INTO THE WOODS (R Rated)

The story

As we were driving home from the party, the full moon hung like a sentinel in the midnight sky. It was around 11:00 p.m., and the temperature dropped sharply as we descended Downhill Road. Feeling unwell, I asked everyone to close the car windows. Francis reacted strangely to my sudden request. Mano turned around from the front seat and asked, "Did you enjoy the party?" I replied with a disgusted expression, "No." My revulsion was aimed at his bad breath, not the party.

Mano was too high tonight. He turned and asked Francis, "Hey Francis, did you enjoy the party?" Francis didn't respond, his attention solely on driving. Mano, in a fit of childishness, took the water bottle and poured water on Francis, but Francis remained stoic. I shouted at Mano to stop, but he then poured water on me, laughing. I controlled my anger, remembering Francis's advice: if we told Mano not to do something, he'd do it anyway. Eventually, Mano fell asleep.

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A sign had passed five minutes ago indicating Manali was 20km away. I felt a surge of relief; we were heading home earlier than expected. Suddenly, Mano woke up and demanded that Francis let him drive.

Francis didn't respond at first, so Mano shouted again, "Francis, you promised me at the party that I could drive on the way back home."

Francis sighed and replied, "Yes, I did, but now you're high, so let me drive."

I tried to intervene, but Mano, in his intoxicated state, accidentally punched me in the eye. "Fuck you, asswipe!" I exclaimed, feeling the sting of the blow and the warmth of blood trickling down my face. Mano's eyes widened in shock at the sight of my bleeding face, and Francis turned to inspect the damage.

However, I directed their attention to the road where a lorry was barreling towards us. "Francis, look there!" I shouted, panic rising in my chest. But it was too late. Before Francis could react, the lorry collided with us in a deafening crash of metal and shattered glass.

In that moment, everything seemed to move in slow motion. Our car began to descend the hill, careening wildly. I watched Francis struggle with the steering wheel, his face a mask of concentration and terror, but it was no use. The car had a mind of its own.

On the other side, Mano was a disturbing spectacle, oscillating between hysterical laughter and uncontrollable sobs. His emotions seemed as wild and unpredictable as our descent. I closed my eyes, bracing myself for the inevitable.

                                                                 *************

When i opened my eyes and saw the full moon, now partially obscured by tree branches. My vision slowly adjusted to the dim light, and I looked down to find my foot bleeding slightly. Panic surged through me as I shouted for Mano and Francis. I glanced over at the cliff and saw our car, perilously close to the edge but miraculously intact. We had narrowly escaped a fatal plunge.

I heard footsteps behind me and turned to see Francis approaching. "Hey Vihan, are you awake?" he asked, his voice trembling with concern. 

I nodded weakly, replying, "Yeah," before asking, "Where is Mano?" Francis's expression was a mix of worry and confusion. 

"He went to find a way to the highway," he said. 

I blinked in shock, trying to process his words. "What are you saying, bruh? Isn't he high?"