It's Just The Woods

15

May 20th, 2021
Shadow Pond, CA
11:19 P.M.

______________________________

Rachel paced back and forth, biting her lip. Shawn was shaking as Fredrick and Nicolas said nothing. Beatrice gulped. "Rachel, something bad is happening."

Rachel glared at her. "Obviously. We aren't in there helping Georgia and Kyle out and they're making Hailey watch! Not to mention, one of them has their greasy hands all over her body-"

"Rachel, you need to calm the fuck down. She's not going to die any time soon." Shawn glared at her, causing her to stop pacing. "We'll go in the second every calms the hell down!"

Rachel stepped towards him but was interrupted by a small cough. All heads turned to Beatrice, who has gotten so, so pale since yesterday. "There's no time. We must go now."

Rachel blinked quickly. "What the hell, you're always the one who tells us to wait."

"Rachel, you don't understand. They take the weakest person first." Beatrice muttered. "They'll take the weakest of the group and then make their way to the Major."

Rachel began to open her mouth to speak before she heard a scream. She winced and connected to Hailey. 'Hailey, what happened?'

'They're cutting Georgia open. It's just her arm, but they're starting small and making their way up.'

Rachel cursed. She looked at Beatrice, ready to tell her what was happening, but froze.

'They take the weakest person first...' Rachel cursed louder. "Fuck!"

Fredrick gulped. "Rach, what's going on?"

"They go for the weakest first. They're not going to kill Hailey because-"

"Because she's not considered the weakest anymore." Fredrick whispered, finishing off her sentence. He looked at Beatrice. "Someone else in our group is."

Beatrice smiled. "This is the end of our journey. I have to warn you about one other thing."

She collapsed to the ground. The group rushed to her aid. "Save your voice, Beatrice. We're going to get you out of here."

Beatrice smiled sadly. "When I enter that place, I'll die instantly. They're scared, but when they see me, they'll become so powerful that they'll kill not just me."

Rachel frowned. Shawn gulped, looking at Fredrick. "Who else will they kill?" Nicolas asked cautiously.

Beatrice took a deep breath. "I'm not sure you're ready for that information, yet. It'll be one of you five." She whispered.

Shawn took a deep breath. "Okay... If that's the case, we should probably tell something the others haven't heard." He suggested.

Rachel looked at the others. "Yeah, let's do that."

Nicolas rubbed his hands on his pants. "I'll go first. I lost my virginity to a guy."

The group collectively blinked before laughing. "Should've seen that coming." Fredrick muttered. He cleared his throat. "I'll go next. There is one person in this group that I have had feelings for as long as I can remember."

Shawn looked at Rachel, who gave him a knowing smile. "My turn." Shawn started. "I think I like boys."

The group fell quiet. "So... I'm the token straight? For real, this time?" Nicolas asked.

Rachel stared at him. "You've slept with a guy, and you're still straight?"

"I was experimenting." He defended. "What would Hailey say if she were here?"