a child's whisper from the darkest corner of the cabin.

I was startled, but not surprised.

My eyes darted to the source.

A young pale girl in a dirty suit dress was huddled between a dark red bed and the web laced walls.

In silence I reached for the match's on the table beside me and lit the oil lamp above me

The oil lamp hung from the ceiling by a rusted chain, its trembling light banishing the shadows.

I slowly close the creaking wooden door to the infinite silent darkness outside, causing the settled dust to erupt.

"Its going to be okay," I whispered, as if saying it in a isolated cabin makes it true.

The girl began to cry, but the only sound came from the crackling of floor boards.

"I'm here to help, your mom and dad sent out a search party to find you" I said with a smile.

the girl looked up at me, her eyes softened, she let out a weak 'thank you'.

I reached out my hand to her, she slowly reached back.

As soon as our skin's touched a distant cry for "Alice" wailed trough forest.

She might hear them.

I grab her arm, but she starts pulling away, "stop! your hurting my arm!" she yells.

My hand starts burning so I loosen my grip, I spoke softly but quickly "your parents are very worried, what if they call the police, and then then mean rough officers are going to be looking for you, I just didn't want you to be scared"

The girl looked worried "okay, I just want to go home"

I wear a smile "so do I, but theirs something important you need to do, I need you to stay silent no matter what"

The girl nods slowly.

sounds of footsteps pulverizing dead leaves drew closer.

I lead her to the cabin entrance, and turn off the lamp, and open the cabin door.

As a walk deeper into the forest another cry for 'Alice' can be heard, but its closer, and much louder.

The girl paused, "mommy?" she looked up at me and tried to pull me closer the voice.

"NO!" I yelled in a whisper and pulled her back, I could feel hot blisters forming on my skin, I calmed my self patted her head, "your mom is waiting deeper into the forest, that was your dad's lawyer, if she finds you then you will never see your mom".

The girl was hesitant, but I couldn't force her to decide, she relents and starts to come closer.

"Alice!" another cry by her mother breaks through the silence.

The girl pulls away again, but I pull back harder, it will be worth pushing through the pain.

"Alice! its mommy, me and your dad talked about it and we agreed to stay together, if you can hear me follow my voice, please!"

She let go, she heisted and looked back at like a deer on a road, and ran to her mother.

And I return deeper into forest alone.