Darkness of the Woods

Chapter 25

Elfrida

It took her the rest of the night to bury Rose. Audrey had told her where she was. At the circular clearing. That spot was defiantly getting some bad vibes for being a scene for several murders, or an accident, in the case of Rose. She doesn't know why Audrey would ever talk her cousin her to talk, but maybe it was Rose's idea.

Elfrida sighed. Poor Rose, she died young. And poor Audrey for accidently doing it. It was a lot harder than it looked to dig a grave. But she did it. And placed a large stone at the head of it to identify it later. She figured Audrey would want to visit it later on in time.

When she finally made it back to the room, the sun was just starting to come out, and she had dirt all over her. On her way there she ran into Chase just heading to bed. "What happened to you?" He asked raising an eyebrow.

"Don't ask." Elfrida grunted.

"It looks like you were rolling around in dirt." He ignored her glare. "Come on what could you possibly be doing that would cause you to be this dirty." He gasped. "I know," Elfrida looked warily at him, worried what he might say, "you were wrestling another girl for having the hots for me."

Elfrida let go the breath she was holding, glad that he didn't know. "And what girl in her right mind would like you?"

He smiled broadly at her. "Why you of course. Everyone knows how much you're dying to get in these pants." He sniffed indignantly. "But nope that's not going to happen. I won't allow it. I won't allow you to use me for my good looks."

Elfrida rolled her eyes, but a grin was tugging at the corner of her mouth. "There! You see! I made you smile!" he shouted with triumph, clapping himself on the back. "Now my next goal, getting you to say yes to dinner on Saturday."

"I don't see that happening, since I have a boyfriend." She said, sounding oddly a bit sad about it.

"Dump him."

"What."

"Dump him, come on, I don't see him here. He doesn't seem to really care enough to be here with you." Chase said, putting his arm around Elfrida. "Then you can go to dinner with me."

Elfrida shrugged off his arm, "Yeah, not happening."

"Things change, there's no telling what will happen in the future." He said rather seriously.

That statement is truer than he realizes. Or even Elfrida fully realized at the time. Chase walked her the rest of the way to the room. Not something she would have expected from him. But he did, and then he tried to go into her room. Elfrida moved in front of him, but instead of stopping right away, he stopped in her personal zone. Her chin almost touching his chest.

Her breath caught.

She stared at his shirt, his muscles were showing through his shirt. It was quiet for a moment, he didn't say anything, and neither did she. Elfrida refused to look up into his eyes, and licked her lips. She cleared throat and said. "I can't let you in."

"And why is that." He said, moving his head closer to hers.

She cleared her throat again. "There's someone already in there. A friend. Audrey."

He backed away, the mood ruined at the sound of her name. Chase turned away, then turned back to her, his expression guarded. "You know, you should stay away from Audrey and her followers. Their bad news."

"That's what she told me about you."

He gave her a roguish smile. Then he backed away, "I'm serious, you do know that. About Audrey and them. Stay away from them."

"Anything else you're serious about?" Elfrida asked, hoping for something she shouldn't be hoping for.

"You." And with that he was gone.

Elfrida breathed out the breath she had held, and opened the door, only to find Audrey standing right there. Giving her an accusing look. "Really. Now of all times. You have someone already. We have a job to do. Nothing else. And we just lost someone of our own." Her voice broke at that.

"I know," she said softly, then more firmly, "I know."

Audrey looked like she was going to go on, but instead she seemed to let it go....for now. "We need to take the school, like, right now. No more waiting. No more planning. We need to just get rid of them all now."

"Audrey, we aren't ready yet. We just need a few more days. At least. And there's still a traitor in our family. We are no closer to figure out who it is, let alone catch him or her." Elfrida said reaching towards her best friend, but Audrey backed away.

"Who cares? They caused Rose's death. If it weren't for them, she would still be alive." Audrey started toward the door.

"Audrey wait." Elfrida moved toward her again.

"No." Audrey paused in front of the door. "I'm done waiting. You are either with me or against me on this."

She walked through the door, but before she closed it, Elfrida said. "Of course I'm with you. For the cause and for Rose."

"For Rose." She sounded sad when she said it. Audrey sent her a thankful glance and left. And finally Elfrida was alone.