ZEPOTHA: DO YOU REMEMBER ME?

"First Blood Drawn"

"That day in October, the day it all went to shit..."

First Blood

A chilly evening settles down on Zepotha, Minnesota as the wind blows throughout the town.

Maxine's house bumps up and down with music as everyone is enjoying their night. Cole had a bottle of beer in his hand with Lydia to his right comforting the drunken man. "You gotta stop fucking drinking like this Cole." She said, patting his back.

As the album came to an end, Danny and Alaine came out of Maxine's bedroom. Alaine is clearly upset about something. "Hey! Guys." Danny called out with everyone turning to see him standing in the hallway with Alaine standing behind him. "Max, I love your place and all. But there's this place in the woods that would make this party way cooler."

"Dude really it's already eleven." Nate brought up. "Woah! Is Nathaniel too scared to go into the woods at night?" Danny mocked, chucking to himself afterward . "No but-" "Hey-hey! No buts Meyers!" Danny shushed putting his finger on Nate's lips.

"Anyone else wanna go?!" Danny erupted into the room. And everyone else responded with something like, "Sure, why not." Danny looked back at Nate and mocked. "It's democracy Meyers, and you lost the election. C'mon let's get out of here."

Danny turned to Alaine and asked, "Want to join me? My princess." Even to his girlfriend he'd have a slight tone of mockery. "Sure." She stated bluntly. Nate sighed and got up.

"Okay I'll go." He said. "Great! I'll get my lighter!" Danny said.

Deep within the woods of Zepotha, the group of teens gathered some firewood and started a campfire. With a couple of cheap plastic chairs, and log seats they had a pretty functional bond fire. "And then they hanged the Witch for her murder of the townspeople! And that was the story of Elias Roth!" Danny said with a chuckle and laugh. "You still keep on saying the same fucking story Dan. If you like the witch so much why don't you marry her." Robbie said only stopping to take a sip of beer.

Danny's face grimaced, "Shut the fuck up Rob. Stop drinking like your mother and then I'll think about listening to you." He replied. "Woah. Danny don't you think that was harsh?" Alaine said with a concerned look on her face. "Don't worry El. He's just joking." Robbie was brought up. "Me and Robbie are buddies! I would never do anything to him" Danny said, pulling out a cigarette and lighting it. "Hey! I thought you said you'd quit smoking." Alaine said, taking the pack of Marlboro from his hands. Danny coughed up some smoke in her face. "Sorry, I guess I better try next year."Alaine grabbed the cigarette and took a puff. "Be better Danny." She said putting the cigarette out.

On the other side of the fire Jasmine "Jade" Stewart was holding a bottle of beer about to take a sip. "Jade? You know you can't drink yet..." Nate Meyers had said turning to her. She sighed to his words before turning to Nate. She chuckled thinking of a joke. "Nate Meyers? Caring for me? Are you from the DARE Program or something?" She giggled out. "Alright, very funny." Nate said holding her up.

"Hey. Imma get some firewood." Danny said standing up and walking into the woods of Zepotha Forest. "You think someone should go with him?" Alaine asked, concerned filled her voice. "You're worried about Danny Hartman?" Lydia said "I don't know, maybe there's a bear in the woods-"Lydia cut her off before she could continue. "Alaine he'll be alright." Alaine nodded to her before going back to thinking about Danny.

Robbie had gotten the urge to pee and had told everyone he'd be back. He too walked away from the fire in the opposite direction of Danny. Robbie had found a tree surrounded by a few bushes. "Prefect." He unzipped and pissed. He would hum You Give Love A Bad Name to himself. He finished and got on his way back to the camp.

As he took his first couple steps he'd feel something squishy yet hard on the sole of his shoe. "What the-" He lifted his shoe and saw a chunk of meat and some fresh blood.

He'd turn behind him to see a rabbit. Mutilated, blade wounds all over its body. The image made Robbie gag. "What fucking asshole would do this shit?" There was a rustling in the bushes, he turned to the sound. "Cole? Lydia? Guys you're not funny." The teen slowly approached the bushes and looked over to see nobody. "What the-" A knife shot through his torso piercing through his lung. Robbie hobbled over and gagged up blood. He tried to push them away but whoever was behind him was stronger than him. They gripped onto his dirty blonde hair and slashed through his eye.

Robbie let out a blood curdling scream, he'd fall onto the floor as their attacker flipped them over. The last thing Robert Ryan saw was their attacker's cold eyes looking back at him.

Back at the camp someone was in the bushes rustling with the movements of that person. They jumped out their arms wrapping around Alaine. "Ahh! Danny!" She said as he held onto her waist. "Ah! You got me." He said letting go of her. He went up and sat down next to her on the log, he noticed that Cole wasn't sitting near the fire. "Hey Lyd, where did Cole go?" He asks. "Well he said he felt sick so he went to puke somewhere." Danny simply replied with a "Oh. I see." After a while Cole made his way back to the camp and sat down next to Lydia.

Nate checked his watch and saw it was twelve-thirty-four. "Guys it's getting late. We should get going." Danny reluctantly agreed, pulling out his flashlight and putting out the fire. "Wait, where's Robbie?" Alaine brought up looking around the forest. "He probably went home." Nate assumed. "Alone in the dark?" Lydia said, walking behind Cole. In which he shrugged. "He'll probably show up." Danny said looking forward.

Alaine didn't know what the hell she was thinking. But it was this unending darkness near her.