"A Walk in the Woods"
I've been doing it in almost a year now. It always start at eight in the evening, on the Mondays of every week.
I'll put my favorite jacket on and a worn out cap I got from my old pop, may he rest in peace. I'll wear some durable jeans, and some aged pair of rubber boots, still having the willpower for hiking and trekking.
My wife still cooks by that time for dinner, which we will have when I return home. She does different dishes every week, sometimes in a pattern where most are our favourites.
I give her a kiss on the cheek when I'm about to leave, and then she'll always sweetly say "Stay safe, okay?" to which I always reply with assurance.
It was my idea for us to move hundreds of miles away from the city to live where almost civilization cannot touch us. It's a paradise, she always thought. Green pastures, a huge waterfall, cloudy, blue skies in the days and clear, starry nights. It's a rough decision, but it's for my wife. Our daughter's death took such heavy toll on her that she got depressed for quite some time. It was such a horrific death, and the culprit's still out there. Though investigation's ongoing, for the past months there still have been little progress.
What I love the most about this place is the nearby forest. It's seemingly thick if you were to view outside form distances, but it's actually spacious once you get inside. Few wild animals get to live in the place and minimal wild predators or beasts to worry about. Though there are thick bushes, thorny vines, and pile of dead leaves and grass that composes majority of its ground, it's still a beauty.
What gets me the most is that when it's night in the forest. I've been walking through the place for quite some time that I developed my own mental route. I only go from point A, our house, to point B. It also gets too dark inside the forest, that's why I always bring my handy flashlight. Though, I love the dark. I have a thing for it.
My route goes three different locations, or checkpoints: a huge rock, and bent out tree, and and then another tree where I carved an insignia, and then a few more left and right turns until I get to my destination.
The reason why I made this systematic route is that a few months back I forgot it. I panicked, you know. So I had to try my hardest to remember the path. I can't forget this important path, because it's the only way that I'll walk.
I have to never forget where I hid her body.
A few minutes later, I finally found the spot. It's got this tombstone-like tablet placed on top with carved special letters where only I could understand. I also placed this the time I had gotten lost and had finally found her burial.
She was such a sweet girl; with her long, silky, dark hair, and those plush, chubby cheeks. She always wear this huge smile on her face, like a mask that gets carved onto permanently. She likes to play, and she likes to sing. Oh, she'd sing endlessly in front of her toy mic. She'd always say "I love you, daddy!" And I loved her, too.
I loved her too much that I didn't want to share her to the world.
I had to do it quick and quite, any mistake would had wake my wife up. I had to cover her nose and mouth first until she lost consciousness. I had to pick her up and put her inside my truck. I had to drive for miles, somewhere remote, and finally did my deed; I had to wear gloves and erase the traces.
It was a forest, too, you know. I told you, I have a thing for forest. And it was dark, as well. All I had to hear are songs of crickets and frogs that night and the continuous bashing, cracking, and breaking of bones and flesh. I liked the song, really. I felt myself smiling as I continuously dismember her small,
Blood splattered across my clothes so I had to soak them with bleach. I had to throw the tool I used in a nearby, deep lake.
I had to wrap her disfigured body in three separate garbage bags, not letting any pint blood to drop and leave tracks while I drive to another remote place — this place. And then finally had to let her rest in piec- er... I mean, peace. I had gotten back home just in time to avoid any speculations from my wife.
And from then on, I had to play like an actor in a movie for the time being. I should'd gotten the lead role during our high school play. Oh, and I'm sure that you already know about why my wife and I moved to this place just so she could "heal".
Mondays are her favourite day because it's the start of the week of her schooling. She would've been a great artist. What a shame. But this is better; the world won't hurt you in any way like what it did to me.
So I come here from time-to-time, checking for other people and signs if this place has been getting "visitors" lately. I stay for a mere half hour contemplating my glorious actions to protect my little girl against the dangers of people and this world.
"How was your walk, dear?" My wife always ask when I got home. I'll put my jacket by the rack and my boots by the front door and sit in front of the kitchen table, where my wife's almost finish in her cooking.
"Extravagant!" I'll always reply, and then we'll have dinner. I'll always enjoy her cooking, and then we'll both sit on the couch by the living room to watch our daily show, and then go to sleep — and the cycle continues.
"So..."
"Hmm?"
"The police finally found something."
I stopped from putting a spoonful of broth in my mouth and looked at her, preparing the side dishes.
This is something new.
"What... something?" I asked, putting down the spoon, involuntarily and continuously tapping my right feet against the wooden floor.
"Oh, they said something about a surveillance footage." She's losing some of her composure. Usually, when we talk, she's always calm.
"Surveillance, huh?" She slowly walked toward the kitchen table and put some side dishes across it.
"Ye-yeah. Videos." I can feel she's trembling a bit. I could sense it in her hands.
CRACK!
"Oh-oh my, I'm so, sorry, I must b-be clumsy tonight." She knelt and picked up the broken shards of ceramic from the bowl she accidentally dropped. I remained quite, trying to find my words.
"That's great news!" I said, wearing a huge smile. They really should had chosen me as the lead role in that high school play.