I hate summer

Episode 23

"We can't keep hoping things will go back to normal on their own." Tyler yells.

"And we can't risk getting stuck here permanently." Ashlyn ejaculates.

The two glare at each other, an entire war behind their eyes.

"Um..." Taylor sweats. Everyone else were watching Ashlyn's and Tyler's bickering. I was laying in between Tyler and Taylor, my head on Taylor's lap and legs on Tyler's.

"Going back doesn't mean we have to go back to the house again, or interact with the phantom, right?" Taylor asks. "Maybe we can just search around for someone who might know something? The locals are bound to know something."

"Yeah, but we've spent the last two weeks digging in the internet and books about Savannah. I haven't found anything useful for us." I remark the countless hours, braiding my hair.

"I'll agree to avoiding that place and only searching for local information. That way we don't have to risk anything." Tyler said with his hands on my calves, tracing my scar.

"I-if we don't go back to the sorrel house, I'm not against... going to Savannah." Logan added, stuttering slightly.

"Ben, what about you?" Ashlyn calls.

Ben looks up at Ashlyn upon his name being called and then starts tapping on his phone. He turned his phone to us: 'I'll go with whatever Aiden decides.'

"Hm? I don't care either way. Both options seem fun." Aiden hums happily.

Everyone gives him a stumped look. Not helpful, Aiden!

"I don't think this was an accident." Ashlyn blurts suddenly. "There's the possibility that lady did this on purpose and we could run into her again. There might even be others like her."

"So you're still against going?!" Tyler assumes.

"No." Ashlyn says firmly. "I'll go. But only if we wait a year."

I nod understandingly, but Tyler is immediately against the plan. "A year?! You want to be stuck here for a year?!"

"Calm down." Ashlyn cautioned. "There's no guarantee that even if we go back, we'll find a way out of here. Plus, none of us have a car or license."

We all remember that little fact and shrink in disappointment.

"And aside from finding a way down there, I think a year would give us time to prepare for the worst outcome." Ashlyn continues.

"...Worst outcome?" Logan asks.

"Prepare ourselves, like when you get ready for a race. So we train ourselves mentally and physically for the worst outcome." I step in.

Ashlyn nods. "So for a year, we should train ourselves, research, and turn this place into a reliable stronghold to live in."

I feel Tyler squeeze my knee. His expression clearly shows he doesn't like this, but he stays silent.

"It's about time we start taking this seriously." Ashlyn states.

"Did we really need this?" Tyler breathes against my ear.

We had found an old whiteboard in a junk pile outside the bus, and despite it being ancient it worked.

Ashlyn ignored him, picking up the marker. "Alright, so," she begins writing on the board. "This should be our first goal."

Ashlyn steps back, giving us a clear view of our 'goal.'

We all stare at it in silence. Aiden whispers in my ear, "Well that's gonna be easy." I laugh quietly.

Tyler is the first to speak aloud. "How are we going to do that?"