Page 26 of Snowman

"No, you're not," she said, the ghost of a smile playing on her lips. "But it's okay. I'm used to it."

"I didn't mean to," I said again and with more sincerity.

Her eyes snapped to mine, sharp and knowing. "You apologize a lot, kid." She pulled on the reins, releasing the stirrup of her boot as she swung herself onto her horse in one smooth motion. The horse snorted and dismounted as she let it gallop slowly, steadily across the riverbank.

"You shouldn't," she said, looking back at me.

"Thanks," I muttered as she passed, the words tumbling out before I could stop them.

Just as I had turned my head, her voice cut through the air once more, a little louder this time. "The woods get dark after five. You should head out before then."

"I will," I lied, continuing to look out over the river. She didn't press the subject. Her silhouette faded into the distance, horse and rider becoming a part of the forest until they were well out of sight.

I sat and remained where I was, perched on the rock in the middle of the river, staring into the crimson water that was only water, but still felt like something else. Something waiting.

I stood in front of the woods, staring into their dark expanse. Ten minutes seemed to be an eternity. With every blink, it was as if the trees stretched out wider, swallowing the horizon whole. The sun slid lower, its pale light fading as the shadows deepened. The air grew keener, colder. It nipped at my skin and made me shiver.

"This was a stupid idea," I muttered to myself, my voice barely a whisper against the wind.

Slowly, I got down from the rock. My bare feet hit the icy water, sending shivers running like a thousand needles through my body. I closed my eyes and willed my legs to move. Step by step, I made it to the riverbank where my shoes waited in the snow, half-covered in frost. I crouched down, reaching for them—Hands.

Hands came from behind and grabbed me, yanking me back with such force I gasped.

"No," I breathed, my voice catching in my throat.

And then I heard them—the voices. Their voices. Familiar. Mocking. The two boys from the woods two days ago.Josh and Vic.They were here. Waiting. Watching. Like shadows that followed me every time I stepped into this cursed place.

"Let me go!" I shouted, wrenching my body to the side. But it was no use.

Vic, the taller of the two, was spinning me around like a rag doll and pushed me to the ground. I went down hard, skinningmy palms against snow and ice. His laughter was cold and mirthless.

"We came to finish what we started," he sneered, looking back at Josh.

I flailed around, reaching for one of my shoes, and I threw it with all my might. It hit Josh with full force right in the chest.

"Bitch!" he snarled, doubling over for a moment.

I didn't wait. I turned and crawled, my hands raking at the frozen ground. My knees plunged into snow, cold searing through, and yet I couldn't, wouldn't, stop.

A yank.

Vic had my ankle and was pulling backward. I hit the bottom with a dull thump, screaming, and kicking wildly in every direction, but only he was the one who laughed.

"Where you going?" he chided, tugging hard to draw me closer and closer to the river.

"Vic, man, let's have some fun," Josh said, his ginger hair catching the last light of the dying sun. He stepped closer, his grin wide, his thumb scratching absently under his nose.

"Thirsty?" he jeered.

Before I could do anything, much less let go, he stomped on my hand. It pinned painfully into the mud and snow, the crunch of bone echoing in my ears, and I screamed.

Then his hand was on the back of my head.

No.

The word never came out.

He shoved me. My face plunged into the river, the water racing over me, slamming me with its coldness, and stealing my breath. I gasped. My mouth parted beneath the surface, and immediately I inhaled mud and water. Red clouds swirled in front of me, I was clawing blind, arms pinned, Josh's knee weighting into my wrist.

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