"Slow down!" Miriam whined, running behind me. I smiled, picking up the pace. I watched the river run alongside us, the water tickling my bare feet. I skid to a stop by the picnic blanket, smiling bright as the sun. Miriam's parents were still in town getting a few more things, my mom was already setting things up. I kneeled down on the blanket, watching Miriam run to catch up with me. Basil smiled brightly at me, pausing what he was doing. I looked around, taking in the fresh morning air. The pine trees swayed in the breeze, making a soft background noise with the churning of the river. Dad was by the river…he was setting up the fishing rods. Probably checking for river snakes too. "Soooooo, what's for lunch?" I asked excitedly. Miriam stood behind me, up on her tippy toes to peek her head over my shoulder. Basil made a big dramatic show of rolling his eyes "Be patient Addison" He chided jokingly. "Just sandwiches and some fruit" Mom looked up from the basket. Her face was bright, caught at just the right light from the sun to make her look almost ten years younger. Dad called out from down by the river "And sodas" He had a cheery sort of voice, the kind that made you feel good just hearing him. "And sodas" Mom repeated, her voice soft. "Sounds good" I nodded, sitting down on the picnic blanket. Miriam excitedly sat down next to me, kicking her feet together with her legs outstretched. Dad was up a few moments later. Mom had started to read from the book of riddles I'd taken out from the library. Miriam got almost every single one right. I've always loved riddles but Miriam was the one who was actually good at solving them. Dad chuckled softly, sitting down next to Mom. He gently put his hand on her thigh. Mom quickly threw a riddle at him "If two sons are sitting on a boat with their father, what's the least amount of people that can be in the boat?" She asked. "Oh Dove, you know I'm not smart enough for this" He said, chuckling softly. Miriam looked like she was having an aneurysm trying to hold back from shouting out the answer. "Four?" I tilted my head to the side, it seemed so easy. "It's three, a man, his son, and the man's son" Basil rolled his eyes. Miriam frowned, visibly upset she hadn't been able to answer. "Why does everyone around you die?" Mom's question caught me off guard, he looked me dead in the eyes. Miriam and Basil turned to look me in the eyes. I could see blood dripping off Miriam's forehead. Basil's eye had a scratch right next to it, close enough to nearly miss blinding him. "W-What!?" My voice was…louder than I wanted it to be. I turned away, my chest shaking. Dad was behind me…he was mauled almost beyond recognition but I recognized the dagger. He held it out at me, almost threateningly. I stood, I just…ran. I didn't know what else to do. The twigs and rocks of the forest floor cut at my feet but I kept running. I heard howling and stopped dead in my tracks. I tried to listen but the sounds seemed to be coming from all around me. The howls got louder, turning slowly into a loud human scream. Then the snorting noises of a bull getting ready to charge. I began to run again, I couldn't tell where the sound was coming from but I didn't want to find out what would happen if I stayed. The sound seemed to be getting quieter. Please…please be getting farther away. I was in a clearing now…everything was so calm. I sat down by the small pond, it was so quiet. Everything would be okay. Yeah. Everything will be okay. I closed my eyes, breathing deeply. The sun was down now. That was nice. I rested my feet in the cool waters, moving them back and forth as I watched the birds fly. I looked at my reflection and the world seemed to stop. The birds fell dead, crashing into the water and staining it a bloody deep red. That wasn't my reflection…Victoria. No, no, no, no, no, no. Not her. Something else fell into the water. I shot up to my feet, looking at the…body. I couldn't tell who it was. But it was bloody, half of the body gone from all the-…bite marks. There were clearly bite marks all over the non torn flesh.
I shot up screaming and crying.