one by one.

-eighteen-

[A few hours earlier. Maya and Lucas are out in the forest still looking for Riley.]

The sun slowly begins disappearing behind the tops of the trees, turning the sky a beautiful mix of red and orange.

"It's going to get dark pretty soon. I think we should set up camp for the night and try to build a fire," Lucas says, as he falls behind Maya's urgent steps.

"We need to find Riley first," Maya quickly replies, as she continues down the river's side.

"We need light to find Riley," Lucas argues. "Plus we've been walking for hours, aren't your legs somewhat tired?"

"I don't remember the last time I wasn't tired," the blonde retorts, furthering the distance between the two.

"I'm not asking you to stop, Maya. I'm telling you to. We need to stop," Lucas yells, which causes the girl to freeze on the spot.

Maya throws her bag on the ground , and lies her head down on top of it. "I'm not helping you with your damn fire," she mutters.

Lucas lets out a small sigh. "Fine, but don't move," he says as he goes off to collect wood for the fire.

In a short time, Lucas had successfully started a fire and the night had turned the sky completely black, except for the dim light of the moon.

"You can come sit by the fire if you want," Lucas shouts to Maya, who had not moved since she had lied down. "Or you could just stay there and freeze to death," Lucas mumbles under his breath, poking at the fire with a stick.

A little time passes and Maya eventually becomes cold enough to force herself to sit by Lucas.

Lucas shoots her a sympathetic smile. "Hey."

Maya simply replies with a glare.

"What happened? Earlier today you were being at least somewhat nice to me, but now you're being a total bitch."

Maya glances across the fire towards Lucas. Her eyes then examine the ground until she finds a rock. In one swift movement she picks it up and hurls it at Lucas, hitting him in the stomach.

"Ow, shit! That fucking hurt, Maya!" Lucas yelps out in agony, as he hunches over in pain. The boy lets out a sigh. "I probably deserved that though," Lucas admits, as he sits back up.

"You think?" Maya laughs in disbelief that Lucas would even question that. "You've been an asshole ever since you started helping whoever is running this fucked up place."

"I know and I'm sorry about that. I never should have agreed to join them."

"Then why did you?" Maya asks.

"I don't know. I guess I was mad. I was mad at you and at Riley. Seeing you guys act like that out there and seeing your interview. I don't know- I guess I felt betrayed."

"My interview?" Maya asks with her eyebrows furrowed together. "Why would they show you that?"

"They showed me our answers to one of the questions that they asked all of us before they put us in the forest. Well not everyone's, just the three of us- you, me, and Riley," Lucas answers.

"What question?"

Lucas purses his lips together before replying. "If we were in love with anyone in the group."