my daughter!

His partner’s eyes looked away, glancing at the board of evidence. He took a deep breath, his work shoes heavy and solace as he moved from around his desk to her side and helped to encourage her to take a seat. “Mrs. Finley, I know how this can be a very stressful time for you but you need to remain calm.”

The bag’s under Mrs. Finley’s warm brown eyes almost resembled his own. He scratched the scruff on his chin, feeling relief as the woman took the offer and sat herself down before she fainted or something. Mrs. Finley gripped her hand together, knuckles white and shaking as she repeated her question whispering this time.

Have you found her? She whispered. “Have you found my baby girl?” She sobbed.

Glistening, brown honey eyes peered up at him from under brown bangs. His body froze almost wishing he could tell her, “Yes, she’s here look.” And open a door and gift the poor woman with her daughter. But, he swallowed. He couldn’t.

“No, Mrs. Finley. We haven’t.”

Mrs. Finley launched herself at him, the chair she’d been sitting in skidding back.

“My baby Mrs. Daniel’s, She’s still out there!”  The shaking hands were now solid, gripping his suit like rope.

“Mrs. Finley.”

The door slammed open to his and his partners office. An officer stood breathing hard in the doorway.  “We’ve found her!”

---

Lou had spent days in the arms of her fairy. Talking and settling in the warm gentle arms. Breathing easily and humming along as her fairy and others sung songs to her. Lovely sounds filling her dreams as she slept and woke. She only missed her.

“Lou!”

Lou jumped, looking up from the warmth of the arms from her fairy. The fairy’s soft sun kissed hands gently pulling her back but she shook the hands off.

“Mom?”

She could only hold her breath.

“Lou baby!”

“MOM!” She yelled, joy overflowing from her. She removed herself from the arms, ignoring the persistent hands trying to pull her back. She felt relief as the tape holding her legs had finally ripped apart. She dragged herself to her knees all the while crying out.

“MOM!” MOM!” She laughed.

She dragged her feet beneath her, starting off weak and wobbly as she rushed to her feet.

“LOU !”

Lou’s heart thumped loudly in her chest as the familiar frame of her mother emerged from the tears. A smile blossoming on her mother's face.

“Mom the fairy, I’ve found my fairy!”

Lou’s mother's face seemed a little put out. She wasn’t lying though she was telling the truth this time. Mom Come look! There right here! She turned to gesture at the six fairies sitting beside the tree’s.

“Look This is mine!”

She turned all the while gesturing at her beautiful and graceful friend.  

She looked back at her mother expecting a surprised smile to be on her face.

Lou froze, the smile leaving.

“Oh, Poor little Lou.” He grumbled.

---

“S**t!” He cursed, breaking the branch stabbing into his face. He raced alongside the others. Mrs. Finley’s hand gripped in his as he dragged her along. Police officers racing alongside them as they tore through the forest.

Before long they could hear the search dog barking, the sound of success barreling through his head as they picked up their pace.

He saw the barking dog first and then Mrs. Finley ripped her hand from his and raced past him in a sudden flurry of speed.

He had managed a few steps behind her and had nearly barreled into her when she had suddenly stopped.

Mrs. Finley went down. A Heart wrenching wail streaming through her lips.

He felt his face pale, stomach rolling.

There she was. Little Lou’s small and fragile body, unmoving and pale. Trails of beaded blood was dripping down her cheek. A bloody gash still pulsing on the left side of her head.

Six trees lined a clearing, Six decomposing bodies tied to each and everyone. And as he looked, he noted they were woman. Each and every one.  Little Lou’s body was curled in the arms of one. The decomposed body nothing more than bones, wearing a threadbare yellow stained dress laying slacked over the Woman's shoulders and a few spots of ratty blonde hair sat on it’s skull.

“Who found her?”

He turned looking around at the hound dog handlers. One raised their hand and picked themselves out into view.

“That would be me.”

Mr. Daniel’s inspected the man for a moment. He was large, steely drawn lips with a strangely red beard on his face. He wore old blue jeans and a plain plaid shirt. One of the town folk then, he concluded. He looked to an officer beside him and gestured to him.

“Go get his statement.”

He turned back looking the man in the eyes.

Ghostly green stared back.

" What did you say your name was?"

Author's Note

Tell me how I did. This is a new type of genre for me.