By: Diyana Basnet
He’s gone. My brother is gone. I still remember that day, I sat lazily on my bed reading a book on a breezy evening when he hurriedly walked past my room and muttered a half-hearted “I’ll be back later”. I didn’t bother looking up from my book, just said an uninterested “okay”.
That was a week ago now, and the last time I ever saw him alive.
The police found his body in Crescent Pines Park, almost unrecognizable in a bush.
They called it some sort of “freak accident” after finding a destroyed bench and tire marks in the site of the crime. How come they found no parts of a vehicle that supposedly crashed? Nothing could have caused that kind of damage. And who drives a car into a park anyways? That explanation wasn’t good enough; my family was devastated. We begged and pleaded with the police to find out more, to give us peace of mind. But all they said was that since there were no further clues, we could only conclude his death to be an accident.
I didn’t believe the police, or the reporters. No, I knew my brother. I knew Theadore. He never got into trouble; he was always the quiet and disciplined one. So, I knew for one thing that he wouldn’t go to a place like Crescent pines at such a late hour for no reason. This place always gave him the creeps, especially after all the horror stories about it. There have been many rumors, mostly unrealistic ones but nonetheless, very scary. I don’t really know if I believe them, but after what happened with my brother those chills I feel whenever I pass by that park seem to have much deeper meaning. So, what could Theadore have been doing at that place? And why didn’t he tell me he was going there? He was my younger brother; we always told each other everything.
I got increasingly frustrated as I thought about his reckless actions. Soon those thoughts spiraled into more recent events, and I felt tears welling up in my eyes as I held his hoodie that still smelled of his cologne. My little brother, gone forever. And I would never get to know what truly happened to him. As I was sinking deeper into my grieving thoughts, suddenly I heard my phone ring. It was my best friend, Nora.
“Hey Via, how are you doing?” She spoke. Via is short for Octavia, my birth name. “As good as someone can be after their brother died” I said flatly. “Oh, sorry,” said Nora. “it’s okay, people don’t really know what to say” I said meekly, wiping my tears with the sleeve of my brother’s hoodie. “Yeah, um I just wanted to check in with you. I’ve been thinking a lot about you…and Theo” she said.
There was something off about her tone though, it sounded hesitant and careful. “Is there… something you got to tell me?” I said slowly. “Oh uhm… Well, I didn’t really want to say it because it felt awkward and it might just be my imagination really…” she trailed off. “What is it??” I demanded, a bit more harshly than I wanted to. She stayed silent for a few seconds. Finally, she spoke “I think… I saw him that night” I froze. “Actually, it was him! I saw him riding his bicycle near the park! It was around 8:40 and once he parked, he started rushing into the park. I didn’t think anything about it, so I walked away. Then the news report came about his death, and the timing matched so I know it must have been him.” Said Nora.
“Why wouldn’t you tell me?!” I said, feeling slightly angry, that she would have kept this from me. “I’m sorry! I was scared, okay? I thought that…” But I didn’t hear the rest of it. I had suddenly realized something. Nora saw Theodore at 8:40. There was something off about this timing. I put my phone down and rushed to f ind the news report of Theo’s death and there it was, clear as day. 8:27. That’s when they discovered his body. Nora saw him at 8:40, this doesn’t make any sense. At first, I was confused, maybe they got the timing wrong. But no, they couldn’t have possibly messed up crucial information like that, especially at a big-time gap. I felt my heart pounding in my ears. I had new hope now, maybe that body they found wasn’t Theo’s. Maybe, just maybe hes still alive. I still don’t know why he went to that park, how someone brutally died there, or where he is now but I do know that theres a small chance that he might be alive.
I have a mission now. I must find my brother. The police already gave up on the case, and no one would believe me. I had no way of knowing whether he was dead or alive, but I did know that finding him either way would at least give me peace. I need to find out what happened to him, and maybe I can even find out what happened to the guy who died there. “Nora, I’m going to find Theo. I’m going into that park. That guy who died, it wasn’t him. So now, my only hope is to find the real Theodore”. I spoke. “Via, I don’t know… that place, something sinister is going on there and I’m not sure it’s safe for you to go alone” said Nora, uneasily. “I would rather risk my life than live not knowing what happened to my brother and whether hes alive or not.” I spoke. It was silent for a few seconds “Fine… but I’m coming with you. You have a better chance if theres another person” said Nora, still sounding hesitant. “We will find him, and we will get out of there” I said with determination.
And so, I found myself entering the cold and unnerving woods of Crescent pines. As soon as I stepped foot into that horrible place, I felt a chill down my spine as I watched the leaves slowly sway. It was like the forest sang a hushed and somber tune whilst we slowly trekked our way further into the woods. The deeper we walked in, the heavier the air became. Maybe it was just my nerve, but it felt as though the trees were watching our every move. Nora spoke uncomfortably. “This place is really disturbing. I feel like we are being watched.” I said nothing.
We walked for what seemed like ages. I started to think that this was a lost cause, and I might never find my brother. That’s when I saw, in the distance, buried by trees of no end, what looked like a campsite. As I walked closer with Nora approaching behind me, I got a closer view of the place, and I gasped. “Is that… like some sort of ritual?” I spoke. Nora was stunned. “It looks like those cult sites from the movies.” She said quietly. My heart was racing now. I knew something was going on in these woods, but I didn’t think it would be something so sinister. I couldn’t turn back now. I had to find out if this is truly what caused my brother’s disappearance. I had hoped that they were only holding him hostage, and I might be able to save him.
We nervously etched towards the ritual site, as the trees began clearing away, I got a broad view of the area. Unmistakably, a ritual must have taken place there. A big circle drawn in red chalk, weird symbols inside it. There was a banner in the middle with some symbol on it and text written in a language I could not understand. I scanned the area more deliberately, and what I saw made me pause in horror. Giant wooden spikes with the heads of the unfortunate upon them. Dried blood covered the wood and the faces of those that have yet to rot forever froze in an anguished expression. Then, at the very corner. My brother. It was my brother. I felt sick. There he was his disembodied head on a spike with blood that still looked fresh dripping down the spear. What kind of gruesome, sick monster would do such a thing. “Oh my god. Via, please look away, this is too much I’m going to throw up.” Said Nora, her voice trembling with fear and disgust.
I stood there, shaking. I couldn’t believe what I was seeing. It was so horrifying and gruesome I couldn’t even cry. I just stood there, frozen. Nora started to sob next to me, begging to go home. As I stood there completely in shock, I heard faint chanting coming from within the woods. In too much time, the chanting got louder, and louder, until I could hear the bushes tremble and loud stomping, matching the tune of the chant. Abruptly, my senses came back to me. Nora looked at me with a terrified expression in her teary eyes, and I slowly whispered “Nora… we have to run.” Instantly we both fled for our lives. My heart was beating rapidly as I heard clamping of feet rustling towards us. They must have seen us. As they chased us, they chanted an eerie chorus in that same unearthly language.
We ran for ages, until we couldn’t run anymore. My legs were giving out, and Nora was panicking and panting at the same time. Fear took over me as I saw those… people in masks and irons get closer until, they caught us both. I was so tired, all my efforts to bite and kick and get away were in vain. This is the end I thought, as I felt their disgusting long fingernails dig into my arm whilst they chained my hands together. Nora started to scream. She begged for her life, but her pleas had no prevail. They kept speaking in their eerie language while mercilessly tying us up and dragging us. I gave up now. They outnumbered us and were way stronger. We were tied up and helpless. I felt tears in my eyes as I thought of the fate me and my best friend had to meet, and guilt as I thought of how I dragged her into this. They dragged up back to that ritual set up. I closed my eyes, not daring to look at the sight in front of me. I still saw the images of his head. The frozen expression on his face. It was horrible. I wished that they just got over it already. Still not daring to open my eyes. I sat there in suspense and dread as nothing seemed to be happening. Then suddenly, I heard Nora scream in agony. Her screams sounded so tormented I had to open my eyes and look. I watched in horror as those cursed people pressing a hot iron into her, whilst chanting their creepy chorus. When they lifted a metal, there was a symbol marked into her. The same on the banner. They were performing a ritual on her. The next few minutes were the longest of my life. I screamed and begged as they were torturing my best friend, her agonized screams and fearful eyes were too much for me to bear. Finally, they finished their chanting, and they hit their final blow. slice I watched as they delivered her the same fate as my brother. They rested her head upon a stick, right next to him.
Why hadn’t they killed me yet? I just wanted to die. I sat there swallowing my guilt and regret. I never found out why my brother went in here, I never saved him, and now, because of me she was gone too. I had nothing to lose anymore. Then, a woman, with a different mask than the others stood before me. For a few seconds, she said nothing. Finally, she spoke, in her eerie and strange voice. “We are the Rooted Ones. The holy light flows through your blood. You are chosen.” What?… I just stared at the ground with my empty eyes. I didn’t understand what she was telling me. “You…you are all evil. You killed my brother and my best friend” I spoke. I didn’t know whether I was feeling pain, hatred or nothing at all. “You came because you think he is a victim?” She spoke in her eerie voice with curiosity. “He was unworthy. She was unworthy, their fate had been decided. Soon, you will meet yours too. You are cursed; they died because of you.” I said nothing. I didn’t know what to believe. Everything that has happened all seems so unnatural. I felt myself feeling unsure. “The god has spoken to me. We must not disobey. They were offerings to keep away eternal doom.” She spoke. “We will save you from your fate. You have the holy blood. Accept the light or be cursed”. They all stared at me. I looked up at the woman, she offered her hand to me. Because of me, my loved ones are dead. I must be the cursed one. I slowly stood up and said nervously “I accept”.
“Good” she said, and I felt sure that underneath that mask she was smiling. “Now, we must start the ritual immediately” she said and so, they slowly stitched the mask onto my face. They started chanting, and I felt for a second that I understood their words. I felt as if the needle went through my skin and the mask slowly becoming one with me. They burnt the iron rods onto my arms and the pain felt worth it, if I was going to be saved from my fate. Once they were finished, I had become one of them. They welcomed me with open arms and I smiled, I finally saw the light.
