Max's Mistake

Chapter Four

A/n: Okay, I may or may not have lied. THIS is the last chapter! I didn't feel very satisfied with the ending of chapter three, so here is the final chapter. 

  The campers reported to the counselors that they haven't spotted Daniel anywhere which they assumed was good. However, Gwen and David thought otherwise. "Everyone, to the camp!" Gwen ordered, watching the children run out to the camp. She looked at the red head and asked, "Can you walk without me to the camp?" 

  "I think I can. Hurry to the camp." David told her, starting to limp. "All I care about is the safety of the campers which includes Max." 

  Max had managed to escape Daniel about four consecutive times since he was caught in the cabin. He doesn't know how, but he's been blessing and cursing his small ten year old body for saving and getting him caught. He lost his hoodie because he was grabbed by the hood once so he ditched it to prevent the same thing happening again. "I'm giving you one last chance, Max!" Daniel's voice echoed once again. "Stop where you are now and I won't hurt anyone else here at this camp you hate so much!" he adds. As much as he hated the camp, killing the others was a whole other level. 

  "F**king psychopath." Max muttered the same phrase for the past minutes he was running for. He got to the peer and ended up at the very end of it. He stared at his reflection, a sweating and red faced boy in front of him. "Oh god, what am I doing?" he questioned. His legs left like gelatin, wobbling as he shook. Sweat dripped off his face, the obvious pit stain on his mustard yellow shirt under his arms. His throat was dry and itchy, begging for a small drip of water instead of sweat. Max looked behind him, expecting Daniel to be behind him. He found the area to be empty, but he reminded himself to start moving again if Daniel were to appear again. "Shouldn't they be back by now?" Max exclaimed. 

  "We're back!" he heard the energetic voice of the teal hair girl and quickly turned around. He never felt such joy in hearing that voice again. The other campers and the two counselors were walking to him, David limping because of the injury in his knee. He still felt guilty about shooting the arrow at the wrong David. 

  "Oh thank f**king god!" Max yelled out and jogged to the group. "What took you guys so d@mn?" he questioned, a small scowl forming on his face. 

  "David was being a baby on the way back here." Neil told Max, pointing to the red head.

  "Was not." David argued, a small glare. The campers-and Gwen-turned to look at him, giving him judgmental looks. 

  Max went to stuff his hands in his hoodie, feeling nothing around his exposed arms and hands. 'Right, my jacket got left behind.' he thought, putting his hands to his side. "Did you guys come across Daniel at all?" he inquires, raising an eyebrow.

  "Nope, which sort of worries me." Gwen admitted.

  "I hope he died while chasing me." Max muttered under his breath. 

  "Do you think he got attacked by the platypus?" Nikki asked, grinning at the thought of the cultist getting mauled by the mascot. 

  "I wouldn't be surprised." Neil replied, grinning along with her. 

  Gwen and David decided to give the kids a day to themselves and told them not to burn the camp down. David needed to rest and probably had to be taken to the hospital soon. There was no point in reminding the campers to keep an eye out for Daniel so they left to the counselors cabin. The campers ran off to do their own thing either at their camps or somewhere else; Max wanted a nap so he walked to his tent. He spotted Nurf carving a block of wood while Ered leaned against a wooden pole with her headphones blasting music. Neil and Nikki were close behind him, the teal haired girl blabbing about nature or something. "So, what're you two going to do?" he asks them, opening up his tent and letting the other two in. 

  "Roll in the mud or maybe mess around with the ants near my tent." Nikki told him. 

  "You wanna roast them with the magnifying glass?" Neil suggested, grabbing the mentioned tool from out of nowhere. Nikki's eyes glimmered in excitement and tried grabbing the magnifying glass from him. He pushes her away gently and looked at Max. "Wanna join us?" he asks.

  "Nah, you two go on ahead. I'm a little exhausted after what happened today." Max declined politely, laying on his cot and pulling the sheet over his small body. "Wake me up when it's time for dinner." he told them. He listens to the footsteps of his friends leaving the tent and the sound of shoes crunching on the dirt fades away. He can still hear Nikki's voice outside but luckily it's far enough that it doesn't bother him from resting. A part of him worries that Daniel will find him, sneak into the tent and stab him. He's not ready to die, not yet. Another part tries to reason with him, thinking that maybe he did get die or just gave up. "I hope." he mumbled and closed his eyes, focusing on Nikki and Neil's laughter to help soothe him. 'You're safe..'