Forgotten Pain

for-got-ten/ past participle of forget

It had taken nearly an hour just to reach where Emma had so persistently wanted to take me. She didn't just take me to the lake. Instead she had a specific part of the lake she truly wanted me to see.  Once we finally arrived after the painstaking walk down through the woods, I began to fully take in my surroundings. It was absolutely beautiful. I now had a better understanding on why she had chose this spot. The tall oak trees seemed to form a cave over a large fallen log beside the lake which had been covered in small periwinkle flowers. Emma took a seat on the log, turning around to ask to join her. Of course, I did , adverting my gaze to the crystal blue lake. 

I could feel Emma's eyes locked on me. I turned to her with a questionable look. After a long awkward pause of silence she spoke.

"It's beautiful, isn't it?"

"It sure is."

"I don't know why, but I've always loved this place. Sometimes it feels like it calls to me, you know?"

"So how long have you lived here, Emma?"

"I don't actually remember how long to be honest, but it sure has been a while. Where did you move from."

"New York City."

"Ah, the city of lights."

I chuckled to her response. I could feel myself becoming unusually comfortable with her. After years of feeling so alone, this new indescribable feeling sure was a good change. 

"Yeah, it wasn't so great, aha."

"Must be better than this boring old place, oh I sure wish I could leave."

"Well trust me, if you set your heart to it, then you will someday."

"You really think so?"

"I know so, I'll make sure. If you can't manage It yourself, then I'll take you somewhere new someday."

"Hey Tyler?"

"Yeah?"

"Do you promise that you'll never ever let me feel forgotten ever again?"

"Emma, what do you mean?"

"Just promise me, okay?"

"Okay, yeah sure, I promise."

To my surprise she leaned into my arm, resting her cool head on my shoulder. I blushed a light pink quickly adverting my eyes away from her.  She soon whispered out, 

"I know you'll save me someday..."

Without questioning her I simply smiled and casually put my arm around her. I jumped with fright, startled by a deep, unfamiliar male voice echoing through the woods. We both stood in shock as the voice was heard once more.

"Emma!"

She looked my way, tears flooding her eyes,"Run..." she whispered to me and grabbed my hand.

I ran right behind her, tightly holding her hand. I had no clue who the man was or what he wanted with Emma. All I knew was she was in trouble and for some strange reason, I had a gut feeling that I would be willing to do anything to protect the strange girl I could now look to as my friend.  The two of us huffed and panted, dodging thing brush and wide, towering trees. After a painful ten minutes of running, Emma pulled me down behind a large pine tree. We both sat, backs to the tree trunk, panting heavily, attempting to catch our breaths. I looked to her with worry in my eyes.

"Emma, are you okay?"

She looked straight at me, tears pouring down her face.

"He's a bad man..."

I threw my arms around her, tightly hugging her thin trembling body. 

"Do you need help? Will you be okay? You can stay with me if you'd like, let me help you..."

"No. I will be fine."

She spoke firmly. A bit embarrassed of my sudden outburst of worry, I glanced away. As I turned back I found she had disappeared. She sure did run fast. Using the tree to support me, I stood and brushed myself off. Still shaken up, I slowly stumbled around, doing my best to find my way back home.  I had finally found myself back to the late, finding it hard to use my surroundings to find myself back home. Before I knew it, the sky had begun to darken.

"They're going to f*****g kill me..." I whispered to myself. 

To my surprise, I had glanced up to a bright light in the distance. As my only sign, I followed it. I pushed aside brush and vines. I broke through the forest, finding the light had indeed belonged to my house. I glanced towards the driveway realizing of course,  my parents still had not come back. They always did this, brought me places where I would be miserable and then both of them leave by themselves and have a blast. I was the mistake, there was a reason why I had been the only child. I pulled the bronze key from my pocket, carefully sliding it into the lock. Once the door had been unlocked, I stepped inside making sure to lock it once more. I stepped into the kitchen, placing the key on its proper hook. 

Still quite startled from earlier, I decided to settle with a bottle of water and head up to bed. I trudged my exhausted, weak body up the steep staircase, almost ecstatic once I finally reached the top to my room. I collapsed into my bed, making sure to reach over and shut off the bedside lamp. I pushed myself back into my bed, wrapping myself into the soft comforter. After a stressful day, a blissful sleep was all I needed.