Restless Nightmare- a Hermitcraft Murder Mystery

Chapter 44

It was actually happening.

Stress rushed through the hall and into the first room, which was filled with random things. She panicked, only having an hour or even less to get ready.

She searched frantically for her suitcase she remembered leaving somewhere in the room. It was nowhere to be found, ironically at a time like this.

Ten minutes had passed without a sight of it. Stress soon gave up and decided to bring an old backpack instead and hoped it would fit everything.

She stuffed some clothes inside, a tube of sunscreen, emergency supplies, and some other essentials. Some snacks as well, and other completely random stuff.

Stress took a step back to see everything she'd packed. It seemed like enough, yet she felt as if something for the certain occasion was missing, but couldn't pinpoint it.

Shrugging it off, Stress grabbed a few other things and put them inside before finally zipping it closed and throwing it on, equipping a stack of rockets and flying off with an uneasy feeling.

She finally arrived where there was a crowd, it seemed like everyone was ready to go. Stress blended in behind, waiting anxiously for the same words to be repeated.

"Alright everyone!"

There it was.

"Ready to go?"

The words followed by a lot of yelling, everyone shouting random things.

Time seemed to fly as everyone was voting to make Mumbo walk to the campsite, not a single word different from the first time. It was clear no one knew what was going on.

A certain rule was told once again. Stress didn't have to wait long till complaints ensued, but they were short lived as the time to leave came along.

Excitement was all around. It was almost difficult not to join in on the fun, but Stress managed to keep the level of excitement and depression in the area stable. She couldn't help but feel bad at how excited everyone looked, they had no idea what was coming.

By the time the campers were ready, seated in the van and waiting to go, False was starting the car.

The last time this had happened, Stress had stalled the trip by forgetting a pencil and having to run back to grab it. Except this time, she had already packed the pencil. But that wouldn't make sense. She had to be forgetting something.

That's when it hit her.

A weapon, that's what she needed.

If Stress was right, then Bdubs would eventually reveal himself as the murderer. If so, how would they fight him off?

Even though she had a slightly different plan, a weapon was still needed.

"Wait!"

Stress didn't even think before blurting it out. She grasped the car doors' handle as all eyes turned to her.

"I... uhm, forgot something at my base."

She couldn't help but giggle at everyone's groans.

"I know, I know, I won't be long though."

"Okay, just hurry up!" False leaned back in her seat with a sigh.

Stress took off running without another word, equipping her elytra after making enough distance. She took multiple turns around the shopping district to stall a bit of time, just because. Well, it wasn't really on purpose, the anxiety of the situation had gotten to her.

Stress didn't know how long it took, only that she was at her base now. She shut the door behind her and glanced around. It was calm, the afternoon shade filling the house. Stress blinked before remembering what she came here for.

She turned around and noticed something.

On the counter was that same purple spotted pencil, familiar squiggly lines on the wood of it. The same pencil she had packed in her dream, and in reality?

Stress slowly slid the backpack off and unzipped the final pocket. She remembered putting the pencil there, yet the only things inside were old gum wrappers and erasers chopped into bits.

If she had placed it there, how could've it gotten on the counter?

Stress held the topic aside and entered her bedroom. She approached the made bed and lifted the mattress, revealing a small leather bag.

She pulled it out and emptied it. A gun dropped onto her bed, specifically a pistol. It was silver with a sapphire blue grip, it's fading colour hinting at its age.

Step one completed, now, where to hide it...

The most hidden area of her backpack was the middle zipper, which had two individual pockets inside. She grabbed an old hoodie and wrapped it around the gun before stuffing it inside.

Stress let out a sigh.

She didn't know what type of sigh it was, stress, anxiety, exhaustion, or anger, all she knew was it wasn't a positive one.