Afterlife - Stephanie Hudson Page 0,101

was there. But where was it? Had I gone wrong somewhere because it was near the cabin wasn't it? I turned in every direction but I couldn't make out anything familiar. How far had I walked away from the path I came? My head was starting to feel real fuzzy and my vision clouded with the pain.

It was then that I heard it. I couldn't understand where it came from but I followed it anyway knowing that it led to people. Someone was singing faintly in the distance or was it music being played. I couldn't tell the difference as it didn't sound like anything I had ever heard before. It was a beautiful hum that changed into words I couldn't understand. Maybe I would come across some hikers that had a map.... and a stereo.

I twisted around branches and foliage following the sound that echoed through the trees. Whenever I would go slightly off in the other direction it would momentarily get louder in the direction I should be going. I was in a daze and couldn't feel the throbbing in my head any more, all I could feel, taste and think was the noise that I followed. For all I knew it was leading me deeper into the forest and I would be lost forever but for some reason I wasn't worried. It was like I was on some sort of mind control drug. I was completely hypnotised and I was mellow and calm as I picked up pace to find this amazing sound.

I wasn't sure how long I walked but it didn't feel like more than mere minutes. It was just getting louder but I still couldn't see anything that would make that noise. I was now on a path and my feet didn't have to work as hard to move along. I broke out into a run as it felt like I was getting closer and closer. I could hear more words now but still it was a language that I had never heard. I was nearly losing my breath as my heart ached with strain. I wasn't the fittest of people at the best of times and I hardly ever ran but there was just something spellbinding about the sound that filled my ears and took over my brain. I was nearly there now I could feel it. I could see an opening in the trees, as the light got brighter with every step.

Then the sound was gone.

The noise had stopped as though the power had been cut, as I walked out into the front of the house I knew well. I couldn't understand any of what had just happened. I looked around for signs of anyone, maybe a passing car or music that Libby had been playing but that still wouldn't have explained it. I followed music that led me home. I was sure of it.

I went into the house and walked upstairs dumping my jacket on the bed and kicking my shoes off. I don't know when but I lost the glove I used to soak up the blood so I took off my other one and pulled my top off ready to get in the shower. Leaving just the camisole top I wore underneath with my bra. I knew nobody was in so I walked to the bathroom and grabbed a fresh towel from the cupboard on the way. Once in the bathroom I examined the damage in the mirror.

Thankfully it wasn't as bad as I had dreaded. It looked worse because of the dried blood on my face and hair. The cut wasn't deep enough to need stitches and I knew I could get away without needing to see a doctor. There was a purplish bruise around it that I could hide with my hair and after a skin coloured plaster I thought I could get away with it without anyone noticing.

After a hot shower and a good wash getting rid of the remaining blood, I felt better and was slowly forgetting the day, putting it down to a weird kind of sixth sense about where I was going. Libby was back when I got out of the bathroom and I didn't have time to hide the evidence of my fall.

“Oh my God, what happened to you?” She ran over to me and fussed about my head, tightening her fists and sucking air through her teeth, the way people did when they could imagine the pain.

“It's fine honestly, it's not as