Surviving Camp Cedar

Chapter Seventeen

Elsa followed Rapunzel through the woods, trying hard to keep her comments to herself. Frankly, she had no idea where they were going and she didn't know how Rapunzel seemed to think she did. She lead them around for hours, and nothing and no one came up. Even Flynn seemed to be re-thinking their situation. Elsa sighed for what seemed like the thousandth time.

"Where are we going?" She asked, trying to keep her tone light. It wasn't really anything against Rapunzel, but Elsa was stressing herself to the core with worry and guilt about Jack. Where had he gone? What could she have done to help him? 

"We have to find the clearing. Trust me, there will be a clue or something there, that's how they work." Rapunzel replied. She seemed too sure of herself, so entirely undoubtful. It made Elsa curious how she knew so much. 

"And by they you mean?" Elsa pressed, wanting information- fast.

"Witches." Rapunzel scoffed, like it was obvious. She swung her long hair over her shoulder, shaking her head slightly at the other girl's obliviousness. How could Elsa Andersen, the camp goddess, not know everything about everyone at every given time? It didn't seem to stay constant with the things Rapunzel had been told already. She noticed that, though they had been walking for the last hour, Flynn had barely spoken. It almost made her angry how little he had to say and how he didn't seem to want to defend her around the white-blonde intruder/

"Right, and how do we know they're witches?" Elsa asked, her tone coming out as if she were talking to a child. Elsa didn't know what was wrong with her; she knew Ursula was a witch and yet she refused to listen to anything Rapunzel had to say. All she wanted was Jack, safe and sound and normal again, even if that meant he never wanted to speak to her again. All of this was her fault, and she knew she couldn't escape that.

"Maybe you should answer that, Ice Queen." Rapunzel retorted, her tone razor sharp and her voice colder than any ice Elsa had ever whipped up.

"Hey, now, girls. LEt's calm down. We barely know each other." Flynn finally stepped in, through with the bickering and back and forth of the two girls. With his statement came the realization that he barely knew Rapunzel, as well. Sure, they were close and they had fun together, but he didn't know the simplest things about her. What was her favorite color? Her biggest fears? What was her middle name, for God's sake? He let out a deep breath.

"Well, that's true. I'm Elsa Andersen, princess of Arendelle. I'm almost 16 years old and I have one sister, named Anna. She's 13. My favorite color is blue." Elsa spoke up, an introduction she had learned by heart. It was how she had always met new people, breaking the ice and giving a little background on herself. It usually worked.

Though she would really rather not get to know the other girl, Rapunzel knew she didn't have a choice at this point. It irritated her how Flynn said they barely knew each other; he knew her better than her own mother did!  Puffing out air angrily, she spoke.

"I'm Rapunzel. 15. Only child. My favorite color is purple and Flynn is my boyfriend." She added the last bit in so that Elsa knew exactly which lines not to cross.

"Right, and I'm Flynn. I'm 17. I have one sister named Lily. My favorite color is green," Flynn chimed in, his eyes meeting Rapunzel's as he said the last bit. The color of her eyes was his favorite thing in the world, the sparkling olive tones in them making it so easy to get lost in them and be unable to find his way out. The fact that she had added in the bit about him being her boyfriend both confused and excited him, though he didn't know anyone in camp who hadn't figured out they were together yet. As the silence slowly turned awkward, Rapunzel spoke again.

"Aha! Here it is, the clearing!" She cried, darting ahead in a good size clearing. There was a single chair sitting in the middle, a burnt out fire pit in front of it. He could see that someone had been here recently, from the smoky smell in the area.

"What's this?" Elsa asked, picking up a piece of paper from the seat of the chair. "It says something..." She unfolded it, taking in the words like they were her only lifeline. In a way, they were; if she didn't save Jack, she would never forgive herself.

"It says," Rapunzel spoke as she lightly snatched the paper from Elsa's shaking hands, "time is ticking." She spoke slowly as her eyes scanned the words. That was it, that three word, cynical response. Nothing was left, not a single hint. There was nothing there except the burnt out fireplace and three very disappointed travelers.

"That's it?" Flynn asked, disappointedly scanning the area. He didn't see why, if they liked playing games so much, they hadn't left anything more. There was nothing in the area to suggest what to do next.

"Look!" Elsa shrieked as the fire pit suddenly burst into bright green flames. None of the three had ever seen such a strange sight, and all of them jumped back when the fire seemed to open and spit something out. A tent and some supplies came out, followed by the voice of a woman none of them had ever heard before.

"Please, save him, you don't have a lot of time. Head east." It spoke, a voice so pure and full of innocence that they had no option but to believe it. If voices were food, hers would have been spun sugar on a carnival cone, sweetly ordering them in the right direction.

"Well, what are we waiting for?" Flynn asked, clapping his hands together.

***

Jack exhaled again, cracking his knuckles and continuing to pace aroudn the small cell. The light was fading again, though it seemed like not long ago it had risen. He didn't think he had been in here a full day already, and absently wondered if the lighting was only changing to unnerve him and mess with his morale. Someone had to be coming for him, why else would he have heard those footsteps following after him as he disappeared? It wouldn't make sense any other way.

The girl's voice, there had been so much care in it. He didn't know who had called for him, but someone wanted him safe so badly. It was obvious in her voice that she would try to save him. Had it been Elsa? He plopped onto the cot again.

Elsa. He couldn't deny the truth; he still loved her. No matter what she had done to him, she was still the same girl he had shared fries and his deepest fears with. Her delicate fingers had flipped the pages of his favorite book, her plump lips speaking the intelligent response he had so long craved. She was his dream girl, and even if she had caused this there was no denying his devotion to her. IT disgusted him.

There was another girl, too, one he had met a few times. He didn't have the same feelings for her that he did Elsa, obviously, but something deep within him was shouting her name. Had she been the one calling his name? Rapunzel, with her long curtain of blonde hair and her unbridled kindness would be a fitting character to fill the confusing void, but had it been her?

Then there was Mia, his only girl friend. She cared about him, in a humorous and slightly odd way. She always wanted to help, was always eager to be around... It could very well have been her trying to save him.

Yet, he thought, it could just have been his imagination. Or a trick, played by his three cruel captors. Give him hope, hope that someone was on their way to save him that very moment, as he sat alone and afraid in his cell. 

He looked desperately around him for an exit, though he had scoured every inch of the small cave and found none. All he wanted was an escape, a route to take him away from the fear of this little room. It was nothing short of unmanly, being terrified of three teenage girls, but he knew. Jack knew that these were not ordinary teenagers. They had something different about them, something so evil and malevolent in their very cores. He knew he wasn't getting out of here without help.

"Elsa," he whispered, desperation and loneliness bringing him to near insanity, "Elsa, if you hear me, somewhere, please help me." He begged her, knowing that it was pointless. He knew she wouldn't hear him, but against his better judgment he hoped anyway.

***

Hey, guys! It's me, Kate, the author. I don't usually post author's notes, so I'm sorry. But if you could check out the story "He's Just Henry" by unabundant-katherine, it would mean a lot! Thanks, please vote & comment. <3 xox