“Stay close.”
They made their way out the door, Veronica holding the torch off to the side while Hal held the machete with both hands.
When they stepped onto the landing, the roots responded, springing up out of the ground in front of them, blocking their path to the van. There were smaller ones accompanying them, but his concern was the larger ones. He stopped, solidifying his grip on the machete then looked back at Veronica.
“Hold that straight up.”
Veronica raised the torch above their heads. The roots appeared to sense the enmity of the torch and shrunk back. Hal swung in front of him as a warning and the roots retreated further. Emboldened, he stepped towards them, chopping through one of the smaller roots. The bigger ones tried to assist but Veronica jabbed the torch towards them, forcing them to stay back. It was working. The flames frightened them and they recognized the machete as an equal menace. Slow, reluctant, the roots slithered back into the ground,.
Furtive steps moved across the ground, shuffling their way towards the campfire site. Wooden phalanges sprouted from the ground. Left. Right. Front. Back. Each appearance forced them to confront each manifestation and coerce it back to the dank underground cavern of sediment which it had emerged.
They made it to the van after what seemed like an eternity. Veronica ushered Sean and Donna inside while Hal exchanged the torch for the lighter fluid, watchful of the threatening roots.
“Reach into my right, front pocket, get the keys and start the van,” he said, never taking his eyes off of the sentient foliage. The van started on the first turn of the key. Once he heard the engine start, he made his way towards the driver's side of the van. Veronica had the door opened already. He flung the torch at the roots and jumped into the van, slamming the door behind him.
“Oh my Lord in heaven.”
“What?” Hal asked as he snapped on his seat belt. Grabbing the gearshift, he looked through the windshield.
The forest was full of faces. Some trees had dark, hollow eyes and mouths. Others had sinister, toothy grins and narrow eye slits. All malevolent. Menacing. Goosebumps raised all over Hal’s body. He couldn’t believe it. He wasn’t even sure what ‘it’ was. His stomach sank into a pit of trepidation.
In an abrupt chorus, all the trees screeched and howled. Branches swayed and cut through the air. More roots erupted from the ground, showering dirt and nuggets of rocks that pelted the top of the van. Hal slammed the gearshift into reverse and pressed hard on the gas pedal, the clatter of gravel beating the underside.
“Hold on!”
He hit the brakes. The tires skidded throwing the van into a quarter turn as Hal threw it into drive and sped down the driveway. The vehicle was taking a beating, the din of the branches raking and pummeling the sides of the van. He could see the end of the drive a short eighth of a mile. It seemed like miles but it was a beacon of hope.
Kreesh!
A large branch pierced through the windshield. Hundreds of cracks spidered across the glass. Veronica covered her face. Donna screamed. Sean jumped. Hal slammed on the brakes, the branch scraping the side of his right shoulder. He couldn't see through the glass with the branch lodged in place. It moved back and forth, rocking the van on its rubber feet. Other branches continued to slam into it.
Hal reached down behind him, feeling on the floor. Everything was happening quick. There was no time to think. Simply react by instinct with adrenaline. His hand clasped around the container of lighter fluid. He flipped open the top and soaked the branch between sways. Fumes filled his nostrils and fluid splattered on the floor, his shirt, and Veronica's blouse.
The branch shook the van hard. Hal’s head crashed into the driver’s side window. Blood smeared across the cracked glass as the impact opened a gash. He saw double as he dropped the lighter fluid. He felt around on the dash, eyes closed, holding the side of his head.
“Daddy! Daddy!”
Donna’s cries shook him. Willing himself to focus, he reached into his back pocket and pulled out the grill lighter. Two clicks later, a flame emitted from its tip. He touched it to the branch. Flames come to life in an instant, pulsating across its dry bark.
A howl. Screeching. A loud cry rang out in the forest all at once. The branch retracted, waving through the air trying to quench the flame, pulling the windshield with it. Hal looked out the window, glimpsing the tortured face of the tree that owned it.
“Dad!” Sean said. “Someone's out there!”
Everyone turned left to look into the forest. Someone was out there. Three figures though they were too far off to make out any details. It looked as if they were fighting the trees. In a moment, there was a flash of white so bright they had to cover their eyes. For Hal, that was their cue. He shifted the car into drive and tore off down the path. Seconds later, they were on the main freeway, headed towards town.
No trees attacked them on the way there.
“Everybody okay?”
All anyone could manage was a nod. Hal’s hands were on the wheel but his body was shaking.
Part VI - Doorbell
Hal sat staring at the television. Mac Taylor was interrogating a suspect on CSI: New York but none of it registered with him. It may as well had been white noise.
They had been home for three days. No one had left the house. No one had answered the phone. Few words were exchanged. Everyone had trouble sleeping. Donna had nightmares every night since. Everyone was trying their best to cope and process what had happened.
A million things ran through his mind. How could it be possible? Did they really experience it or was there some hallucinogen in the water? What was he
