The Night Of The Cryptids

The Plan

Matthew and Mark had been planning a camping trip up into the mountains for almost a month now.  

"Dude!  This is going to be an epic trip!" Mark said.  

"Yeah, it'll be fun.  It would be a lot more epic if it wasn't just us though" Matthew replied. 

 "Yeah, but who else would we invite?  It's not like Ruth and Mary's parents would let them go with us" Mark added. 

 "Mark, you are a genius!"  "Um, okay, thanks I guess..." Mark said, not understanding what had earned him the praise.  

"Their parents would never let them go on a camping trip with US" Matthew started.  

"Right, that's what I said" Mark interrupted.  "But, their parents would have no problem letting them go on a camping trip together, just the two of them, and they wouldn't have to know they're going to the same place we are!"  "I am a genius" Mark responded.

Later that day Matthew and Mark pitched their idea to Ruth and Mary.  

"Oh my gosh!  That is diabolically clever!  I love it!"  Ruth said.  Even though the four of them had been friends for many years, and were part of the "popular" crowd, Mary always picked one or two girls a year to be her "projects."  Girls who weren't popular, who didn't dress like the popular kids, who didn't fit in very well, and she would try to turn them into popular girls by the end of the year.  This year, Mary had singled out a girl by the name of Jane.  

"If I'm going to go, I want to invite Jane with us" Mary said.  Matthew and Mark looked at each other, Ruth rolled her eyes.  Matthew and Mark had an entire conversation, wordlessly, just looking at each other.

Both of the boys knew Jane was not a popular girl, but they both also had secret crushes on her.  They made their decision just as wordlessly as the rest of their "conversation" had been.  Without sounding too excited about it, Matthew said "Fine, Jane can come too if that's the only way to get you to come."  As the girls turned to walk away, Matthew and Mark looked at each other and both had the slightest of smiles on their faces.

Matthew and Mark filled the girls in on the location.  Maxon's Hill.  There were a few sporadic camping spots and further up the mountain, some clearings that could be used for camping, but weren't "official" camping spots.  Ruth and Mary shared a quick glance.  Maxon's Hill had a reputation.  People who were easy to scare stayed away from it.  It had long been rumored that monsters lived on the mountain.  There had been many Bigfoot sightings there, as well as various other "Mythical beasts" claimed to have been seen.

Later that evening Ruth called Matthew to let him know her and Mary's parents had just given them permission to go camping, just the two of them of course.  Then Ruth hastily corrected herself, the three of them, she had already forgotten about Jane.  This was going to be an interesting trip.  Matthew, Mark, Ruth and Mary had known each other since they were kids.  Matthew and Ruth, and Mark and Mary were also now dating each other.  Matthew and Ruth had been seeing each other for almost two years.  Mark and Mary, just over one year.  Jane would be a complete wildcard in the group.  Matthew, Mark and Ruth didn't know anything about Jane.  About all Mary could tell them, was that Jane was pretty, but nerdy, and definitely still a virgin, they had talked about it a few nights ago.  

So there they were, the stereotypical group of high schoolers.  Matthew, the jock.  Mark the class clown.  Ruth the best student in the group.  Mary, who had slept with half the guys in school before dating Mark.  And Jane, the nerdy virgin.