Page 4 of Ring Around the Rosie

The old man noticed my disappointment and looked around. “You’re pretty far out from town, miss. Not many people come to these parts.” I ignored him. “Tell you what. I’ll get you close to those woods, but you’ll need to either find another ride to take you in or walk the rest of the way. Deal?”

“Works for me.”

The man scoffed and then coughed on the cigarette smoke. “Just promise me no funny business. I’m too old for that shit.”

I nodded. “Deal.”

He unlocked the passenger door for me. “Well, come on. Get in.” I swung the paint chipped door open, plopped down on the passenger seat, and slammed the door shut. The man watched me closely while I buckled into the seat. It was clear we were both weary of one another. “So. You going to tell me whatcharunning from?” He asked as he put the semi into gear. “You’re not runnin’ from the cops, are ya?”

I looked out the window and clutched my bag close. “No. I’m running from nothing.”

The man chuckled to himself. He smoked his cigarette with the window down as the semi truck climbed back to the speed limit and drove off. “A pretty little thing like you doesn’t hitchhike in these parts unless she’s runnin’ from something.” He looked over. “Should I be worried? About… Nothing?”

I sat in silence for a moment. “No. He doesn’t want you. Only me.”

The man grunted and nodded. “Well, I’ll tell you this.No onewill be able to find you out in Camp Redwood. Those woods stretch on for miles and miles, leaving that old camp isolated and away from everything. If you’re runnin’, then that camp there is the place to do it.” He then shook his head. “Shit. Couldn’t pay me to travel down those lone roads alone.”

My head turned to look at him. “I’ll make you another deal. I won’t bother you and you don’t bother me. Got it?” I used my bag like a pillow and leaned against the passenger door.

The man shook his head and coughed. “Well, then it’s gonna be a long and quiet ride. The redwoods are hours from here. Almost a half day's journey.”

I shot forward and clicked on his radio. Static played as I turned the dial before landing on a random station that worked. It was a broadcast about some incoming storm somewhere. I didn’t really listen, just wanted something to get him to stop talking to me. “There. Not so quiet now.” The man continued to smoke. He gave me the silence I asked for without any issues. I looked out at the woods as we drove past and eyed the treeline. It stretched on for miles, as if never ending. Despite being the middle of the day, the sky slowly began to darken, and I felt my exhaustion take over.

Camp Redwood. I wonder what it’s like. It sounds almost peaceful. A place tucked away in the woods away from everyone else. How ideal.

Rain tapped gently against the window and created a calm, soothing beat. My lids became heavy and before I knew it, I was fading off to sleep.

So peaceful.

ONE

ASTER

“Rosie!”My eyes shot open as he screamed my name.

The semi truck jolted roughly and woke me. I shot up, immediately on guard, and clutched my bag close. “Easy,” the old man cooed. He put the truck into park as it idled. The sky was dark and rain poured from the thundering clouds. I must’ve been asleep for sometime. And his voice… Ozzy’s voice… It was another dream. Another fucking nightmare.

God, when will they end?

I rubbed my eyes. “Are we there already?” I asked.

The man pointed ahead. I peered through the front windshield and past the whipping windshield wipers. The beam of the semi truck’s headlights landed on an old wooden sign with a faded portrait of the woods and large letters that read Camp Redwood, Est. 1920. Despite the old age and obvious fading, I could almost make out the shape of a triangle surrounding the letters and a line of redwood trees painted behind. Interesting. I looked past it and realized the sign was posted just outside of a large redwood forest that stretched way beyond it. A single road with no lights branched from the main road and past the camp sign, deep into the woods. I turned to look back at the old manand listened as thunder rolled through the sky. “Is there any way you could get me any closer?”

He shook his head. “Not in this old thing. That road there isn’t made for trucks like this. And in this weather? We’ll be stuck three feet in. No, I’m afraid you’re gonna have to walk the rest of the way. Hell, you should be grateful I took you this far. I normally stay far from these cursed woods.” He glanced around and eyed the trees as if searching for something. “Just stick to that road there and you should be fine. Don’t go talking to anybody. And be quick on your feet.” His saggy eyes returned to me. “And whatever you do, don’t go wanderin’ off the road into the redwoods. No matter what you might see or hear.”

I crossed my arms. “You make these old woods sound dangerous.” I snickered at the statement.

I looked back at the man and noticed his face was hard and serious. “They are. They’re not just old, they’re ancient. And filled with darkness. Something about them just isn’t right.” He looked around cautiously. “They play tricks on your mind—make you see and hear things that aren’t there.” My smile dropped, and his eyes fell back to me. I noticed his hand as it clung to a small silver cross that hung around his neck. “Just stick to the road, missy. No matter what.” The passenger door unlocked, and I jumped from the noise.

I looked back at the driver and wondered where the reasoning behind his ominous cautions stemmed from. There was no way these old woods were anything but harmless. I mean they were just trees. Big trees. “Thanks for the ride,” I groaned as I grabbed my bag and secured my hood over my head. I swung the passenger door of the semi truck open and hopped down into the mud. It splashed all over the legs of my sweats and worn shoes. Greatness.

“Stick to the road!” the man shouted as I slammed the door shut and backed away. The semi truck jolted again, and hequickly drove past. It wasn’t long before his tail lights had faded from view between the night and storm. I guess he couldn’t leave soon enough. I stood there, completely alone, at the dark, stormy entrance of the redwoods. The trucker’s warnings tickled my spine, but I tried to brush them off.

Cursed woods, huh?I glanced around through the rain.Just looks like old trees to me.

I turned to face the camp sign. Lightning cracked above, the flash highlighting it for a brief moment, and I was able to read the inscription across the bottom aloud to myself. “The Redwood shall keep you safe.”

How interesting. And completely fucking weird.

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