THE HOODED MAN

This chapter is dedicated to sto7248n and sne7244e for being AMAZING fans!!!

Greedily trees took the light of the moon from the forest floor. 

My hand was still intertwined with Nicolas's.  Our palms were warm as we ran through the wood.  Trees whisked past them and they looked over at each other.  They were grinning wildly at each other.  They slowed down and started to take in the scenery.  Nicolas had his arm around her and she was at peace, even in the darkness that consumed her.  What a night this is turning out to be, she thought.  The forest was quiet, except for the dull crackling if autumn leaves under her sneakers.  Nicholas stroked her hair softly and it soothed her, submerging her fears of the darkness even further.  Nicholas talked about his writing and how he found inspiration from nature more than anything else.  Nature was his inspiration and his page was his canvas. She had written a song once.  My uncle had gone to prison, I was deeply troubled by it.  So when I was alone I wrote a song about it.  And one song turned into two, and two to three and so upon until I had filled a notebook with rhymes, dreams and rhythms. 

SITTING BESIDE THE SEA

(VERSE 1)

It's a cold, quiet night,
I'm sitting beside the sea
But I wish you were here
Yeah, I wish you were here
With me;
We could remember
Yeah, we could remember
What the world used to be;
And you'll see,

(CHORUS)

I feel free;
Take these tears from my eyes and let me see
I sit beside the sea
You've grown cold and no longer care for me

(VERSE 2)

Maybe someday you'll be mine
But for now I just pray for some of your time
Your so close but still so many worlds away
Cause your walking down an straight line
And I'm just trying so hard to make it out alive,

(CHORUS)

I feel free;
Take these tears from my eyes and let me see
I sit beside the sea
You've grown cold and no longer care for me

(VERSE 3)

Your eyes froze my heart like ice
Search your heart- search your soul
Your pretty face
Sent me to my happiest place
When I'm there

(CHORUS)

I feel free;
Take these tears from my eyes and let me see
I sit beside the sea
You've grown cold and no longer care for me

(VERSE 4)

Sunset
Too deaf, dumb and blind to see the damage I've done
You were inside my heart
Nothing could tear us apart
We used to listen
To the exhibition
Now I just heard the inquisition
Judge saying life in prison
No parole
President calling for gun control
Thrown into a police car
No sign of my destination so far
Get into a boat
That's weird
This seems to be worse than I feared
Suddenly it appeared
Alcatraz
In for murder, also known as
A killing
My story, chilling
Remorse, unwilling
We used to watch the stars
Now I just see the small dots of cars
Behind these rusting steel bars
We used to live together
Now I'm here, forever

(CHORUS)

I feel free;
Take these tears from my eyes and let me see
I sit beside the sea
You've grown cold and no longer care for me
But I will still sit beside the sea
Yes, I will still sit beside the sea
Yes, I will still sit beside the sea

Copyright as of 2017- Matthew Taylor

Suddenly there was a loud crack.  It came from about fifty feet away, in the direction of a large oak tree, standing proudly in the forest.  I couldn't see this of course, it was pitch black.  I clung to Nicolas tightly.  He comforted me while it was obvious that he too was secretly scared stiff.  Both of our phones were out if charge and neither of us had torches on us.  Minutes passed, but there was no response from the tall oak tree.  Then there was movement.  A hooded man stepped out from his shadowy cloak and moved towards the pair at a slow and deliberate pace.  I had not yet noticed him, my face was buried into Nicolas's hoodie. 

The man continued on, his motive not yet clear.  Nicolas kissed the top of my head, in an effort to comfort her from my fear, fear of the unknown and the fear of the blackness.  Nicolas had not yet noticed their audience.  Then he head the leaves crackling again.  He was frozen to the spot, not sure what to do.  He looked down at me, I had not heard the invading noise.  I started to hug Nicolas.  He did not respond.  Then, he moved.  He grabbed me, lifting me up and then he was carrying me.  He ran.  He ran as fast as he had in his life.  I was screaming, now realising that something was wrong.  He stayed silent and put me over his shoulder.  He dared not look back.  Then, the crackling began again.  It got closer and closer and closer still.  Then a bright light entered his eyes, blinding him.  He dropped me.

'Run!', he commanded. 
'Leave me', he pleaded. 
She ran. 
The hooded man, wore what looked like a gas mask.  He grabbed Nicolas and threw him to the ground with immense force.  He said 'you shouldn't have left that gate open, Nicolas'', in a cold, raspy voice.  He pulled out a knife and swung.