Evolutionize

Chapter VI

"I'm not in the mood to stand around and do nothing." Lucas said, snapping at the surprised group of boys. "I'm going for a walk!"

The forest was a symphony that day. Birds called, animals chattered and eaves whispered in the light wind, the snow had melted but the ground had stayed frozen. But that didn't stop Lucas from hearing a twig snap. He paused, and then, without turning around, he said, "Seriously Corey, you have the worst presence."

"Aww." Corey moaned. "What gave me away?"

Lucas grinned and turned to face him, "You're way loud." Corey pouted, but then Lucas turned serious. "But dude, what are you doing out here? I kind of wanted to be alone."

"I knew that," Corey answered, "That's exactly why I followed you." Lucas sighed wearily. Corey looked ahead. He was silent for a moment. "You've been acting differently." Corey said quietly. "You and everyone else."

Lucas frowned at this statement. "What do you mean by that?"

Corey ran a hand through his blond hair. He always reminded Lucas of that little girl that he had become friends with when he was imprisoned not too far from here. Too close for comfort.

"I don't know," Corey muttered, "exactly what it is. But it seems like you guys are so serious now-" Corey paused, "Almost like you've got the whole world on your shoulders or something."

Lucas smiled. "I do," he said. "I have to take care of you don't I?" he punched the boy playfully in the shoulder. "

"Oh, shut up." Corey grinned.

~

The two boys trekked through the forest. "Wait." Lucas stopped mid-step. "Do you hear that?" Something whimpered slightly. Corey turned toward the sound, muscles tensed. He turned and found the source of the pathetic sound. A small figure was bundled in the roots of a tree. "Lucas. Look, it's a girl."

Her breathing was shallow and she was ghastly pale. Dark crimson blood trickled in tiny rivulets down her neck from two identical wounds.

"She's been bitten."

~

Daisy wandered around the forest aimlessly, as she had all through the night, she couldn't find tracks or a scent of anything, not even on her GPS tracker and eventually she was forced to return empty-handed to the other girls, who had settled in a clearing with a large tent.

"I can't believe you didn't find her earlier." Lillian muttered.

"Cheer up, Buttercup," Noelle said, who had just rejoined the trio from searching for firewood. "We'll get our Sera back." She awkwardly patted her new friend on the back.

Momo frowned. "Even so, I can't really shake the feeling-"

"That you're being watched? My, how peculiar."