Page 108 of Lost to the Woods

At first, it’s just shaky footage of the woods, the camera jerking around as whoever’s holding it runs. Then I hear it—his voice.Ghost.

My stomach twists as I listen to him, his voice panicked, breathless. He’s saying something, but I can’t make out the words. The camera swings around, and for a moment, I see his face. He’s terrified.

Then he screams.

The camera drops, the image spinning wildly before settling on the ground. I can still hear him, his screams growing louder, more desperate. Something moves in the background, something dark and fast. There’s a sound—a wet, tearing noise—and then silence. The screen goes black.

My mind races, trying to make sense of what I just saw.

Ghost. He’s dead. I mean, he's been dead before I… But how? He was with me this whole time. He was—

What’s happening? What is this? I don’t understand. I don’t—

I feel like I’m going to be sick, but I force myself to my feet, my legs unsteady. I have to keep moving. I have to find help. I stumble forward, my breath coming in short, panicked gasps. The woods feel darker now, the shadows deeper.

Then, I notice silence. The cicadas stopped buzzing.

With a pounding heart, I turn around…

And there he is. Alive and well.

Ghost is standing right before me, his pants up, no mask, crazy hair. Blood covers his chest, but the cuts are gone. His eyes are raging, boring into me.

“You thought you could escape?” he growls, making me jump up. “How cute. You’re my little prey, and I’ll hunt you down every time you try to run.”

Everything slowly sinks in.

My hands are shaking so bad that the camera slips onto the ground. I look around and realize that I’m standing in human remains. In what’s left of the real Ghost.

He—this being—wanted me to find it. To learn the truth the hard way. He probably even wanted me to kill him—or try to—just to show me that I can’t. That no matter what I do, I’m trapped.

I yelp as he moves, approaching, but I’m frozen in place, paralyzed by fear. His bones are snapping with each step, limbs elongating, boots giving way for cloven hooves. Reddish-brown fur pushes through his skin, short and sleek. Antlers crack from his skull, spanning wide like a jagged crown.

And then, there’s nothing else, just darkness before my eyes.

25. Ghost

Oh.Right.I’d almost forgotten.

I’ve been dead this whole time.

Well, Ghost has been. I just replaced him.

It was quite hilarious. Wearing his skin. Playing house in it after inheriting not only his body, but his mind, his soul, all that made him.

I missed the feeling of freedom riding on open Arizona highways, even though I’ve never sat on a motorcycle.

I missed greasy tacos and sticky root beer floats from that one food truck, though my tongue has never known the taste.

And most of all, I missed her.

Fuck, I missed her to the point of insanity, even though I’ve never met her before.

But he had. He was soin lovewith her. So captivated and consumed, yet… held such strong animosity towards her.

He worshipped her. Hated her. Violated her.

His obsession became the driving force in this meat suit I wore. I just… sharpened it. Made it darker. More honest. It twisted and coiled like a nest of serpents inside me until I knew I had to have her.

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