Thirty Three

The further I walked into the forest, the more I noticed a foul smell emitting from the trees and the soil the roots connected to. Every tree I passed smelt of rotting flesh and mould. It was a smell I had only ever smelt once in Matthew's father's shop and when my mother had shown up in front of me. It was as if the area was filled with dead animals, the bodies waiting to decompose back into the earth. With each step I took, I felt bile rise into my throat, as swallowing slowly became harder.

"You've made it easy for me, Anna." Came Ailee's comment. "I thought I'd have to kidnap you..." She said. Her voice was low, as her head moved from side to side as if her eyes were watching the forest around us. "The cursed ones were willing to crash your little ceremony to take you away... so thank you for making it easier for us."

Glaring at the back of her head, I wanted nothing more than to hit her. The urge to cause her harm outweighed the want to run back to Gabriel. Lifting my head higher