Lost in Forks

Chapter 7

(May 10, 2006)

The next day at school, Aurora couldn't shake the feeling that something was off.

The figure in the forest couldn't just been a trick of the light—it felt real. And now, with the legends of the wolves and vampires fresh in her mind, Aurora couldn't stop wondering if there was a connection between the things she had read about and what she had seen.

-

During lunch, Vanessa, Gabriel, and Aurora went to their usual table, the cafeteria buzzing around them. Vanessa was bouncing her leg restlessly, clearly eager to get back to their research.

"So, are we doing this today?" Vanessa asked. "I don't know about you, but I'm itching to figure this out."

Gabriel leaned back in his chair, a half-smile on his face. "This is some weird stuff we're diving into. But I'll play along if it means I can keep my eyes open for whatever's really going on around here."

Aurora nodded. "Yeah, I think we need to do more than just read about it. We need to see it for ourselves. Those attacks... the stuff I've been reading about the Cold Ones..." She trailed off, uncertain how to tell her suspicions without sounding completely insane.

"I get it," Vanessa said. "The more I think about it, the more it seems like there's something to the legends. What if those wild animal attacks are connected to what we've been hearing about? What if it's not just a wolf we're dealing with?"

Aurora glanced out of the cafeteria windows, her eyes drawn to the forest.

Something about them wants her to unravel whatever secret they held.

"We need to go out there," Aurora said suddenly.

Vanessa raised an eyebrow. "You mean, like right now?"

Gabriel sighed. "I guess so. Let's just make sure we don't end up in some horror movie scenario, okay?"

-

After school, Gabriel drove them to a location just outside Forks, near a hiking trail that wound through the forest.

They weren't sure what they were looking for, but something told them that this was the place where answers could be found.

As they parked Gabriel's car and got out, silence settled over the group. The wind rustled through the trees, but there was nothing other than that.

No birds, no movement.

"I've got a bad feeling about this," Gabriel muttered, crossing his arms. "This place... doesn't feel right."

"Don't be such a baby," Vanessa teased. She, too, seemed on edge tho. "We're just looking for some answers."

Aurora's heart was racing. She had no idea what she expected to find, but the anticipation was almost unbearable.

They walked along the trail, their footsteps muffled by the pine needles beneath them.

Suddenly, a sharp sound—a crack, like a twig breaking—echoed through the trees, freezing them in place.

Aurora held her breath, her pulse pounding in her ears. "Did you hear that?"

Vanessa looked around, her eyes wide. "There's something out there..."

Before anyone could respond, a figure stepped out from behind a tree.

It was Finn.

——

VERYYY SHORT CHAPTER!! What will happen next? 🫢