the legend of Lizzie greenteeth

chapter two the plan

Sophie leaned her head against the window, watching the trees blur by as the bus rumbled down the road. The orange glow of the setting sun made the forest look less friendly, more... eerie. She shook the feeling off, but a shiver still ran down her spine.
"Do you really think Lizzie Greenteeth could be real?" Jonah asked, his voice a little shaky.

Max let out a snort. "No way. It's just a stupid story. You know, like Bigfoot or the Loch Ness Monster."

Sophie wasn’t so sure. "But what if it’s based on something real? Like, maybe there was someone named Lizzie, and over time people just... changed the story."

Jonah fidgeted in his seat. "Yeah, but dragging kids into the swamp? That part sounds real enough to me."

Max rolled his eyes. "Come on, Jonah, you're scared of your own shadow."

Sophie couldn’t help but smile, but her mind still drifted back to the campfire. The way the counselor had described Lizzie Greenteeth—it felt too vivid, too detailed, like more than just a tale to spook campers.

Behind them, a muffled snicker made Sophie turn her head. Trent and Logan were huddled together, whispering and throwing glances their way. Sophie tensed, instantly suspicious.

"Ignore them," Max muttered. "They’re probably just plotting some dumb prank."

Sophie sighed. "I wish they’d grow up already."

But Trent and Logan didn’t seem like they were going to let up. The boys leaned in closer, their voices too low for anyone else to hear.

"We should totally do it," Trent said, his eyes gleaming with mischief.

Logan hesitated, glancing toward the trio in front of them. "I dunno, man. What if we get caught?"

Trent’s grin widened. "Caught doing what? It's just a prank. They'll freak out, we'll laugh, and no harm done. Plus, did you see Jonah’s face? He’s already terrified."

Logan chuckled. "Yeah, the baby’s probably gonna wet himself."

"Exactly," Trent whispered, excitement creeping into his voice. "So here’s the plan. We wait until dark, sneak off the bus when it stops, and I’ll dress up as Lizzie. We get some mud, maybe some seaweed or whatever’s lying around, and then—"

"Boo!" Logan interrupted, finishing the thought with a cackle. "They’ll never see it coming."

Trent nodded, glancing at the swamp passing by through the bus window. "This place is perfect. Lizzie Greenteeth’s gonna be more real than they ever imagined."

Logan grinned, but then a thought wiped the smile from his face. "You sure about this swamp, though? You don’t think... y’know... anything’s actually out there?"

Trent elbowed him. "What, are you scared of some made-up witch now?"

Logan straightened up quickly, shaking his head. "No way. Just... the trees look kinda creepy, that's all."

Trent smirked. "Don’t worry. When I’m done, they’ll be scared of me, not the swamp."

Back at the front of the bus, Jonah hadn’t stopped fidgeting. He stared out the window, his eyes wide. "I swear I just saw something move out there."

Sophie shifted in her seat. "It’s probably just a deer."

"Yeah, or maybe Lizzie’s coming to get you!" Max teased, wiggling his fingers in Jonah’s face.

"Cut it out!" Jonah swatted his hand away. "I’m serious! It’s almost like... something’s watching us."

Sophie glanced at the dense trees and fog creeping through the swamp. For just a second, her heart skipped a beat. The swamp did look unsettling. But she shook her head, reminding herself that it was just the power of suggestion. The legend was getting to her, just like it was getting to Jonah.

"Jonah’s right about one thing," Sophie said quietly, leaning closer to her friends. "This place is spooky. It’s almost like it’s alive."

"Yeah, well, we’ll be out of here soon," Max said confidently, though he cast another glance at the window. "As long as this bus doesn't break down in the middle of nowhere, we'll be fine."

Suddenly, the bus lurched, and a loud pop echoed from beneath them. The engine sputtered and whined before grinding to a halt.

"What was that?" Sophie asked, her voice rising in alarm.

The bus slowed to a stop, the last bit of sunlight fading behind the trees. The driver sighed and got out, muttering something about checking the tires.

Sophie felt her stomach flip. "You had to say it, Max."

Max groaned. "Great. Now we’re stuck. In the middle of a swamp."

Jonah leaned forward, eyes wide. "This is how it starts, isn’t it? In all those scary stories—the car breaks down, it gets dark, and then something comes for you."

Max laughed nervously. "You’re letting that dumb story mess with your head."

Sophie wasn’t so sure. The bus had broken down, and they were stranded near the very swamp from the story. She tried to push the unease away, but it lingered.

The driver reappeared, wiping his hands on a rag. "Flat tire. Gonna take me a bit to fix it. Y'all stay put. Don't go wandering off, got it?"

The kids groaned, but Trent and Logan exchanged a sly look. This was their chance.

Later that evening, as darkness fully settled over the swamp, Trent and Logan slipped off the bus.

Trent was already smearing mud across his arms and face, his grin wide and wild. He yanked some vines from a nearby tree and draped them over his shoulders like tangled green hair. "I’m telling you, this is going to be epic. Lizzie Greenteeth, coming to life right in front of their eyes."

Logan chuckled but kept glancing over his shoulder at the swamp, now eerily silent. "Just don’t go too far. This place... it gives me the creeps."

"You’re such a wuss," Trent muttered, pulling on a tattered piece of fabric he’d found by the road. "Relax. By the time I’m done with them, they won’t even be able to look at this swamp without screaming."

Logan couldn’t help but laugh, his nervousness fading. "Okay, okay. Let’s get them good."

As they crept through the trees, the fog thickened, rolling off the water like silent, ghostly fingers. Neither of them noticed the dark shape that seemed to move just behind the trees, watching them with eyes as cold and still as the swamp itself.

Back on the bus, Sophie, Max, and Jonah sat in uneasy silence. Jonah peered out the window again, his face pale. "I have a really bad feeling about this."

Sophie nodded. "Me too."