What Evil Shall Come
By Divine Macabre

Chapter 1

The rain beat steadily on my back as I trudged along the highway, shifting my pack from shoulder to shoulder. My clothes were soaked and clinging to my skin. Any longer in this weather and I would surely fall ill. That, however, was the least of my problems as I glanced around the road.

Where am I? How did I get here?

I looked out to the forest that blanketed the sides of the highway.

Did I come from there? Why would I be walking through the woods at this late hour?

I couldn't answer my own question. I couldn't answer any of them. Still staring out at the woods the trees seemed to reach out to me. A chill slowly crawled up my spine.

That place is evil. No one can know of the secret...but what secret?

I began to run up the road. Lights flickered in the distance. It was a glimmer of hope, so I went towards them. Once over the hill, a city sprawled before me. Cars snaked along the streets and some people still roamed the sidewalks as tiny specks along the grid. I reached the beginning of the city limits. A large sign was hidden almost completely by wayward branches. I could barely see the outline of the words, but as I craned my neck I was able to make them out.

Welcome to Thomasville.

I starred at the greeting, my mind asking, where? Then I saw two bright lights coming towards me. A car pulled up and screeched to a stop. Slowly the window rolled down.

"Jessica, come on, get in the car!" a woman about my age shouted to me.

Black hair flew in her face as she looked at me. Her blue eyes pierced into mine. They were strange, but I knew them. Somehow these were the eyes of a friend, but who? I got into the car. I didn't know what to say. I couldn't remember, but I just knew I couldn't put her in danger too. Danger? It was the right word though. It would explain the nagging fear in the corner of my mind. I was definitely afraid of something...something in the forest? I wasn't certain.

"So where's Crystal?" she suddenly asked with a sideways glance, expecting me to answer.

"Who?" I asked, unsure of where I'd heard the name before.

"You know, Crystal...the girl you went hiking with," I gave her a puzzled look, "Your best friend, well, besides me. Come on...you're acting like a ditz."

"Oh, Crystal," I still didn't know who she was talking about, so I lied, "She said she was going to walk home."

"Hun...well ok, whatever. She's totally crazy sometimes. I hope she gets home ok, 'cuz I'm not driving up here again."

We traveled for almost fifteen minutes before she ushered me out into the driveway of a strange house, but I had been there before. The rain began to stop its patter on the windows as I moved from the car. It seemed the storm was letting up. The girl waved to me and then pulled out, fading off down the vacant neighborhood street. When the tail lights finally turned out of sight I stood staring at the shadowy house. The tall bushes flanking the front window shook in the wind and the white picket fence rattled. The brief pause in the storm suddenly subsided as the rain started up again, drenching my already soaked clothes. I had to leave. The danger was following me. I felt it in my core and I knew it would stop at nothing to get me.

My thoughts were abruptly broken by a friendly voice, "Jessica, come in before you catch a cold."

I looked towards the sound and saw a short woman standing in the light of the doorway. She began to walk towards me. Her hand reached out and grabbed my arm, only to drag me into the home.

"Honestly Jessica! If you want to stand around all night, at least do it inside."

"Who, who are you?" I muttered.

"Jessica! Really!" she slowly began to walk down the long hallway to my right, "What's next? I just can't understand what I did wrong. And to think, what the grandchildren will be like, oh, I can't imagine..."

Where am I? What is going on?

"Hey, Jess, where have you been?" a deep voice said from behind me.

I flew around and saw a tall guy, not much older than me. His pants fit snuggly around his waist dropping barely to reveal the top of his boxers. He had no shirt on and his chest was muscular and slightly moistened. On his right arm was a tattoo of a snake. It looked like it was going to lash out. Its red eyes almost glowed. Its red eyes...I shuttered.

"Hey, Jess!" he waved his hand in front of my face, "You stoned or something? What's wrong with you? I've never seen you so out of it..."

"Oh, nothing," I replied my eyes fixated on him.

"So how was the hiking trip?" he asked.

"What...Oh, the hiking trip...great, just great," I said. I still didn't know who he was, but I was about to find out, "Who are you?"

"Jess, come on! Don't play this game with me! You can play it with your mom, but not with me, ok? You're really starting to scare me."

He moved over and looked into my eyes, "And well, I'd hope you wouldn't forget your fiancée, or would you?"

My what? Why can't I remember?

Not knowing what to say I just blinked, looking dumbfounded.

"Good night, Jessica!" I heard from down the hall, "Good night Nick!"

"Ok, Mrs. Thomson," Nick yelled back before lowering his voice to speak to me, "I figured you'd be back sooner. That's why I waited up. Your mom's been driving me crazy."

I just nodded my head in response. I didn't want to talk. I wasn't sure how to act like me, which is a strange predicament to be in.

"Ok, well I'm heading off to bed. Care to join me?" he finally asked, but soon realized I wasn't going to reply, "Alright good night."

With that he leaned forward planting a soft kiss on my lips. Adding in a wicked smile he began his walk towards the hallway. I watched him until he disappeared through one of the doors. Then I made my way over to the couch in the living room and sat down.

Why can't I remember?