Intermission Chapter (Side Character)

CHAPTER 0.5 . SOUND IN THE WOODS

Laura Woods stands before a fork in the dirt road ahead, her hands firmly on her hips, she tilts her head in befuddlement. The road ahead her is barely visible, lit up only by the dim white headlights of her car. "Alan?" she asks, voice tinged in confusion.

The woods ahead was dark and dreary, the sounds of crickets and rustling of leaves the only answers that Laura got. The trip to Highwater peak was supposed to be an evening of fun and excitement, a bunch of college youth on their summer break about to experience a night of sex, **** and ****, away from the prying eyes of their parents and society.

On a sharp turn around Dead man's bend, Laura's vehicle collided with a huge mass, an object that had disappeared right after she had stopped her vehicle. Her travelling companions, her boyfriend Alan and his best friend Dave, had disappeared into brushes to investigate. And it had been an hour, or so it had felt.

Laura takes a few steps forward, crunching on soft ground and rock. She takes out a flimsy torch, one that requires her to give it a few good smacks to turn on. Its light barely helps, but having some is better than none at all.

"Alan?!" Laura asks again, this time louder.

A metallic creak startles her, causing her to jump in shock. "Oh fuck!" she exclaims as she drops her torch, noticing a large metallic plate beneath her legs. Composing herself, Laura bends over to pick up her torch and read the sign.

"Highwater-" Laura reads the sign, making out what she can of it. "Hi-Highwater Asy-Asylum?"

Laura notices a dirt trail ahead that winds into the thick woods.

"Hah... Definitely not going down that road..." Laura giggles to herself.