Blood Moon Lake

Chapter 4

After we were all done unpacking, we met in the kitchen and began to debate what to have for dinner. "So, the quickest things we have are hot dogs and macaroni & cheese," Jack announced. "I hate hot dogs but I'm currently too hungry to care," Ella stated, flopping down on the couch. "Hot dogs are great!" Anna argued. "Yeah sure, whatever," Ella muttered. I rolled my eyes, walked over to Jack, and took the hot dogs from him, "I'll cook the hot dogs you make the mac & cheese," I told him. Jack nodded, "Great because mac & cheese is the only thing I know how to make." "That's why it's the only thing you bring to parties," I joked. "I bring other things!" Jack protested. "No, Luke's right," Anna said, "You always bring mac & cheese." "Guys it's not fair to gang up on me!" Jack complained. "Life isn't fair Jack!" Ella hollered from the couch, "I thought you knew this by now." "Ella you're not helping!" Jack whined, "Can at least one of you back me up!" Jack begged. "Hm, I don't know," Anna said, "You're pretty fun to tease." "Wow," Jack exclaimed, "I see how it is! No one loves me!" "Not after you stole Anna from me," I said, "Don't think I've forgotten about that affair!" "Oh yeah, that!" Ella guffawed, "I'm assuming it's a bad time for me to tell both of you Anna and I have been platonically married since eighth grade." Jack gasped and turned to face Anna, "Is that true!?" "Ella! I told you our love was a secret!" Anna cried, "How could you betray me like this!" "Well, if you hadn't cheated on me with Luke and Jack maybe we would still be married!" Ella shot back. "We are still married!" Anna replied. "Not anymore!" Ella argued, "I want a divorce!" Anna gasped, "What!? But I thought you loved me!" "I did but you betrayed me and now you have to pay the price."

"How will I take care of the kids!?" Anna cried. "I don't know you'll have to figure it out yourself," Ella spat, "Besides it's not like they're my kids anyways." Anna looked at Jack and battered her eyelashes, "Jack, since they are your kids, you won't leave me, right? I mean you wouldn't want to put them through the pain of a divorce?" Jack chuckled, "Oh but dear, we're not married we're only dating. Besides, they'll get over it eventually." "NO!" Anna fake sobbed, "JACK DON'T LEAVE ME! I LOVE YOU!" "That's what you told me when we got married," Ella scoffed. "That's what you told me when we got engaged," I sniffed. Suddenly, the timer went off. "Food's done," I said. "Finally!" Ella cried, "I'm famished!" "It's only five thirty-five," I told her. "Well, I'm hungry," Ella said grabbing a plate and dishing herself some food. I rolled my eyes and grabbed a plate for myself. Once we all got our food, we sat down at the table said a prayer, and began to eat. Ella practically inhaled her food, before getting up and going back for seconds. "Gosh slow down," I said, "You're gonna choke." "No, I'm not," Ella argued with her mouth full of food. "No speaking with your mouth full!" Jack scolded. Ella rolled her eyes but swallowed her food before speaking again, "You're such a mom Jack. It's not gonna kill me to talk with food in my mouth." "Well first of all I don't want to see your half-chewed up food," Jack retorted, "And second of all I don't feel like performing the Heimlich because you inhaled your food while talking." "Gosh okay," Ella muttered, "I won't talk with food in my mouth. No need to get your feathers all ruffled." I smiled at my friends. I can't believe that I made friends with people who can be smart but at the same time so childish. It's really funny. "What are you smiling about?" Anna asked suspiciously. "At how my friends act like children," I told her. My friends all looked at me astounded.

"We are not childish!" Anna protested, "We are very mature!" I scoffed, "Sure." "Well, it's not like you're any better," Ella argued, "You're just as childish as we are." "Yeah," Jack agreed, "If anything you're the one who starts it." "Wow," I said raising my hands in surrender, "No need to gang up on me." "Yes, there was," Anna replied sticking her tongue out at me. I shook my head, "Well that's the last time I speak my mind." Ella laughed, "Good, 'cause what comes out of there always gets us in some sort of trouble." "It does not!" I argued. "Sure, whatever makes you feel better," she teased. Sticking my tongue out at her, I got up and got myself more food. "So," Anna said, "What are we doing after dinner?" "Going to sleep," Ella deadpanned. "But going right to bed would be boring," Anna complained, "Besides it's only six-fifteen, that's way too early to go to bed." "Not for me," Ella muttered, "But if you guys want to stay up, I'm sure I could stay awake for another hour or two." "I'm with Anna," Jack said, "I want to stay up for a while, or else I'll wake up at an ungodly hour." I shrugged, "I'm fine with either." "Well looks like I'm outvoted," Ella replied, "What are we gonna do?" "I don't want to do anything that involves leaving the cabin," I told them. "I second that," Ella chimed in. "Same," Jack said. "Great because I don't either!" Anna chirped, "I was thinking a movie or scary stories or some sort of game." "We could play 'Sorry'," Jack suggested. "YES!" Ella shouted, "I vote for 'Sorry'!" An evil glint appeared in Anna's eyes, "Prepare to be destroyed," she said as a bone-chilling smile spread across her face. "I need to keep my winning streak," I grinned, "Can't let someone else take it." We all smiled at one another. "'Sorry' it is," Ella cackled a wicked grin covering her face. We quickly finished eating and cleared the table. After washing the dishes and putting what was left of the macaroni in the fridge, we all gathered around the table once more. The only difference this time was that we were at war.

We all took our spots around the 'Sorry' board. Like always Ella was red, Jack was yellow, Anna was green, and I was blue. Once the cards were shuffled and put in place, the battle finally began. You might be wondering why we treat this like it's such a serious matter, the reason is that it is. The feud started back in our junior year of high school when the challenge was first made. Ella declared she would beat all of us at a game of 'Sorry', so naturally, we all agreed to play because we couldn't let her win. So, when Jack won Ella retaliated by declaring war on him and his yellow pawns. Now Jack is my friend, so he, Anna, and I made an alliance and we teamed up against Ella in the next match. We expected that one of us would win but Anna double-crossed us, and she sided with Ella halfway through the second match and won. Jack and I were shocked at Anna's betrayal and quite frankly we couldn't let her leave without taking her down. So, we challenged her to a third round. Jack and I teamed from the get-go, and we eliminated our opponents one by one until we were the only players left on the board. All was going well until Jack pulled a 'Sorry'. He had one pawn left at the start and I was the only other person on the board. I begged him not to do it, to skip his turn but he wanted to win. Jack knocked one of my pawns off the board and back to start. Our alliance was shattered. I couldn't believe Jack had done that. So, naturally, I declared war on his pawns. Ella, Anna, and I formed a one-time alliance so we could take down Jack. It was an intense battle but when it was over and the dust settled, I came out victorious. We would have kept going but we had to leave. So, before we departed, we made an agreement that the next time we met on the 'Sorry' battlefield this war between pawns would continue. We have had many other battles since and currently; I have the winning streak of six battle days (which is six days of playing multiple games of sorry and winning each one). And I have every intent on keeping my streak.

"Ella," I said, "You were out first last game; therefore, it is you who gets to draw first." Ella nodded and pulled the card from the top of the deck. She stared at it for a while, and I could feel the dread pooling in my stomach. Did she get out? Or is she still stuck in the base? Finally, Ella put the card down with a sigh of defeat. I grinned as I saw she had drawn a twelve, hopefully, no one will get out before I do. Once someone gets a head start it's hard to stop them. This is something we all knew very well. "Luke, it's your turn to draw," Ella declared. Perfect! Hopefully, I'll draw a one or a two so I can get out! I grabbed the card from the top of the pile. Bringing it up to where I could see it, I frowned when I saw it was a 'Sorry'. As much as I love the card it's useless if there's no one on the board. Placing the card in the discard pile I looked over at Jack. Before I could say anything, he grabbed the next card. Lucky for me, he drew a seven so he couldn't get out. Anna grabbed the next card only to get a backward four, which once again is no use. The cycle continued several times with no one getting out until Jack got a breakthrough. He drew a two. "NO!" Anna screeched, "THIS CAN'T BE!" "Dang it!" Ella shouted banging the table with her fist, "Stupid two! You couldn't have been a one!" Jack was grinning ear to ear, as he took his first pawn out of the start and placed it on the board. The next card he drew was a backward four and his grin grew impossibly wider. Anna and Ella were both shouting at the cards and Jack. I took a deep breath and closed my eyes, internally I was screaming. But I need to find a way to turn this into an opportunity. I can't let this throw me off my game. I can't let Jack win. Once Anna calmed down enough to draw the cycle continued. When it got to me Ella had also gotten a pawn out by drawing a one. Taking a deep breath, I grabbed the card from the top of the pile and looked at it. I smirked when I saw the card. Placing it down, I looked over at Ella and smiled at her full of fake sympathy. "Sorry," I mocked picking up one of my pawns and knocking her back into start.

This is some very intense 'Sorry'! 😹This was inspired by the intensity of 'Sorry' games when I play with my sister (also my editor). We can get very competitive. Not as competitive as Luke and his friends though. Anyways, Have a great day! Bye! 🙃