Chapter 1 - Into the woods

*Writers’ note – This is the first time I’ve written anything creatively for a long time and absolutely the first time writing a story of this type. However, it was an idea which came into my head a little while ago and I haven’t been able to shake it, so I decided to give it a go. Any feedback is welcomed in the comments, especially if you like it. *

“Good, get the hell out of here! You’re not welcome anymore. The two of you have been leeching off your father and me for too long!”

The front door to the house banged open and two figures stormed out into the rapidly dimming evening light. The first was a tall wiry man, barely older than 20, with short black hair. As he stormed out of the house, he pulled his arms through the sleeves of a worn and faded leather jacket that had clearly been owned and worn for many years. Behind the man, the second figure was a short blonde woman with shoulder-length wavy hair who looked as though she might be 18 or 19. She wore comfortable tracksuit bottoms and a lacy crop top which just barely showed a navel piercing in her smooth toned midriff. She was clearly extremely angry and hurried after the man towards an old battered car parked on the road, just in front of the house.

The man pulled a set of keys from his pockets and climbed into the driver’s seat just as another woman appeared in the doorway of the house. She was older than the other couple and her flowery blouse was damp and had a large red stain on the front.

“God, get us the fuck out of here, Harry. I can’t stand that bitch, always judging me and my life choices. Who the fuck does she think she is anyway? She isn’t even your mum, she’s your fucking stepmum.” cried the first woman angrily.

The engine whined and groaned as the starter motor failed to kick the engine into life.

“You know, if that bitch ever got off her fat arse and did a day of work, the two of you might actually be able to afford a car that works!” yelled Harry’s stepmum from the doorway of the house, a malicious sneer plastered across her face. “But you’re such an enabler that she’ll just continue taking advantage of you. I hope you see sense before she’s dragged you down into the ditch with her.”

With a bang the car finally jumped to life and with a screech of the tires, it tore away down the road.

“Grace, I’m sorry baby. That was completely out of order. She had no right to say that to you.” said Harry when the noise of the engine had finally died down to a gentle sputter.

“Too fucking right she doesn’t, ***. I swear when I see her again, I’ll give her more than a glass of wine to the face.”

“Yeah, well there’s no way we’re going back there tonight.” said Harry slightly nervously. “We can go stay with my cousin. He lives about an hour’s drive away. I think I remember the way.”

***
Three hours later, Harry and Grace were driving along a winding wooded road in pitch darkness. The rain which had started only 15 minutes into the journey had become a torrential downpour making it extremely difficult to see anything more than vague shapes in the gloom.

“Can’t you just admit you’re lost and pull over so we can pull up directions. You know I get carsick if I look at my phone while you’re driving, especially on these winding roads.”

“We’re not lost. I took a wrong turn back at the last town but I know it’s got to be just up ahead.”

“Yeah right, we’ve been driving for hours. I’m starving! We didn’t get to have dinner before we left. Can we find something to eat, please!”

At that moment, as if the universe was answering Grace’s pleas, in the beam of the headlights flashed a sign:

24 hour McDonalds – next turn

“Look there’s a McDonalds. Take the next turn. I want a McFlurry.”

Reluctantly Harry slowed the car looking for the upcoming turn. He suddenly saw it up ahead. A dark singletrack road leading deep into the woods.

“That can’t be the turning. There’s no way that McDonalds would build a branch this far away from anything. That sign must be outdated.”

“Just make the fucking turn, I’m getting super hangry.” yelled Grace angrily. “If it’s not there then we can just turn around and come back and then order a dominos when we finally get to your cousin’s place.”

Knowing better than to question his girlfriend while hangry, Harry swung the car around and began trundling down the narrow lane. After about 100 metres, the tarmac abruptly ran out and the road transitioned into a rocky dirt track. With the rain, which was still falling thickly, the loose soil quickly became sticky, slippery mud which caked the tires of the car and Harry found his control of the vehicle diminishing rapidly.

Suddenly, one of the front wheels struck a larger than average rock and the car violently bounced to the side. The steering wheel spun sharply, slipping out of Harry’s hands and the whole car uncontrollably began to skid sideways across the muddy road and directly towards a large tree. With an almighty bang, the car slammed heavily into the tree. Harry and Grace were thrown violently around in their seats, first one way, then the other as the car came to an abrupt stop. The noise of the engine died instantly to be replaced by a loud hiss of escaping radiator coolant and the constant drumming of rain on the roof.

“Are you okay?!” asked Harry urgently.

“Yeah I think so.” Grace replied. “What happened? Will the car start again?”

Harry turned the keys in the ignition but not even the whine of the starter motor sounded.

“Doesn’t look like it. Can you call for help? My phone ran out of battery an hour ago.”

“No, I haven’t had any signal since we entered this fucking wood. Goddamn it, now I’m never going to get my McFlurry!”

Harry silently repressed the retort that if Grace hadn’t insisted they follow the obviously incorrect sign in the hunt for the McDonalds then he would never have crashed his car, which in his mind was a more pressing matter.

“I think I see some light up ahead. Maybe we can get some help there. The rain seems to be stopping, at least for the moment.”

“Oh yes! It must be the McDonalds. I’ll be getting my ice cream after all. Come on, let’s go.”

Leaving the crumpled wreck of the car behind them, the couple began to trudge along the muddy road towards the distant light shining through the trees. As they grew nearer, however, it became apparent that the lights were not a McDonalds after all but those of a small house. Seeing this, Grace slowed her enthusiastic pace and let out a loud sigh.

“Come on” said Harry, “we can still ask for some help from whoever lives there. It’s probably an old retired couple. They might even have a landline we can use since our phones can’t get signal out here.”

With another sigh and an almost audible eyeroll, Grace continued following Harry to the front door of the quaint cottage. There was no bell so Harry lifted the large brass knocker and rapped twice loudly on the door. Almost immediately, they heard noises from inside and after a short pause the door swung open.

The occupant was not, however, the old retired couple Harry had predicted. Instead, standing framed in the doorway was a beautiful young woman, probably in her late 20s with straight raven-coloured hair falling halfway down her back. She wore a flowing black skirt and a black cotton crop-top which Harry noticed immediately revealed feminine curves around her waist and a slightly rounded soft belly. The woman’s dark eyes flicked up and down, taking in the new-comers to her doorstep and her mouth spread wide in a grin revealing perfect white teeth.

“Oh my goodness, you’re absolutely drenched! What are you doing all the way out here?” she said in a voice which seemed to Harry to be the sweetest he had ever heard.

Without even an invitation, he found himself stepping over the threshold into the warmth of the house, forgetting for the time about the argument with his stepmum, the plans to go to his cousin and even his broken and smashed car just a short walk down the road.

The woman smiled at him sweetly again. “Please, come in and get warm. You’re just in time for dinner.”