One by one

|Kendall|

Kendall, 1:30 pm 6/8

Friday

I found it weird how Art and Collin weren't back yet. Well, more than just weird. It's been more than 24 hours since they went into the woods to find Madi. They should've been back by now. Unless it was a trap like I had suspected before.

I wanted to go after them in case they were in trouble but the busses would be here soon. I checked my phone since everyone got their electronics back and saw that it was 1:30 pm. The busses would be here around four so I had time. I just had to be quick.

When I opened my phone, I saw my conversation with Karl I had had on Monday. I read over it again.

Karl<3: I wasn't going to but when I saw your text yesterday I decided I couldn't leave you alone.

Karl<3: Yea, I'm on the other bus. I was late.

Karl<3: Wish I was with you though. <3

How pathetic. And to think I had actually believed him. He didn't come because of me. He only came because she was coming.

Karl has been missing since Tuesday night. Which is the last time I saw him. I suspected that whoever was in those woods got him. Otherwise my next suspect was the girl. She was still here unfortunately alive and well while Karl was probably dead for all I cared.

I scrolled through all of my messages with Karl before deleting his contact and our conversation.

I put my phone in my backpack before setting off. I was taking my backpack with me in case. My plan was to look in the woods for about an hour and if I didn't find anything then I would head back. It would take two hours if everything went as planned, then I would be back hopefully with Art and Collin and ready to go on the bus. I wish I knew where Madi was so I could maybe help her too but she's been missing for two days and still no other letters or anything.

I walked straight to the teachers tent and walked out into the woods without hesitation. At least this time I could say that I tried and failed instead of not trying at all.

I got far enough into the forest where I couldn't hear the other campers anymore. Now it was only the leaves crunching under my feet and the animals that lived within these woods. I hoped that I wouldn't run into any bears though. Maybe the "ghost" scared them off or something.

For a moment, I could hear muffled screams coming from behind me. I was relieved when I realized that it was only echos, probably from camp. By now, screams usually meant one thing. A body. It was tempting to want to head back, see who it was but it was better to keep moving. I guessed that it was a random camper that traveled into the woods and never came back, or possibly Karl. But then again, that next person could be me...

What if I never make it back? What if that person kills me slowly and painfully? Thoughts kept pouring in and in and in until I almost couldn't take it anymore. I knew what I was putting on the line coming out looking for Art and Collin. If I headed back now, I would feel that guilt forever. It would literally haunt me.

For every step I took I was moving farther and farther into the woods. I felt watched on. I felt like if I turned my back, the figure that took Madi would be right there. Then I would try to run but I would trip on something like in horror movies and the figure would get me.

Nothing about this place was pretty looking. It was gray and dull, unlike the photos I had searched up almost a week ago that were bright and happy looking. The trees looked dead and eerie. Some moments I thought that one would get up and run towards me. Their roots were visible above ground, adding to the creepiness of it. Some looked like they might fall any second and some looked like they had been there for centuries. I wondered, if trees had eyes then how many of these trees witnessed people die? It was a weird question but I couldn't help but wonder. If I were a tree I would wish to die right away. It would be so boring to be a tree, having to stand there for years without moving. I'd feel so claustrophobic, not being able to move, speak, or do anything.

I did feel as though the trees were watching me, waiting for something interesting to happen. Hopefully the only interesting thing would be a reunion with Art and Collin, nothing else.

I froze completely when I heard leaves crunching behind me. When I turned around, no one was there. I began to wonder if I was going insane. I think I already had a little when the dreams started. And now I was beginning to hear things, but that wouldn't be the first.

When Collin and Art hadn't come back Thursday night, I was truly alone. The closest tent that had people in it was too far for my comfort. I tried to go to bed but nothing worked. I laid in my bed awake staring at the tent's ceiling when I saw a shadow from the corner of my eye. A few seconds later I heard whispering. No one was near me though. I heard multiple people talking at a time. It freaked me out so much I got up and turned on all ten of the flashlights I had brought. When I did that I noticed that Alli's sleeping bag looked bigger than before. I wish I hadn't checked at all because when I did, I saw her. Alli turned toward me, I could see stitches in the areas that had been decapitated. When she was facing me, she smiled. Only, the smile didn't look friendly. I sat there, looking at her in shock. Eventually, she got up, revealing her blood-soaked clothes and walked out of the tent.

I woke up after that. Once I realized it was a dream I relaxed. I turned on all my flashlights before checking to make sure no one was in her sleeping bag. Except one thing was off. The tent's door was still open.

I ignored it though. Told myself that I had just left it open, even though I know I would never do that. The dream had been haunting me since. I just couldn't forget the way Alli smiled. Despite her teeth looking loose, she looked pale and almost...ghostly. It reminded me that Alli was a ghost now, or whatever it was that happened in the afterlife.

I kept moving forward despite my false hearing. I didn't want to think about it anymore than I wanted to think about what might've happened to Art and Collin. I couldn't escape my thoughts though since it was just me alone, with my thoughts.

I felt my phone buzz inside my backpack. I didn't realize I had cell service but it meant I had to be close to a cell tower which also meant an escape. When I checked my phone it was nearly 2:30 pm. If I wanted to make it to the bus I would have to get going now. Except I would be going back alone.

I nearly dropped my phone when I saw the notification. It was a message from Alli. Someone had to have gotten ahold of her phone. But they couldn't have sent a message, there was no cell service back at camp.

Slowly, I unlocked my phone before going to messages. When I looked, I dropped my phone for real this time.

I picked up my phone, shaking. A photo was sent with a paragraph after that. The photo was of a lake, except I guess whoever sent this wanted me to see what was floating in the lake. I zoomed in to see what it was. It looked like a small raft, it was covered with red and the water around it was reddish blue. Something was on the raft but I couldn't tell what it was. It looked like a part of an organ.

I took a big breath before I began to read the paragraph.

A l l i : Here lies the heart of your beloved Collin. He wasn't too fun to deal with but his death was more interesting. He feared having his heart carved open. Well, as you could've guessed, that's just what I did. Each hour, I came in and carved out one more bit of his flesh, inching closer and closer to the source of his life. He was a weak one though. It only took two hours until he was begging me to kill him already. You of all people should know that I don't work like that. It wasn't hard taking him either. He was so foolish, thinking his cousin had sent for him. No, no, no. I let the other boy go however, so you're welcome for that. But if we cross paths again, I won't make that same mistake. But in the end, his lungs started to fill with so much blood I just had to kill him before that did. One day you'll understand. One day we will meet again. And that day is closer than you think. :)

I dropped my phone, stepping away from it. I didn't believe it, that could be anyone's heart. Anyones. But it made sense, Collin not returning, the screaming from camp.

I shook my head. My vision became blurry as I fell to my knees. I let out a loud scream. I let everything in me, out.

Even though I didn't want to believe it, a part of me knew it was true.

I stayed there, huddled up on the ground crying. I was next. The letter even said so.

I heard someone running in the distance, towards me I guessed. I didn't care anymore, I already practically missed the bus and a killer was watching my every move.

The last thing I saw before I blacked out was Art staring down at me.