"I went out back to take my smoke break, like I do everyday, and when I came back this," he said pointing at the thing was on the counter, "This was here."
Ash picked it up slowly.
COSMIC SUMMER BLOWOUT
The whole flyer looked like a unicorn puked on it. Bright neon splashes of color covered the entire paper, and behind it all was the abstract head of a wolf, it's face made up of different geometric shapes.
It was kind of beautiful.
"You called us all the way down here because you're going to a rave?" I accused, raising my brows.
His face turned suddenly, seriously, grim and he turned it over.
Someone had written in thick black letters:
I started to read aloud...
"Connor Obrien
Ash Caldersea
Sterling San-"
I paused to glance at him probingly. He wouldn't make eye contact so I continued.
"Marley Montgomery
RJ Stevens
Poppy Free this is just a list of our names." I snapped at him my patience waning.
"Keep going," Fern said without looking up
At the bottom of the flyer I noticed more words were written.
IF YOU DONT BRING THEM WE WILL FIND YOU
The words were ingrained in my head.
We will find you
"Who sent this?" I asked.
"How am I supposed to know?" He snapped a little too defensively.
"Woah just asking," I said.
"The security cameras don't even work in here," he said shuffling his feet.
This didn't make any sense, Fern sounded gravely agitated on the phone, but this was nothing to get worked up about.
A practical joke, the work of someone with an obsession for the "cool kids" and with too much time on their hands. But nothing more.
"It was probably just some stupid kids," I suggested flippantly.
He didn't answer.
Just then, two more cars pulled up, the rest of our friends got out, different states of exhaustion on their faces.
I had forgotten it was only 9.
Poppy looked absolutely enraged her red hair flying as she blew through the front door,"I swear to god Fern this better be good, I didn't get home until fucking 5 last night-"
He shoved the flyer into her hands. She took it perplexed and regarded it cautiously.
He repeated what he told us, their faces turned serious when they read the back.
"So how does this concern us?" Conner finally spoke up after a long bout of silence.
"What do you mean," Fern said looking up briefly from the paper.
"I mean, what part do we play in this. The flyer says that they, whoever they are, will only come looking for you," the rest of us stared at him, "I just mean, why should we all get involved in something that isn't our fault." He finished cooly.
"Connor!" Said Marley, surprised by his cold tone
"Fault?" I questioned glancing at him, my eyebrows furrowed "How is this Ferns fault?" No one answered me.
YOU ARE READING
s t a y d o w n d e e p
Teen Fiction"look at that sea girls-- all silver and shadow and vision of things not seen we couldn't enjoy its loveliness any more if we had millions of dollars and ropes of diamonds."
