Fire Scarred

Chapter Four

     It was Saturday. Exactly one week until the game night. I was bored. It was cloudy out. The metallic smell of rain told me of the day's later precipitation. I sighed as I stood on the porch. Mom and Dad had to go to their office earlier that morning, leaving me alone to my own devices. I was thinking about going back inside to sleep the day away when my phone vibrated causing me to jump.

      Come over? Josh is getting Georgia and Ray to come too. Don't leave me alone with them!

     I smiled down at Noah's text. He never wanted to be alone with Josh and the girls. He claimed that they began to play Truth or Dare without me there to stop them. I detested that game. It always ended with someone's feelings hurt and someone throwing up. Always.

     I texted back that I'd be there in ten, then went inside to get dressed. Just as I was opening the door, I felt that creepy tingly feeling I got when being watched. I looked around, shivering, and found nothing. When I felt like it was all clear, let myself inside.

     The clothes scattered around my room gave me easy access to anything from my closet. I threw on some jeans and my gray tank top. After putting my hair up in a ponytail and doing the minimum amount of makeup possible that still made me look okay (mascara and a dash of cover-up here and there), I pulled on my sweat shirt. Grabbing my phone, I walked out the cabin. I followed the twisting path to the clearing where the Hall laid. On the edge of the clearing, slightly nestled back into the trees, the girls' cabins stood. I followed a path to my right that led away into the trees where the boys' cabins were. The wind slapped my hair against my face in the most annoying way. Finally, frustration built to the peak, I raised my voice to the wind, "Just stop already!" To my surprise the wind died down. "Thank you."

     The path turned up ahead and I found myself stumbling into another smaller clearing with cabins once again dotting the perimeter. Noah's and Josh's shared cabin was the first on the left that was edged slightly more into the trees than the others. The feeling of eyes on my back came again. I hurried up the steps onto the porch and let myself into their litchen room, modeled just like the girls'.

     "Hey," I awkwardly waved by the door. Josh, Raylynn, Georgia, and Noah were sitting in a circle. I could only assume they were already playing Truth or Dare by the way Ray's mouth froze in the middle of her sentence and her doe-eyes grew even bigger.

     "Finally! My savior!"Noah jumped up. "I'm done playing. Cor's here."

     Georgia and Ray shared a sigh. "Okay," Georgia said disappointed her favorite game had been ended.

     I shrugged. "Sorry."

     "Don't apologize," Josh said as he spread himself on the couch. "Those two were getting graphic."

     I looked at Georgia and Ray. "What where y'all saying?"

     "Josh thought we couldn't be perverted," Raylynn said simply. "I think we proved him wrong."

     "Uh, okay?"

     "So, what do y'all wanna do now?" Noah asked pulling me along behind him to sit on the floor and lean against the couch like we always do.

     "I don't know. Movie?" Ray suggested.

     Halfway through the first Lord of the Rings, I had to get up and go to the restroom. For two boys' bathroom, Josh and Noah kept it pretty clean. I actually didn't feel like I was going to puke or have my immune system at war with the universe. It was strange, but I didn't question it. I was just thankful. As I washed my hands, I heard something outside the window. I got on my tiptoes and peered out at the forest. A quick movement caught my eye, but it was gone before I could comprehend what it was. Curiouser and curiouser. I walked from the bathroom and joined the others.