Cursed Forest [Halloween Contest 2018]

Nights full of heavy rain generally never ends well for any sort of search. Normally on nights like this Rin would be in his penthouse staying dry and warm while drinking some hot peppermint tea. However apparently a kid had chosen this night of all nights to run away from home. Supposedly the child was having bad nightmares of late and would do anything to stay awake or at least that’s what the mother told the officials. So bad that the kid was even self-inflicting injuries on herself, and frankly Rin was greatly concerned since the kid was only nine years old.

The deafening white noise filled the forest as the only light source coming from Rin’s fusee cast the lingering darkness back. Highlighting any of the senju trees around him as the orb of pale blue light hovers above his left hand. “Emily!” Rin called out the kid’s name as he knows several other shinobi were out combing through the Senju Forest. They however were combing through the main roads and any hiking trails they can find. Rin knows of a certain patch of the forest that was left uncharted because it was always heavily shrouded in thorns and bushes that are so thick one couldn’t see through it even in daytime. The Genin hoped that Emily didn’t make her way over there, but then Rin had started to see some pressed dry leaves in the soil that forms a shoe.

The rain was Rin’s only response as drops pounded on his rain coat that’s keeping him mostly dried. It brought a chill in the air that he could see his own breath rolling from his lips. The senju trees that used to welcome him with open arms now felt like something was watching him just outside of his vision. Of course Rin was using the sensory field to expand his search, but it was to no avail. So the Uchiha pressed onward for another mile, and that’s when Rin started to notice that the footprints were deeper around the heel and spaced further apart. Suggesting that Emily, or whoever it is, was running. “Emily!” Rin called out again and waited a few moments. No response again, and nothing was picking up on his sensory end. Rin really didn’t want to get much closer since if he kept going in this direction he’ll come upon that enclosed area.

Regardless the tracks led in that direction, so Rin keeps going for about two miles further into the forest when suddenly a horrific scream pierces through the night that Rin had to cover his ears and flinched from it. Dropping the orb of light in the process, and Rin didn’t know how long that scream lasted since his ears were now ringing loudly. Five seconds later the ringing stopped and mustering chakra into his right hand Rin conjures another fusee. It was a brief moment, like an instant, but as the light was starting to pour forth Rin saw a terrifying face that seemed to be feminine at some point. Skin as grey as the grave and muscles torn with gashes to reveal part of her left jaw. Most importantly, it was her bloodshot eyes glaring hard into Rin’s eyes with such overwhelming hatred and bloodthirst that internally scared him. The face had a menacing grin with a disoriented chuckle before it vanished as the light dispelled the darkness. Even so Rin was frozen with fear that even holding his arm was like lifting something very heavy. All he could think about was to run far away from here.

Rin didn’t even realize that he was holding his breath this entire time as he took a hesitated inhale. With it the muscles on his body finally stopped locking up and the fear was gradually becoming less overwhelming. Rin has faced death more than once before, but that was beyond terrifying. The sensible thing to do was to turn away, but those eyes. Those damn eyes won’t leave out of Rin’s head. Then Emily came into his mind. ’She is probably already dead… No one can survive in this cold without collapsing from the lack of warmth.’

Still something didn’t sit right with Rin, and it certainly did not suit him to abandon someone especially whatever the hell that thing was roaming around the night. Taking a moment to regain his composure, Rin walked for only ten more meters when the tracks stop. Right in front of a large wall of vegetation thick with wicked thorns glistening from the light. It seemed to stretch on for miles both upwards and either side. The thing that Rin is confused about it is that where the steps end sits a lone doll with golden honey brown hair dressed in a plain white nightgown. Just staring at the wall of thorns as the freezing cold rain continues to pour down on them. “Emily! Where are you?!” Rin called out as he looked around his surroundings, and other senju trees there wasn’t anything else. Turning his attention back to the doll, Rin jumped as he felt the hairs on his arms and neck stand up. The doll was now facing towards him with stormy grey eyes staring up at him.

It was like seeing that face again, only this time it was from this doll. There had to be some explanation to this. Maybe some Anbu with weird sense of humor is doing this to him? Rin hasn’t detected anyone nearby, and he would’ve heard them if they were nearby. Regardless he has come to a dead end, and Rin buries the encroaching fear as he walks up to the doll and picks it up by grabbing its torso. Straightening himself up, Rin took a closer look at the doll to see if there was any form of notes or maybe a hint as to where Emily had gone. Finding nothing, Rin took a last glance at the wall of thorns before he suddenly catches the scent of decay and earth that made him cough. Covering his nose with his free hand, Rin hears something as well. Like a raspy groaning that cracks up a lot, except that it sounds like it is directly behind him. That feeling of dreadful fear is back only it seems worse than last time. Rin was visibly shaken as he was very hesitant to slowly turn his head around to look over his shoulder.

What he sees next is a woman with long dark hair soaked and unkempt garbed in a very torn… dress? Whatever it used to be is now rags covering a frail body that is covered with skin stretched over the bones as blood oozes out from the hundreds of lacerations from her arms to her legs. Hands were thin as the fingers were black with cracked, jagged nails. Above all else, it was that damn face again. Looking into her bloodshot eyes that spoke of nothing but pure evil. Her grin sent shivers down Rin’s spine as every instinct told him to run. Move. Yet he could not for it is like something is holding him in place as he couldn’t tear his eyes away from those eyes of hatred. Dread and hopeless filled his heart until Rin tried to look away. The instant he tries the woman’s expression changed into a frozen terrified scream before that glass-shattering screech pierces the night again. Rin flinched once again, only this time Rin didn’t recall falling asleep on the wet ground.

Rin didn’t know how much time had passed, but enough that dawn was breaking over the horizon and the downpour had ceased for some time. His body ached and his left hand gives a wake-up call as a sharp pain erupts from the palm of his left hand. Quickly the young man sat up to inspect the reason behind the pain only to find a dark spot like it was scorched onto his skin. Disoriented whispers spoke inside of his head as Rin felt like he was getting a headache. He couldn’t make out what they were saying because it was like trying to listen multiple people at the same time. Then a moment later they suddenly stopped. The headache stopped, and while his body was still sore from sleeping on a cold hard ground it didn’t feel like a ton of bricks.

Next to him on his right side is that same doll that was looking up at him again. Taking a couple of deep breaths, Rin reaches over to pick up the doll once more before standing up to his feet. Eventually Rin made his way back to his beloved Konoha as he is greeted by the gate sentries. “Did you find her kid?” One of them asked, but with a shook of Rin’s head the guard glanced down at the doll before lowering his eyes. No sooner did Rin walk through the gates that he sees Katrina, Emily’s mother, garbed in traveling gear that had stains of dirt and grass. Her chocolate brown hair unkempt as bags were starting to form under her eyes. It would seem that Emily didn’t return as Katrina looks at Rin with hopeful set of eyes. Running up to him pushing aside anyone in her way until Katrina reached over and grabbed Rin by the shoulders. Her nails covered in dirt digging into his skin underneath the coat reminded him of that horrid woman, but Rin kept his composure.

“Please tell me you’ve found my girl! I know she is out there somewhere i just know it!” There was desperation in her voice, and as much as Rin wanted to give her some good news he could only shook his head. With a sharp smack the woman slapped Rin across his face that made forced him to turn his head to the side with a jerk. One of the guards piped up as he started to run over as Katrina started to repeatedly hit Rin. “I apologize that i couldn’t find your daughter, but does this doll belong to her?” Katrina didn’t seem to hear Rin’s question as her face was shrouded in anger and she grabbed the doll to throw it behind her not caring where it landed. The sentry grabbed the woman to peel her off from Rin. She struggled and screamed out in denial. Even going as far as blaming on Rin that Emily was gone.

Sighing as those hits definitely left marks on his skin especially the one on his face. Another one of the guards had approached Rin with a concerned look on his face. “She is just upset and worried sick about her child. Try not to let her words bother you too much. We know that you’ve done everything you could.” The jounin clapped the teen on the shoulder before turning back to his post. Rin was tired, and figured he could just take quick bath before looking into this matter some more. He walked up to the sprawled doll as its dress was quite dirty now and its hair was a mess. Kneeling down Rin picks up the doll, but that was until he saw some red liquid coming from the doll’s arm. It seemed like a cut was formed on the forearm, but the odd part is that red liquid that distinctly looks similar to blood is oozing out of the doll. There was something glimmering around the doll’s eyes that trails down by the sides. “Oh for the love of Amaterasu…”

Rin returned to his penthouse in the residential district as it is quite spacious with luxurious furniture. Quickly making his way over to the bathroom to open up his mirror to reveal a roll of bandage wrap along with other medical supplies. Grabbing the roll of bandage wrap, Rin closed the mirror and makes his way to the living room where Rin sits down on his leather sofa. With the doll sitting on his lap, Rin set about dressing the wound up, and somehow Rin went from dressing the wounds to cleaning the doll up. Wiping off the last speck of dirt from the doll’s face with a damp rag Rin gave a smile before he did something what some might say he’s losing it. “I’m just going to get cleaned up and we’ll take a trip to the library for a bit.” He talked to a bloody doll before getting up from his sofa. Only being in his room for a minute to grab a set of clean clothes.

”...Marked…” A voice, barely a whisper like the breeze washing over his hair. The strange part is that he’s the only one in this home. So he shouldn’t be hearing voices, and just in case Rin did a search through the penthouse. Finding nothing out of the ordinary, Rin took a bath. After getting cleaned and dressed in dry clothes now. Rin walks out of the bathroom to find the doll standing. Repeat, standing, on the floor in front of his sofa. ”...scared…” this time Rin was certain the voice came from the doll because it was coming from the doll’s direction. His eyes squinting in suspicion as the doll is staring directly at him. Rin didn’t feel fear encroach on him like last night, just more of curiosity. The genin approached the doll as its head turned to follow Rin. Kneeling down to its level as he’s in front of the doll, Rin couldn’t help but ask. “What’s your name?”

In honesty of Rin’s part he didn’t truly expect to hear an answer, but a answer he did get that was inside of his head. ”Emily… Emily Rose…” A brow raised on Rin’s face as his suspicion seems to be correct. “How did this happen to you Emily?” The doll’s face actually had a sad expression on it before it answered. ”The Banshee… Turns children into dolls… siphons the despair, hatred, and sorrow from her prey…” Emily’s voice kept breaking up, but Rin got the important pieces of the puzzle. He pondered on what to do, but just sitting still wasn’t going to fix anything. Rin offered his hand over to the doll before speaking. “Well we’re going to the library for a little bit to see if we can find any other information about this Banshee.” Unfortunately the doll did not move its arms, so Rin picked up the doll and departed towards the library.