Vetiti Silvis

"The cabin in the woods had been abandoned for years, but one night, a candle burned in the window."

5 Hours Earlier: 4 pm

This is as good a place as any, Adrian thought, taking a look around the same old abandoned room in the sunlight.

There was a small triangular window that had shredded remains of newspaper over it. a dusty desk without a chair and a criminally disintegrated mattress laying on the floor. They put thier bookbag down on the floor and started clearing a space for the yoga mat and sleeping bag. The yoga mat wasn't for exercise though- it was so their sleeping bag never touched the floor. They had an ironic case of OCD about dirt on their skin.

So what were they doing in this filthy so called attic?

Preparing to die ofcourse.

Thus far they lived a very disciplined life. Top of the class. Well respected family. Popular cheerleader with the Prom King expected to go to college and marry into a wealthier family. Even the yearly family trips to the Hamptons and Mercedes Benz for the HS graduation. Low carb shakes and high value handshakes. Fucking tennis skirts and golf trips. They'd gotten to do everything- and yet nothing all at once. No video games, no comfortable cargo pants and basketball shorts, no making a sports team, no short cut so they didnt have to hide behind long blonde curls they hated anymore. And now- the latest problem of many:

The coach laughed at them for coming to the wrestling team audition... and they secretly hadn't been able to sleep since.

"You're good at being a girl, just...keep doing that" he had said.

The apologies after were useless. They were tired of not screaming "I'm a HE!". Even more tired of not looking like HE. And the most tired of feeling like a further slap in the face to a father who named them after a son they both wished they were.

So no, they weren't sick. Just defeated by the mirror of life. Far away from where anyone they knew could find or stop them from whats next. And in a abandoned attic ready to face atleast one of their fears....

dirt.

I mean we all go in it in the end anyway right.

They finished setting the area up, grabbed their sandwich from the travel earlier and went outside for some air- taking note of the houses structure. Down the creepy creaking steps to the second floor, across a bridge like hallway and down another set of steps with.a missing first row to the sliding cardboard front door. Once exited, jump down off the rotted front porch. There was a sign carved on the outside of the door that said "VETITI SILVIS" in bold letters and a faint white border like line at the doorstep.

The forest around the cabin was beautiful- and the reason they had stumbled upon it to begin with. While walking along the highway hoping they didnt run into a serial killer on the way to their own death, they saw a previously walked on entrance into the woods. And it hummed to be entered. It had the tallest of trees with limbs that stretched up to forever, coupled with various plants, flowers and sounds. Something about this last day made it so colorful. So they made sure to touch every branch and breathe in as much of outside as possible. Then sat and ate lunch on a nicely placed rock under a willow tree- as if on a date. Just for amusement they talked as both sides of a conversation- the man and the woman. The man's voice was horribly high pitched and lacked base. But it made Them feel better anyway.

There was a wooden face carving on one of the trees on the way back to the cabin. They ran their annoyingly half manicured fingers from Mothers Day outing over its long wood chiseled beard. It was far too detailed to be from a child- so maybe an artist had done it. Walking a little further they noticed two more wooden faces on nearby trees. The last one they touched seemed more piercing than the rest- with orange eye sockets and an enlarged mouth and nose. Before they knew it, their hand was on its right eye and a sharp pinch made them draw back fast. A fucking splinter. Ofcourse that would happen. They turned and made their way to the house, licking the blood of their finger quickly. It left a red dot where the orange eye's pupil should be.

Now back at the house, Adrien set the rest of the sandwich left down on the rotted table and went back upstairs. The original plan was to get it done before nightfall, so they sat on the well prepared sleeping bag and took out the bottle of pills. They had opened the window with the carved letters NON APERIRE to let some wind in the stuffy room- so whoever found them didnt die from the smell. Adrien laughed at the fact they were still being considerate even in death. But there was no time to reflect or let hesitation seep in- especially after literaly coming so far. They started to twist the pill bottle open when a sound outside stopped them in their tracks. It was followed by a strong gust of air that made a eery knocking sound on the window. Adrien jumped up, startled and instinctively backed into the nearest corner, dropping the pill bottle. The newspaper rattled and started to flip up. The window... was... opening wider.

The very next thing they saw was a pair of orange eyes with glaring blood red pupils... and darkness. And then ... the candle was lit.

Now: 9:13 pm

Adrien woke up in a barely candle lit room what felt like years later. But blinking felt as slow and heavy as the bare bit of breath in their chest. Focusing. Focusing. Someone was standing in front of them facing the mirrored sink on the wall of the studio like bathroom. They were in the bathroom now. And tied by the wrists to the bathroom radiator. Dirt was touching their bare cheek. They picked their face off the floor with disgusted haste and spat out dirt. The figure turned.

At first unidentifiable by the dark of the room, it walked slowly into the light towards them.

It was Adrien... sort of. The real Adrien?

Short buzz cut, army cargo pants, toned abs over biceps... not breasts. Drinking a drink from somewhere? shaken, not stirred. But the eyes were orange with red pupils. And they pierced.

"Wh- what is this? Who are you?"

You know who I am , the eyes glared without speaking. I'm you. Well the... better version of you as you call it. The HIM.

Adrien was too afraid to correct it's lack of gender empathy, or be mad.

"Well..what is... i mean what do you want?"

I think the best question is what do you want... to which the answer is ...

The figure walked to the mirror to look at Adrien and itself at the same time, pointing to its newly chiseled yet slightly feminine face before turning back to Adrien eerily.

This...am i right?

"Maybe before today, But its too late for that."

Ah yes, the figure tapped its head, I forgot, Todays the ...BIG DAY... "

Adrien looked at the pills that had now fallen in the same corner the bag was.

Well what if i told you that you did not have to die and could still be who you wanted. You ...came to me earlier and put your blood on my offering tree with intention. The intention of wanting to bring a different version of yourself to reality and here you are. Here is my fire offering. Now... all you have to do is say you accept it to get the wish you dreamed for.

Adrien looked from the candle offering to the abs and toned body again with admiration, trying to recall wishing to be like that, and settled on the fact it may be true. But something was too piercing about the eyes. They were... mocking- not friendly. Why?

"And whats in it for you? To give me what i want...if thats even what i want, you know, because i didnt say it was."

A glare of anger flashed past the eyes quickly.

Dont worry about me, I am irrelevant. Soon ill be gone from here and you will either be... or not be who you wish. So... what will it be?

The smile grinned wider than Adrien's mouth would ever realistically go- even at Church functions faking comfortable in a House on the Prairie dress while the pastor waved at her. They needed time.

"Uh- can i have some water. Im actually really thirsty"

Classic avoidance tactic learned from 4 long years in Catholic School.

The figure opened its mouth to say something, then closed it and exited the room towards the kitchen. Adrien used that time to scan the room for something to grab. There wasnt even a rusted nail in sight. There was a lighter in their bag in the corner of the room though. A perfume bottle. A empty bottle of mace used to scare people rather than hurt. Fuck!

Adrien 2.0 came shuffling back in the room.

"Drink.. and tell me your answer."

Adrien drank the water from the cup in the shadows hand fast, noticing a hint of a ring on its ring finger. Strange. They'd never been married. Just what was this pretending to be them. They needed time to escape.

Please...im so hungry. If you could grab me the food I have downstairs i will give you the answer you want. I promise."

The figure let out an enraged gurgle and threw the cup at the mirror, breaking it into pieces and startling Adrien into a worried yelp. Now they were eye to supoosed eye and its breath hit Adrien's nose- a stench of long dead flesh and earthy park grass.

This will be the last thing. And then you will accept my offer.

Once it was back out the room, Adrien began pulling at the rope at their wrist. Ironically, it wasn't as tight as they'd thought. Four large pulls and they were free. Now they were grabbing the bag and bolting out of the not so high window. There would probably be a broken bone to feel later, but adrenaline was the only thing felt crashing through the second floor window and running from the side of the house to the wooded area in a hurry. They could hear the shadow ripping the cabin door open with a inhumane screech. But all they saw ahead was leaves and dirt.

Five large paces and Adrien was face to face with the garden of wooden faces. Only this time, they all were watching in the dark with large orange eyes and open mouths. They were saying something, but Adrien couldn't hear it over their own footsteps and heartbeat. Until something made them stop suddenly. The tree where they had gotten the splinter was glowing. Adrien walked over to it and almost reached out again before pulling back.

WHAT DO YOU THINK YOU'RE DOING? The shadow screamed, now suddenly behind Adrien- making them jump.

They reached into the bag instead and pulled out the perfume bottle and lighter- pointing it at the shadow like a torch.

"ST-STAY BACK! You stay back or I'll burn you to death!"

The shadow took a step forward.

You could burn your own body if you'd like, it snarled , but keep your hands away from mine!

The shadow took another step and gestured at the own glowing tree. At the same time the other trees seemed to call out to Adrien .

BURN... BURN.....BURNNNNNNNN! Their eyes glowed

Another step was taken and now Adrien was dousing the tree with the entire perfume bottle. The shadow screamed but couldn't make it over in time to stop them from lighting the nearest doused leaf. Adrien lept back as the flame curled around the glowing tree. Both Adrien's backed up as the fire blazed and the trees wept around it. The glowing effect began to fade. And thats when the figure began to howl.

Adrien backed up then leaned in closer, trying to see what effect it was having on the shadow. From the hunched position Adrien couldn't tell, until it stood up slowly, still howling and turning to face them.

It wasn't... in pain.. it was... laughing. The trees in the back weeped and still screamed "BURN" but there was no more perfume left... and Adrien had dropped the lighter.

Panicked, Adrien turned to run out of the wooded area towards the highway when a branch reached up from the ground to the left and grabbed their foot. Another branch uprooted from the Earth and grabbed Adrien's right arm. The shadow was still laughing in its place, taking on a chuckle as it watched.

You thought you could burn me away. Just like you thought you could swallow your own pain away. But instead....

Three more roots grabbed at Adriens neck all at once, making them unable to move or breathe. One covered the mouth and the other two twisted around the neck with force.

instead you have freed me. Now you will take my place...

A series of branches were swirling around Adrien's legs, steadily climbing around the body. As much as they wiggled and tried to scream or breathe it was no use. The shadow continued speaking as the branches reached Adrien's chin.

And i will take yours.

Thirty seconds later the new Adrien was staring at a fully grown tree with the carved face of a young woman on it. The eyes were orange and needing. Adrien picked a barely there cherry off of the tree, bit it and let its blood run down his lips before finally heading out of the woods for good.

After all, it'd been 118 long years since he committed a murder suicide in that cabin.

and he ... was ...HUNGRY.