The Red Sky

Chapter 9: The Cave

Ivy's POV

     The footsteps were getting closer. It was coming for us, or me. Once I saw Ashley, she was... not herself. But she talked and acted like Ashley. What was going on now? She looked like herself, but I got the feeling that she was... I ran. I knew who it was, it wasn't Ashley. It was the mystery figure. I was running as fast as I could. I was like Ms. Frizzle's school bus going o a field trip. I was so fast, I think, I hope. As I looked back I saw Ashley or the Mystery figure. I am just going to call it shadow because it is just a 3D shadow. 

 "IVY, WAIT!" I kept running because I didn't know if it was the shadow or if it was really Ashley. 

"STOP" said a different voice. Did the shadow bring a friend? 

"WAIT" said the other voice. I kept running because I had no clue if it was Ashley, probably not, or the shadow. I was running so fast I fell. I got up really fast because I learned from self defense class, that if you keep running, it will give them the message that you don't give up and they will want to leave you alone. 

"VIVIAN!" I froze. I turned around and saw someone. It was Hayden! I was so exited I started running towards him and hugged him. That was a first. Nether of us looked like ourselves, there was a black substance on Hayden's face. And I, well, I was paler than usual. I could feel blood drip down my face. I'm not sure what happened, but it wasn't anything good, I know that for sure. 

"Where is Ashley?" Hayden asked. 

"I don't know" I answered. I wasn't breathing evenly, 

"How do we get out?" asked Hayden? 

"I don't know?" I answered. ".... This is my fault, isn't it?"

"No it's not. It isn't your fault at all. We were the ones who left you." Hayden said reassuringly. 

"yea" I said calmly. "YEA!" I said, angrily. "It isn't my fault, in fact it's YOUR fault!" 

"Ivy, you're not thinking right. We didn't want to leave you." Hayden said. "You didn't want to, but you did. I don't understand, why did you leave me. We didn't even plan to-" I figured it out. I put the pieces together. 

"We didn't plan to go in the woods this whole trip. weren't gonna go because Ashley was scared." I said 

"Wha-" Hayden said confused 

"you didn't want me to go on this trip." I said quietly 

"Ivy, you're mumbling. What did you say?" I turned my back towards Hayden. He put his hand on my shoulder. 

"YOU DIDN'T WANT ME TO GO ON THIS TRIP, did you?!" I shouted. 

"IVY. STOP. You are overthinking this." said Hayden. I started running towards the exit. I was fast, but not as fast as Hayden. He put his hand on my shoulder. That made me stop and think. 

"Why won't you just say it to my face?!" What stupid idiot does he think he is. 

"Ivy, please, just listen." He said. I walked out, I was done. I couldn't though. I soon found out that out side the cave, was a giant lake. I am not good at swimming so I started walking back. I walked passed Hayden. "Where are you going?" he asked. 

"Away from you." I answered. 

"What why, you were just about to leave." Hayden ran to the exit. "Ohh that's why." he said. 

"uh huh" I said annoyed. 

"so how are we gonna ge-... what are you doing?!" asked Hayden 

"Jump" I said. 

"What?! Are you crazy?! You're gonna die." Hayden said worried. 

"No I won't. I have an idea." I said. 

"Uh huh, now what is your genius idea that won't get us killed by that mystery figure braniac?" Hayden said confused. 

"SHADOW is the name I've given to the mystery figure, but my plan is, to leave before it wakes up." I said, trying to get Hayden to jump with me. 

"but what about Ashley?" said Hayden trying to tin-foil my plan. 

"She doesn't matter right now." I said coldly. 

"We cant just leave her!" 

"SHE DOESN'T MATTER RIGHT NOW!" I yelled louder than intended. There was a loud groan farther in the cave. I grabbed Hayden and we jumped. We made it... we were alive. We landed in the lake. we swam off to shore. It was all good until we saw Ashley. It was frightening.

Ashley is..... Dead.