The Next-Door Down

Rain

As you rode out of the house, it began to rain which made the roads much harder to navigate especially in the dark.

You pulled your hood over your head, wondering why Lucas thought the 'air around you was weird'.

It was quite a random thing to say but it might just mean you needed a shower.

You shrug it off as you skid to a stop in front of the lamppost.

You were the first there, as expected.

After a minute or so of waiting, you began to doubt that they'd arrive.

Maybe their parents had stopped them, or worse, maybe they'd been 'kidnapped' too.

Just then, you saw a silhouette at the south end of the road.

At first you thought it was the creature but when you heard that familiar whir of the bike mechanism, you knew who it was.

"Mike?" You ask, shading your eyes with a hand on your forehead to get a better view.

Sure enough, Mike slammed his breaks on and stood beside his bike.

"Did the others chicken out?" He asks.

"Think so—" You say just as Dustin and Lucas arrive, "Oh okay."

Lucas and Dustin both mutter a couple words of greeting.

When they mentioned something about the radio your mind flicked back to the whispery voice.

As they caught up with each other, you contemplated telling them about the voice, about the screech, about the creature.

"Y/n? Are you alright?" Lucas asks.

You give him a nod but you weren't really listening to what he and the others were saying.

You shake yourself out of the trance and force a smile onto your face.

"Let's go look for Will! His bike's this way!" You exclaim, trying to brighten the dampened mood.

The four of you pedal your way towards the bike which had been cordoned off with red tape that was now flickering in the wind and rain, barely staying attached to it's post.

Lucas and Mike quickly dismount from their bikes, leaving them on the side of the leaf covered road.

The winter's wind whipped against your face as the rain battered your skin.

It was so hard to see along the road that you had to squint to see the ground in front of you.

"Hurry up!" Mike yells to you and Dustin who were struggling to keep up in the horrific weather.

The four of you stood around Will's bike, and to your surprise, it was Dustin who was the first to speak.

"You know, I think we should go back now." Dustin says, "We saw the bike and he's not here. The chief said t-"

"Who cares what the chief said?" Mike cuts him off, water dripping from his face, "We made it this far."

You nod as Lucas shivers.

"I say we go this way." You suggest, pointing into the depths of the wood.

Or as the party would say... Mirkwood.