CHAPTER #3

Take your knife and twist it,

where's my hart – you missed it

‚I see blood'

Trees, trees and again the trees. It is hard to expect something different from the forest, but the sight drove him in a depressed monotony. Kenichi, lad of sixteen, looked longingly at the low clouds. One consolation - no mosquitoes in this weather, they can not fly.

Heyy! Is there anyone here!? - In vain, no one was in a hurry to respond to the call. If he was a little smarter, he'll be sitting home too.

It all started casually. Guys from the karate club initiated this field trip to feel the real atmosphere of the ancient martial arts and to train in the wildness. Thy packed during the holidays and went to the nearby forested mountain. The camp was set-up and the training regiment established. Of course they had to send Kenichi for 20 laps around the camp. Of couse he got lost as soon as humanly possible.

Somewhere in the forest, Kenichi may have already fallen into a panic, thinking he was lost. But now the soul reigned with the fatigue irritation. Irritation at the idiot who managed to get lost in a broad daylight and wander around for four hours. Outstanding achievement, especially when you know that the camp is quite close, as well as railway, hundreds of trails, and the river ...

Where is it? Kenichi looked longingly at the darkening sky and sighed. He could only move forward and hope for another miracle. Sleeping in a wet forest without even a sleeping bag - was for masochists, or more probably suicidals.

A guide for normal people are man-made monuments of civilization, such as power poles or dumps. Forest was an extremely clean, as though humanity has not had time to bring the benefits of civilization here. Kenichi tried to use the info from his 'How to do' bbooks to get through.

Attempting to focus on the moss failed. It is not known exactly who first came up with such a wonderful idea, but local moss it did not know about. Overgrown on trees, often on opposite sides, and completely covering one huge boulder, moss was everywhere. If we believe this orientirs, it seemed the stone was directly atop the North Pole. After every hour surprise only grew, and the forest was still thick around him.

- Damb, idiot! - Keenichi was a honest guy. But it did not matter. Kenichi could only monotonely rearrange his feet, strength and hope no longer existing, his optimism not infinite. Half an hour later the guy took a step, the other ... Kenichi tried to get up, but his legs rebelled. By the time his power finally returned it was already dark and it was clear that the nights rest could not be avoided. Rain started to drizzle, and the mood has fallen even more, even though it seemed impossible. Kenichi needed something to do.

- Why, Kami? Did I get guilty of something in front of you? - Kenichi stopped and added in a normal voice – though, we are all sinners. But can you not punish someone more deserving?

He tried to sleep. Without much success. Lying on the damp branches was uncomfortable, and the sounds coming from the woods brought to mind the tale of various monsters lurking in the dark. Even a devil, and he was serious inn his fears. Yes, fairy tales ... Imagination worked rapidly against the logic to draw all new dangers in his mind. Now Kenichi was ready to believe that not only wolves and tigers roamed nearby, that in itself was unhard of in this places. Life thrived in the woods. Something rustled around, distant cries of unknown animals could be heard. Owls hooted. Through low clouds flashed the full moon - the eternal companion of vampires and werewolves ...

Thought all the unknown dangers even roused some perverse pleasure, allowing escape from freezing limbs.

- Daaamn ...

It all began suddenly, as in a horror film, but without the appropriate music. Throwing a sight in the darkness, behind the trees Kenichi noticed a strange glow. Mysterious sounds could still be dismissed, but the blue light in forest is cmletely unusual. And it just could not be a natural phenomenon. Mystical chill crept up his back - fire does not shine like this ...

But the aliens ... nasty, evil creatures that feed on humans or which experiment on them. The authentic films like "Predator" and "The X Files" left little room for imagination. The idea did not seem funny. Maybe somewhere else, sometime in the afternoon, sitting on the couch, Kenichi would only smile skeptically.

- Well, yes, of course. The aliens, came especially for me. They did not have enough victims in America. - Kenichi muttered.

What the hell, aliens? Surely these were people and they would know a way out of the forest, and the light could be anything. Lights were not invented yesterday. Another thing was that decent people are sitting home in this weather, not wander in forest. Iakuza maybe?

Delusions or not, but Kenichi dared to go into the unknown defenseless. He cautiously walked to the light. After ten meters the world changed suddenly, becoming almost normal, and the boy hurried. Immediately something flashed red. Skin tingled with hundreds of ice needles, chill on the spine ran wild. Kenichi fell to his knees, hand covering his eyes. He did not have air to scream ...

When the pain was gone, Kenichi found himself in darkness, his hand resting on a tree. Than came fear. Wild, unnaturally strong fear. Darkness enveloped him threatening with unknown dangers, hiding hundreds of enemies and the horror of the unknown. Making even braver people wanting to jump up and run for their lives. Fumbling around, the boy stood up slowly, exhaling through clenched teeth.

- Dark, but that means just an absence of light, nothing bad will happen. I just need to move quietly.

Panic faded, obeying reason reluctantly. The sense of danger required to run, but where to? Landmarks disappeared.

Twig snapped behind him and Kenichi ran. Breathing hoarsely burst out of his chest, the blood pounding in the ears. He nearly fell several times. Kenichi stopped simply because there was nowhere to run more. Sharp look backwards, revealed that there was no one. No one ...

- What was that?

Kenichi sat on a makeshift bed, trying to understand what caused the panic. His heart was still trying to jump out of his chest, but he could not find an answer. Twenty minutes later, the rain stopped. Light also did not appear again. With the calmer set-up Kenichi quietly forgot disturbing dreams. Fatigue took its toll.

He woke up ... because of the feeling of eyes in the back, the sound of steps and a sense of danger. So he did not imagened it! Jumping up, the guy turned around. Just in time to see the descending club. A second later the darkness came.

Darkness dissipated, but the revival has not brought happiness.

His body hung in an uncomfortable position. Legs were hanging just with the fingertips reacing the ground, his back rested against something rough, his head ached, and his twisted hands were numb. Rain dropped on a naked torso - his shirt was off. Not understanding what was going on, Kenichi opened his eyes.

The fact that he was tied to a treedeminished in front of a miracle: The meadow was bright. But the source of light was not the sun, but two large yellow balls hanging in the air in defiance of all the laws of nature. The soil at his feet was cleared of debris and drowe him in confusion with whimsical drawings. Some freak was crawling on his knees compliting all the new lines and strange characters. He was not paying attention to the prisoner. Kenichi was like the situation less and less. The atmosphere resembled a sacrifice with him in the leading role.

From all the spectacle the wild and real fear stirred at heart. Fear of the unknown, but real danger.

Lightly stirring, Kenichi carefully tried to loosen the shackles. However, ropes were quite reliable, but the nodes looked weak. After an hour or so the could be released. But did he have the time?

He didn't have even a minute. Magician finished, stood up and brushed the hood off. Smearing mud on his knees, stranger cursed. Kenichi could now see black hair and grimace of displeasure. Stranger wore rather strange clothes - like in Europe in ancient times. The man kept the knife in his right hand, the left hand began to make strange passes.

Pentagram glowed blue and the maniac striked with dagger. Time stood still for a moment. Kenichi saw as the blade flew, he could understand that he was going to die, he cried and even twisted to the side. It's useless. Killer's hand just gave a little jerk and metal went into his chest.

- It hurts ... - said Kenichi shuddering. And than he died.