My Boy

Chapter 11: The Descent

A week passed since Jamie had last been seen at school. His phone remained off, his social media silent. Concerned messages from friends piled up, unread and unanswered.

In his room, Jamie existed in a fog of misery. He barely ate, hardly slept. His parents, worried sick, tried to coax him out, but he remained locked away, lost in his own dark thoughts.

At school, his absence was keenly felt. Trevor, especially, seemed affected. He'd catch himself turning to share a joke with Jamie, only to remember he wasn't there. The guilt gnawed at him, conflicting with the happiness he felt with Riley.

"Has anyone heard from Jamie?" Trevor asked during lunch, his voice tinged with worry.

The group exchanged glances and shook their heads. Riley squeezed his hand reassuringly, but it did little to ease the knot in his stomach.

After a week of absence, Jamie returned to school. But the Jamie that walked through the halls was a shadow of his former self. His eyes were hollow, his movements mechanical. He spoke only when directly addressed, his responses curt and lifeless.

His friends tried to engage him, but Jamie rebuffed their attempts with cold indifference. Even Tristan, who had been his confidant, couldn't break through the walls Jamie had built.

As the day of the cabin party approached, Jamie paced his room, his mind a whirlwind of dark thoughts. Back and forth he went, wearing a path in the carpet, muttering to himself.

Suddenly, he stopped dead in his tracks. A chilling calm washed over him as a thought crystallized in his mind. His eyes, which had been wild with emotion, now turned cold and determined. Whatever he had realized in that moment, it was clear it wasn't good.

The next day at school, Jamie approached Mia during a quiet moment between classes.

"I'll be at the cabin," he said, his voice devoid of emotion.

Mia, startled by his sudden appearance and declaration, could only nod. Before she could ask any questions, Jamie was gone, disappearing into the crowd of students.

At lunch, the friend group chatted excitedly about the upcoming party.

"So, is everyone confirmed for this weekend?" Ethan asked, looking around the table.

There were nods and enthusiastic responses from everyone except Mia, who remained uncharacteristically quiet.

"What about Jamie?" Alex asked, voicing the question on everyone's mind.

The group fell silent, exchanging uncertain glances.

"He'll probably show," Trevor said, trying to sound confident. "It's tradition, right?"

The others nodded, eager to believe it. Mia opened her mouth as if to say something, then thought better of it, taking a sip of her drink instead.

As the bell rang, signaling the end of lunch, the group dispersed, their excitement for the party overshadowing the lingering concern for Jamie.

The day of the party arrived. As evening fell, Jamie stood in his room, staring at his packed bag. His face was expressionless, his eyes cold and focused. With deliberate movements, he picked up the bag and headed downstairs.

His parents, relieved to see him leaving the house, called out their goodbyes. Jamie didn't respond, closing the front door behind him with a quiet click.

He walked to his car, each step measured and purposeful. As he got in and started the engine, his face remained blank, but there was a tension in his jaw, a tightness in his grip on the steering wheel.

As Jamie pulled out of the driveway and headed towards the cabin, there was an ominous feeling in the air. The sun was setting, casting long shadows across the road. In the growing darkness, Jamie's eyes gleamed with an unsettling determination.

Whatever was going through Jamie's mind, whatever he had planned for this night, one thing was clear – nothing good was going to come from this cabin trip. The stage was set for a confrontation that would change everything, and Jamie was driving straight towards it, his face a mask of cold resolve.