The Woods

        There once was a town that was surrounded by woods no one dared to explore. Concealing secrets in its trees and hiding predators in its bushes, no one saw a reason to see more than what was revealed. Parents warned their children to stay away from the trees’ borders and to never go into the woods because the last time someone did they never were seen again. The children avoided the woods following their parents’ wishes. Some kids were so scared they wouldn't even look toward the trees. Life in this town was simple, the only rule was to avoid the woods. But then one day, two young boys got curious.                                                                        It all started on a sunny day in spring. Jonah was walking to his friend Peter's house and from there they were going to walk to the town bridge to fish. Arriving at Peter’s house, Jonah saw Peter is already outside sitting on his porch.                                                                                “Hey. Are you ready?” Jonah asked, stopping in front of Peter.                                                    “Yeah,” he says sullenly, “my mom’s on my case about going to the bridge since it's next to the woods.” He sighed.                                                                                                                  Jonah shrugs. “We’re just fishing,” he says. Peter stands up and walks to the shed beside his house, disappearing into it and then returning with two fishing poles as well as a tackle bag.            “Here,” Peter said, shoving the pole toward Jonah. Grabbing the pole, Jonah turns and walks away, Peter followed behind him after closing the shed doors.                                                      After grabbing some snacks from the local mercantile, the boys start making their way to the town bridge. Other than stopping now and then to talk to friends or by old folks, warning them of the woods, they make it to the bridge in less than thirty minutes. When they find the right spot to sit over, Jonah and Peter get their poles ready with bait and then cast them into the water down below. Sitting in silence, Jonah's eyes wander over to the outline of the trees.                      “What do you think makes these people so scared of trees?” Peter asked.                                    “I'm not sure. But don't act so tough, you’re scared too,” Jonah teased.                                      “I am not,” Peter argued, making Jonah roll his eyes. “No really, I’m not.”.                                  “Fine, if you’re not scared, I dare you to go into the woods and grab the biggest branch you can carry,” Jonah declared.                                                                                                          Peter gulped looking towards the trees more intently. “Fine. But if I do it you have to do it too.”                                                                                                                                               “Okay,” Jonah said unbothered. Putting their poles down they begin to walk toward the woods. The temperature grew colder as they get closer to the shade produced by the big trees, and the sounds of life faded to make way for the stifling silence the woods always gave off. Jonah and Peter stopped once they got to the beginning of the dark woods, instantly feeling as if something was watching them. Peter turned toward Jonah, he had a better idea because there was no way he was doing it alone.                                                                                                     “How about we just see who can go farther?” Peter suggested.                                                   Jonah thought about it and didn't want to be a scaredy cat. “Yeah, that works, but we have to go far enough so that we can’t see each other, okay?”.                                                                   “Okay, I’ll go first,” Peter said. Peter stepped over the barbwire fence that separated the road leading into town from the woods.                                                                                             “I’ll tell you when I don’t see you,” Jonah said. Continuing deeper into the dense woods, Peter didn't look anywhere but ahead. He felt fear creeping up his spine but he decided to ignore it. It’s just a stupid piece of nature, he thought, it’s nothing to fear.                                                     “Okay! Stop, I don't see you anymore!” Jonah yelled.                                                                  Peter stopped instantly where he was, his heart still pounding quickly, “Okay, now your turn!"                                                                                                                                             Jonah took a deep breath as he prepared to go into the woods. Before he lost his nerve, Jonah slid under the fence and made his way toward his friend. Not long though Jonah got scared of being by himself and broke out into a full-speed run, he crashed loudly in the woods but soon he reached Peter’s location.                                                                                                             “It's not so bad, huh?” Peter stated.                                                                                         “Nah,” Jonah lied. “Get walking, so we can finish fishing.”                                                            Peter nodded his head in agreement and began walking farther away from town. This time it was a more peaceful walk, since nothing happened the first time, he wasn't as scared. Walking at least fourteen feet forward he looks back and doesn’t see Jonah. Looking around in all directions he can't find Jonah, annoyance sparks in Peter, if he's playing tricks on me I swear, Peter thinks to himself.                                                                                                                      “Hey! Jonah, can you see me still?” Peter yelled. But was only answered with silence for a few minutes.                                                                                                                                   “Yeah, I see you. Go a little farther, just a tiny bit,” Jonah guided. Peter noticed Jonah’s voice is different, it was lower than normal. “Stop! I don’t see you,” Jonah screams, still in that strange voice.                                                                                                                                  Peter turns toward town waiting to see Jonah emerge from the bushes. All of a sudden he hears breathing but he convinces himself it's in his head, then he hears footsteps, and by the time he turns around it's already too late.                                                                                          “Hey, Peter! Where’d you go?” Jonah asked. Jonah has been walking for the past ten minutes looking for Peter and it feels like he's doing circles. Almost ready to turn around and go back home, Jonah sees Peter standing off in the distance.                                                                    “Peter! Come on, man, let’s go home,” Jonah yelled. Peter doesn't move or even acknowledge Jonah at all. “Peter?”. Confused, and not knowing what to do, Jonah pushes Peter jokingly. “Stop playing Peter. Let's go home.”                                                                                     “You shouldn't have done that,” Peter whispers, but the whispering comes out gargled and deep.                                                                                                                                             “Done what? What's wrong with you?” Jonah asked, panic rising within him. Jonah feels himself sinking, looking down he realizes he's falling through the dirt. “Hey, Peter, grab hold of me. I think I'm in quicksand or something,” Jonah said starting to panic.                                            “Wrong. It’s a sinkhole,” Peter said, sounding more gargled than before. As Jonah sinks further into the ground Peter turns around revealing a bloody face with no eyes before collapsing and fading into nothing.                                                                                                                  “Ahh! Help me! Anybody, please! Help me!” Jonah screams, straining against the ground to free himself. He's still screaming for help even once the dirt has swallowed him whole, leaving no trace of him ever being there.                                                                                                          Peter and Jonah were never seen again. Residents speculated that they went into the woods, but no search and rescue was put underway. Police even questioned those who saw the boys on that fateful spring day but no leads were pursued.The only evidence of where they had been, was the fishing poles left on the side of the bridge and their causes of death were ruled an accidental drowning. But everyone in town knew they went into the woods and never made it out.