The Ruby Hunt

Truth or dare?

It was 2 AM, and the world was dead quiet, with everyone tucked away in their beds. The full moon lit up the night like a giant spotlight, making it feel almost like daytime outside. You could hear the wind rustling through the trees and the occasional howl of wolves from the nearby forest. Up in their treehouse, the group of friends was hanging out, laughing and joking, totally carefree and clueless about the wild night ahead of them.
"Truth or dare, Rose?" came Peter's question, his strong British accent making it almost impossible for her to understand him. Luckily, they had spent so much time together that she could now follow his speech.
"Truth," Rose answered, which was a bit cliché for her, but they let it slide.
"What place would you most like to explore?" Peter asked thoughtfully.
"Uhhmm..." Rose, known for her indecisive nature, responded quicker than usual. "The seas! Can you imagine? Only 5% of it has been discovered, and 95% is still unknown. The amount of strange stories hidden under the sea is uncountable. Not just beneath the ocean, but there are islands scattered everywhere, unexplored-there could be anything! Can you imagine that?" Rose's response was so enthusiastic, it was as if she had rehearsed it.
"Wow, Rose! You should be a sailor," Jade teased jokingly.
"No, I'm actually considering being a university professor," Rose said, a hint of determination in her voice.
"Okay, okay, guys. My turn now. Oliver, truth or dare?" Eddie asked, chewing his chocolate muffin.
Oliver took a moment to consider the question, weighing the consequences of both answers. Finally, he made up his mind. "Dare. I'm not scared."
"Well, Mr. 'I'm Not Scared,' let's see how brave you really are. I dare you... to go inside the old cottage in the middle of the woods," Eddie said, his tone shifting to something creepier.
"Hooohooo!" Jade howled in the background, flicking her fingers and deepening her voice. "The ooold cottage, or should I say the (haunted one)?"
Peter whimpered at the word "haunted" and shifted nervously in his seat. Oliver, however, chuckled at their attempt to scare him. But when he saw the serious expressions on Eddie and Jade's faces, his own smile faltered.
"Wait, you... you guys are serious?!" he asked, nervousness creeping into his voice.
Jade and Eddie exchanged smirks, then looked back at him, nodding.
"Yeah, you're the one who chose dare. I dare you to go to the old cottage and film it with your phone so we know you're not pranking us," Eddie said, crossing his arms confidently.
Fear crept onto Oliver's face as he began to regret his choice. "Guys, really, this isn't a joke. Let's change the dare. I'm not going there alone. How about I... scream really loud? Or... I could do 10 push-ups? But seriously, I can't do this."
Peter, who had always been terrified of the cottage, eagerly supported Oliver. "I agree with Oliver, he can't go there alone! It's too dangerous. Besides, it's HAUNTED!" Peter yelped, his eyes wide with fear.
Rose had stayed quiet, watching the argument unfold. She cleared her throat to get their attention. "Well... uh, I have a wild idea. We could all go together, so Oliver wouldn't be completely alone," she suggested, glancing at Oliver and Peter, who were shaking their heads. "Aaand he would still do the dare. What do you think?" she added, turning to Jade and Eddie, who were still insistent on the challenge.
The group took a moment, exchanging looks. Jade's eyes lit up, as though she had been waiting for this, and she turned to Eddie, who also seemed on board. Oliver, seeing that he was outnumbered, let out a defeated sigh. "Fine," he agreed.
Jade noticed Peter's reluctance and turned her attention to him. "So, Peter, are you with us or not?"
Peter, looking like he was near tears from the pressure, gave one last glance around at his friends before sighing in resignation. "But... ughhh, fine! Okay, I'll go with you."
And so, they went.