Seven Bullets

As Alex ran through the woods, the sound of crunching leaves was audible and was rapidly growing louder. He tripped in a hole and as he came into contact with the ground, everything turned to darkness. He saw a silhouette above the hole before being covered by leaves. This was it; he closed his eyes as the wind rushed until he opened them once again.

Alex got up from bed and went to get himself dressed as he was preparing to meet his friend to discuss something largely important. He went to look at the mirror, unsure if what he had dreamt was a sign of his guilt.

The café was full as the two were discussing what to do about their good friend, Jessica. She had been missing for over two years, and they were determined to find her. Around eight months after her disappearance, the search parties that were formed after she was reported missing just gave up and Jessica was declared dead, but Jason knew she was still out there. So, he called Alex one day to set up their two-man search party. The people Alex was seeing around him, their anonymity of who they are, it was what he could see out of humanity. No one knowing who they are, never seeing where their lives will lead them. That was what he saw. Nothing more, nothing less.

Out of the corner of his eye, Alex spotted someone. Someone so familiar. Someone that shouldn’t be there. Someone that caused a wave of dread to wash over him.

It was Jessica.

Alex got up and ran, chasing the woman, all the while doubting that it could be her. Jason immediately got up and went after Alex, unsure of what he was doing. The two went into the woods, and after an hour or two of chasing the mystery woman, they were lead into an empty patch in the seemingly endless forest. Suddenly, a dizzying fog appeared out of seemingly nowhere.

The two sat and waited, knowing if they continued, they would become lost with no hope of escape. Then, a voice rang out through the fog. Jessica’s voice. They got up and looked around. Seeing nothing. The voice sang “Everything is normal, everything is fine, I worry about nothing, because nothing’s on my mind.” A figure appeared in the fog that looked to be about 10 feet away. It was a shocking sight to see. It was floating about a foot off the ground, with several head-shaped objects floating around it, and had a feminine shape to it, as well as long hair that reached to its waist.

As it got closer, the two could see its facial features. Two eyes, black hair, purely white skin, but no mouth. However, they could see where its mouth was. The floating heads were missing all facial features, aside from a mouth, which were shaped into a discomforting grin.

Jason, being the quick-thinking person he was, blurted out “Run!” The two darted in separate directions, running faster than they ever thought they could. The being stopped dead in its tracks and sent the heads after Jason, while the being itself went after Alex.

Jason kept running, and running, and running. He continued until he tripped on a small, fallen tree. By this time, the heads had already caught up to him. It was too late.

As Alex ran through the woods, the sound of crunching leaves was audible and was rapidly growing louder. He tripped in a hole and collapsed, the leaves breaking his fall. He quickly got up and was about to proceed to run, but it was too late. The being had caught up to him.

He stood, frozen, unsure of what would happen to him. The floating heads appeared out of seemingly nowhere. They spoke, saying “Pick it up.” Alex looked down at his feet and saw a gun. He went to pick it up, but saw something that he couldn’t believe. His skin was pure white, just like the being. He picked it up, cocked it, and pointed it at the being.

“What will this do?” asked Alex.

“It will end this. And I will be gone forever.” It replied.

“Why? Why do I have to do this?!”

“Why not? You have done it before, haven’t you?”

Alex was taken back to a certain point in time along with the being. What had really happened all those years ago. Jessica’s death.

They were in the woods, Alex leading them. “Where are we going?” asked Jessica.

“I’m not going anywhere, but you are.” Alex replied.

He pulled out a gun, the same one that was at his feet moments ago, and shot Jessica seven times, leaving her to die. Then, Alex and the being went back to where they just were and Alex fell to his knees, weeping his heart out with regret. He stood once more after around 3 minutes, pointed the gun at the being, tears still falling, but couldn’t do it. He didn’t want to. “Do it, Alex.” Said the being, grabbing the gun and pointing it at its own head. Alex knew he didn’t have a choice. So he pulled the trigger. Seven times.

Alex blinked, and the being disappeared along with the fog. Jason was right beside him, and they were at the forest’s edge. “Well, that was weird. Why were you running?” asked Jason.

“No reason” Alex replied.

But Alex heard a voice in his head as they were walking away, saying "I'm always here." Alex looked back and saw the being, waving while the heads formed a miniacle grin. Alex, however, just looked ahead.

He knew that he would be fine. He worried about nothing, because nothing was on his mind.