Phil is walking back along the main road, toward Leah’s house. He decides to go through the back lane and enter her garden. A short hop over the wooden fence and he is there. As he approaches the back door of the house he can see her stirring something in the frying pan. She is glancing occasionally at the front door, no doubt expecting Rob to arrive at any minute.
He watches her for a few more minutes and he can see that she is beginning to get concerned. He decides that there is no more point in waiting, she will be his now, and then they can both be happy together. But not just them, it will take three to be complete, the lady of the forest is awaiting them.
Leah hears the back door click open and wonders why Rob is coming that way. When she looks, the image that greets her takes her breath away. Phil looks crazed, and his right hand is covered in blood.
“Now we can be together again,” he says.
Leah begins to scream but Phil runs across the small kitchen and clamps his left hand over her mouth while holding her body against his with his right arm. She tries to fight him but realises there is a strength in him that she never felt when they were together.
“Shhh, what are you scared of?” he asks as he strokes her face, leaving streaks of Rob’s blood on her cheek.
He doesn’t seem to notice but she looks at his hand in horror as the full realisation of what he has done hits her. He lets his hand relax over her mouth and she takes the opportunity to scream and then attempt to bite him. Phil roars with anger and slaps her across the face, so hard that she falls, hitting her head with a sickening thud on the kitchen counter. She lies motionless on the floor, but he can see that she is still breathing.
“You will understand soon enough my love,” he says.
Like most people, they keep their keys in a bowl by the front door and he sees her car keys and knows she still has the same one, it was parked right out front. He picks them up and goes back to the kitchen. Picking her up under the armpits he drags her to the front door. There he manoeuvres her into a more natural position, as to appear as if he is helping a drunk friend to the car.
That is precisely what any observer would see, a man who seems concerned about his girlfriend, helping her to the passenger seat of the car, caressing her hair as he positions her gently. Then, moving to the other side, he starts the car and slowly drives away.
She came around while they were driving to the forest, but all she did was stare at him. He parked as close as he could but they would still have a 30-minute walk to their destination.
Leah was in shock and feeling bewildered. What the hell was going on? When Phil parked and motioned for her to get out she just did as she was told. They began walking down a track. It was dark and the snow was cold and wet. She wasn’t even thinking, just taking automatic steps.
“You will see soon enough,” he said, “it will all make sense soon. We will be together with her, the three of us, and we will be complete.”
What could she say to that? He had completely lost it. Panic began to rise within her now. Before the shock held it at bay, now it was taking over. She was only now realising what danger she was in. Where was Rob?
She was exhausted by the time that they stopped.
“Now we go in here,” he said, motioning into the forest.
She could hardly see where she was going and tears began to fill her eyes.
“Don’t cry,” he said, “you will feel it soon. It is so beautiful.”
Then they approached a clearing with a small mound in the middle and Phil led her there. When they got to the top Phil’s face changed, it became serene then joyous.
“We are here to join you,” he said.
Leah looked around at the cold wet forest and waited for something to happen. She didn’t know what to expect but there had to be something, didn’t there?
“Can’t you feel it, Leah? She is welcoming you. Why aren’t you answering?”
Leah looked at him and realised that he was completely delusional.
“I…,” the words caught in her throat.
“We belong here, together,” he said as he put his hands around her throat.
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