Portnashker

Chapter 5

It was finally summer break. My group of Avala, my brothers, and I made up the name of the man in the suit to be Nightmare. We also concluded that he was some mental figure that could physically harm us but was more powerful in the mind. Avala also added that the group of men surely would have seen us gone into the woods and that's how they found us. We spent all Saturday in our house summarizing the group of men. "The group of men must have been with Nightmare and are trying to get into your head to do who knows what to you". Mark said. I told them that Nightmare was only in my dreams. "Then the group of men must know about the woods and are trying to keep us away from what is in the woods and Nightmare." Jax said. Since it was summer we stayed up later but I woke up the same time and the same way by either jumping out of bed or s creaming depending on how bad the dream was.

There was no doubt that Otis knew we knew about the men and what was in those woods. As we stayed up later I tried talking to Otis about what he studied about the woods but he wouldn't tell me saying that he didn't want to hurt me either. I concluded that I wasn't going to get anything from him. Since the day I mentioned my parents Otis stopped talking a lot. A part of me sees a little of my mother and him. Although he was quiet, I think Otis really does love us even if he doesn't say it. I do believe however he is hiding something bigger about Nightmare.

We took a break going into the woods to prevent the group of men finding us again and to maybe help stop the horrible dreams I was getting but that didn't help. Otis got home early that night and told us that there was a town anniversary and everyone in town would be there. I was worried that the group of men would be there. Otis told us to get ready. I turned to my brothers and told them the group of men might be there but they told me that it has been over a week since we've gone in those woods and that the men most likely forgot about it. I had no choice but to go and maybe I could find something useful in the town hall. I got ready and made sure to bring my backpack with my crossbow just in case. We drove to the hall and surprisingly there were a lot more people than I thought. No sign of the man luckily. It was like a big gathering with dancing, food, and drinks the town had provided. Otis told us to stick together but I went off to look around in the Hall of rooms. This was where they had rooms about everyone important from the town. I was looking for the previous mayor. Mayor david. He, like my parents, died from a car crash. Suddenly. I reached his room and it was empty with no one around and only had one light. I pulled out my crossbow but before I could load it a shooting pain came from my back. I turned around to find the group of men. I looked down and realized I was stabbed. As I tried to stand someone behind me grabbed my arms and put a bag over my head while I felt what felt like a shot into my neck. It wasn't long before I passed out and lost my senses.

A while later I started to get my senses back. I tried yelling but my mouth was duct tape shut and my hands bound behind my back while my feet were duct taped to the chair. I looked around and I saw that it looked like I was in a barn with one light above me. My adrenaline started to slow and this made the pain from being stabbed and shoot pain throughout my body. After what felt like forever, the barn doors opened and the group of men walked in. I wanted to fight but I lost far too much blood to do so. The main leader of the group stepped in front of me and said " Well well well the girl that tried so hard to find the truth finally does and she has to pay the price." He laughed and with doing so pulled out a pistol and aimed it at my head. I panicked and closed my eyes preparing for the worst but then. Pop! I opened my eyes but the gunshot wasn't from the man but from Otis in the doorway of the barn with the revolver aimed up. On the side of him were my brothers and Avala with their weapons in hand. " Sheriff Otis, first your daughter, now your granddaughter." the man said. The man went to shoot me again but Otis shot him before he could. " Grab your sister!" Otis yelled at my brothers. The three other men went for their guns but Otis shot two of the three while the third man grabbed a knife to stab me but Jax tackled him before he did. Mark and Avila started to cut me free while Jax and Otis fought the men. Mark threw my hand over his shoulder while the other was over Avila's. We hurried to Otis's car when we saw Otis and Jax run out and start up the car and hurried into town. 10 minutes later I felt like I was going to blackout. We pulled it to the small hospital and the rest was just a blur.

I woke up with a huge bandage surrounding my back and stomach. Waiting was Otis, my brothers and Avila. The doctor came in and said that I was fine to go home. We went home and I went upstairs to get some rest exhausted from today.