What Not To Do In The Valley

The Manor

Kimber couldn't sleep the next time she tried. She finally understood what her body was talking about when it came to sleeping with the lights on. They weren't as comforting as they used to be. 

That and Jay kept coming in to ask her for sewing help.

The scream she attempted when he walked in with part of his skull exposed hurt her so bad her head was spinning. 

He'd brought new hair to replace what he had left on him. Said the new jaw fit so good he couldn't wait to switch out more parts. He stopped wearing bandages on his face. 

Kimber knew Mrs Hive was gone again and decided to tell Jay about the beast she saw. 

"I didn't realise you were gone," He remarked. 

"I'm gone a lot."

Kimber got up and put on her shoes. She looked out the window and walked downstairs.

She grimaced at the thought of finding that creature again. It felt a lot harder to leave the house alone this time.

The hall was empty as everyone caught up on sleep. She didn't want to wake anyone whose opinion she cared about - they probably wouldn't want to come with anyway.

She hesitated at the top of the basement stairs, scowling down at Will's decorated door. 

The air was too cold, so she moved on. Jay had come down to secretly drink milk from the bottle and she let him know he could follow if he wanted. 

He rushed past her, milk in hand, and went right for Will's door. 

Kimber heard him open it right as she left the house, marching decently fast out of the garden to avoid anything to do with Will. She'd decided she didn't want to speak to him today. 

Jay rushed to catch up, pulling on his oversized hoodie, Will's battered iPod in his hands. 

"Are you the one who's been stealing my shit?" She asked, looking at her boots on his feet. 

"We might die today," He responded, putting on the headphones. 

Kimber sharply exhaled, thinking how funny it would be to torture him with a long hike. 

She could see the footprints of the moth until it reached an open enough space to fly off. Her body cracked her knuckles as she got ready to walk that way until she ran out of woods to walk through. 

The sky got lighter as dawn approached and then it darkened with thick clouds. 

Kimber came to a stop when the trees turned to well-maintained grass and old stone statues. Jay looked around before going over to a statue slightly taller than him and insulting it.

"Who made this? A gorilla?" He pointed at its weathered face. 

"It kind of looks like you," Kimber joked. 

Jay pulled a knife out. "Take that back right now."

"Is that Dart's knife?"

Jay got shot in the chest and blood sprayed Kimber's face and body. He landed on the soft grass like a ragdoll. 

She turned her head to see a blonde man with a hunting rifle, dressed fancy enough to own the mansion behind him. He was aiming for her. 

Kimber yanked Jay's arm and dragged him back to the tree line, trying to get him to his feet when they reached cover. His new hair stuck to his face and he was very much in shock. 

"What the hell..?" He whimpered, wrinkling his face in pain. 

She pulled his arm over her shoulder and rushed deeper into the woods.