Duskwood - Afterstory

Chapter 1

Chapter 1 

"I've waited longer, for a boy with love."('boy with luv' - Halsey ft BTS)

The excitement in the air is almost touchable. All eight of you are at the outskirts of Duskwood, just standing at the edge of the dense forest that gave you the chills not so long ago. Now it feels calm, like it's supposed to feel, Mother Nature calling, crickets chirping, and the smell of wood, grass, and fresh air makes you feel at peace with the world again. 

You and Lilly are squeezing at each other's hands excitedly as she keeps slightly jumping right next to you. You two became best friends over the time you've spent with searching for Hannah. She is next to you two as well, looking at the two of you like you guys are playful children. She smiles softly. 

"He's here soon," she says. You all are standing at a bus stop, no one is there except for your group. 

The boys are a few steps farther from you, talking; Jessy and Cleo are behind you three, enjoying the view of three excited people waiting for someone's bus to finally pull in. 

"Y'all, I see the bus!" Richy suddenly yells.

 Lilly softly screams in excitement, and you let go of her hand, so she and Hannah can go and greet their half brother they've never seen before. The bus slowly pulls in, and only one person hops off with a dark blue backpack, and a black hood in his face, which he takes off as soon as the bus takes off. 

"Jake!" Lilly exclaims, and runs up to him, giving him a huge, sisterly hug. Jake hugs her back with a tired, but happy grin. 

"You can't imagine how nice it is to finally meet you two." He looks at Hannah now, and Hannah gives him a big hug as well. 

"Alright, give the hacker boy some space," Dan yells at them with a quirky grin, and Richy and Thomas punch him on both his shoulders at the same time. 

"Shut up, dude." 

The boys aren't very trustful of Jake, not even after all his efforts of helping to find Hannah. It's not like Jake did that for the boys, he did all that for Hannah herself. You're standing there with a little blush on your face, smiling like an idiot. Jake is as modest as he always is, even in person. He seems to choose his words carefully, and he also seems to keep a distance from Dan, Richy, and Thomas. 

Now his glance falls at you. Only now do you notice the dark circles under his eyes, and his face is seriously thin. You've been very worried about his health, to be honest, but he always assured you that he takes good care of himself. Well, it doesn't seem like it. 

"Hey, there," you say with a soft smile. Jake smiles back at you with a nod. 

"Hey."

"Wow, as if we don't even exist," Jessy says jokingly behind you. Honestly, you've forgotten about her and Cleo for a few minutes. You were too occupied with a certain someone. 

"I was just about to greet you two," Jake replies, and takes a step closer to them, carefully offering his hand for a handshake. "Jake."

"Cleo."

"Jessy."

They shake hands. You don't even know what to say honestly, but you decide to figure that out once you have some... alone time with Jake. For now, you'll let him spend some well deserved time with his half sisters. They have loads to catch up on, and you wouldn't interrupt that for anything. 

"Look, the little bastard is ignoring us," Dan says as you all start walking back to Duskwood, towards the motel where you stay at, and where Jake will stay at, too.