The Wedding Party

Part 15: A Pit

The moon cast eerie shadows through the dense trees as Ashleigh Lewis's flashlight beam danced wildly across the forest floor. Her heart pounded in her chest, each breath feeling tight and labored. She refused to give in to fear, though; she had to find Alanna.

"Alanna!" she called out, her voice desperate and raw. "Where are you?"

"Over here!" Helena shouted back, her voice strained with urgency. Following the sound, Ashleigh stumbled upon a horrifying sight: Alanna hanging upside down from a tree, her face pale and lifeless.

"Alanna!" Ashleigh cried, rushing to her side. Her mind raced, grasping for a plan of action while Kyan Paul and Helena looked on, their faces etched with concern.

"Is she...?" Kyan started, but Ashleigh cut him off.

"Help me get her down," she commanded, her voice trembling slightly. As they worked together to release Alanna, Ashleigh couldn't help but wonder what could have led Alanna to such a dire situation. Was it an accident? Or was someone responsible?

-----

Meanwhile, Dax ventured deeper into the woods, his flashlight sweeping through the darkness as he searched for the intoxicated guest who had wandered away from the party. He worried about their safety, knowing that anything could happen in these unfamiliar surroundings.

"Hey!" Dax yelled, hoping to hear a response. "Are you out here?"

Suddenly, the ground beneath him gave way, and Dax plummeted into a pitfall. The air left his lungs as he hit the bottom hard, his body aching from the impact. Panic rose within him, but he choked it back, forcing himself to stay focused.

"Help, anyone please!" he called out, praying they would hear him. "I need help!"

-----

Back at Alanna's side, Ashleigh pressed her lips against Alanna's in a desperate attempt to revive her. As she pulled away, Alanna's eyelids fluttered, and she let out a weak groan.

"Alanna, can you hear me?" Ashleigh asked, relief flooding her as Alanna opened her eyes. But before they could say anything more, they heard a cry from the distance.

"Stay here," Ashleigh told Helena and Kyan, leaving them to tend to Alanna while she ran toward the sound of the voice. Her heart hammered in her chest as she imagined what danger they might be facing.

"Keep yelling! I'm coming!" she shouted, hoping her words would reach them.

-----

Back in the pitfall, Dax shivered, fear curling its icy fingers around his heart. Suddenly, he felt a cold liquid splashing onto him from above. The sharp, unmistakable scent of gasoline stung his nostrils, and realization dawned on him: someone wanted him dead.

"Please, don't!" he begged, his voice cracking with terror and raw from screaming. But there was no response, only the chilling sound of a match being struck against a Brandt Manor matchbox. In that moment, Dax knew his fate was sealed.

The match fell into the pit, its fire igniting the gasoline and engulfing Dax in a ferocious blaze. His dying screams echoed through the night, a haunting reminder of the darkness lurking behind every shadow on the island. His friends unable to locate him before his cries fell silent.