Survival Games

Night #8- Suspense is Rising

Nikki awoke from a nightmare in a cold sweat and shivering. She rolled over, seeing Vanessa and her friends safely beside her, and sighed. She frowned, still convinced she was going to die.. soon.

"What are you doing up at this hour?" Ash spoke.

"Same to you." Nikki said. "I dunno, I've just been thinking about some things."

"I'm on night patrol, remeber."

"Oh yeah."

"Go back to sleep, Nikki."

"I can't."

"Can't what? Why not? Just close your eyes, you baby!" Ash laughed.

"Be quiet, something's wrong."

"What?" Ash said in a loud laughter.

"Shh!

Ash cracked up into loud laughter,
And somebody dragged him into the darkness and everything went silent. Nothing to be seen or heard, Nikki layed there, drowning in her fear.

"N-Nikki!" Ash cried out, but she was the only one who had seen the terrible sight- and everything was silent... again.

Nikki panicked, rolled over and squinted her eyes shut, pretending this was only a dream. A nightmare.

Vanessa soon awoke to Nikki's heavy breaths and sat up.

"Nikki, are you okay?"

"A-Ash.." Nikki replied shakily.

Vanessa looked around. "What? What about him?"

"He's- He's gone."

Vanessa's eyes widened in shock, and it seemed like she wanted to cry, but she held her emotions in.

"Are you sure?" She squeaked.

Nikki nodded. "I'm sure.."

Vanessa bit her lip and called his name. "Ash!"

Nikki threw a hand over Vanessa's mouth. "Quiet! They are here.."

Vanessa tore away her hand. "Who's here? Your making no sense! We need to save him! Come on now, Nikki!"

"Its to late.." Nikki said, not taking her gaze away from the darkness. "He's long gone."

"What? You're making no sense!" Vanessa shot back.

"The Nighthowlers have him!" Nikki yelled at Vanessa.

Vanessa looked at Nikki.

Nikki looked at Vanessa. "Be quiet, or they'll take us too.." Nikki whispered.

"What the hell are Nighthowlers?!" Vanessa angrily said.

"Follow me. Make a sound, and you're dead." Nikki warned.

~~

"Oh my god! Is that Ash?" Vanessa asked with wide eyes.

Nikki peered from above the tree. "Yes, that's him.."

Ash was completely torn apart, his clothes shredded and ripped, his body dripping with fresh blood, and demonic, black, wolf like creatures snarling around him.

Vanessa put a hand over her mouth and stared.

"We should get away. It's dangerous here." Nikki said, not taking her eyes off of the wolf like creatures.

"O-Okay." Vanessa said shaky, still in shock from Ash's body. She moved quickly, pushing the past behind her.

"Hey, what are you guys doing?"

Vanessa and Nikki dropped to the floor and crouched. "Who was that?" Nikki whispered to her.

Vanessa shrugged and held a finger to her lips.

"Hey!"

Jackson said, stepping out from behind a bush. "Get the hell out of here!" He yelled.

"Huh?" Vanessa said.

"Get going!" He hissed.

He threatened the girls which made them run off. Jackson stayed by the Nighthowlers. Suspicion crossed Nikki's mind.

·

Moments later, Nikki and Vanessa were in their leafy bed.

"We'll talk in the morning, sleep tight." Vanessa said.

Nikki nodded, "Dont let the bed bugs bite." She smiled.

They both dosed off to sleep. But, Nikki couldn't stop thinking about him.. about Max. Well, she had other things to think about, but the blond haired boy almost always crossed her mind.

She remembered his death and closed her eyes in anger. Ms. Eller was a monster, a huge, black hearted one.

~~

"I can't s-sleep." Vanessa said to Diego, who pulled her into a hug.

"It's okay." Diego soothed, treating her like a child.

Vanessa smiled," Nikki's asleep. "

Nikki was wide awake. She heard this whole conversation between the two.

Her mind wandered on, though. The more people she thought about, the more she felt sad. But the people that crossed her mind the most were Stella and Jack. Jack she missed. And the hole in her heart could never be replaced for Stella. Dear Stella. And she loved Jack, more than Max, but she feared she wouldn't ever see him again.

Vanessa felt the same about George, she was scared one day she wouldn't be at school and not able to see his eyes.

A small tear slid down Nikki's cheek. She pushed away the land thoughts and decided to get some sleep. That didn't work. Memories crossed her mind like photos on a camera.

She remembered when she kissed Max and felt ashamed.

Remembered when she killed people.

Remembered when Max and her were sitting by the fire.

Remembered about the kitten she met... the kitten!

Nikki stood up and spun around, her heart sinking into her stomach as she found the bad... empty. But a soft meow lured her to the Bush, and there she found the little kitten curled up in a tight ball.

Nikki sighed in relief and petted the cat. She snuggled her and layed with her until the very end of the night. That cat made her feel happy. It made her feel special.