The Forest

Chapter 8: Unclouded Day

MASON

"It's been two weeks. We've been building. Growing. So far we have built only shelter. But it can hold all of us. Outside the shelter we have one campfire where we all gather at night and talk. We've also built little food storage shed. Let's call it kitchen. I'm getting to know this people. Josh and Ed are doing fine now. Josh is gathering wood for building things and Ed is trying to fish. Not doing so well. Thankfully Ethan has built himself some tools that help him hunt. He sets up traps in the woods that he checks every morning, he catches something every day. Thanks to rope Bill had in his backpack, we were able to build tools and make our shelter stronger. He is also gathering wood right now. Sophia found out near by apple trees and collects apples there for most of the time. Meanwhile Callen and Zoey are looking for seeds that we can use to grow crops. Grace is always helping someone, trying to be useful as much as possible, and so does Oliver. Oliver and I spend most of our day trying to figure out what's the best thing to do next. What to build. Where to look. What to do. Tyler also helps sometimes, but avoids work for most of the time... things are getting better. We have food, shelter, water... but still no answers..."

"Hey Mason" -said Ethan.
"Hey Ethan" -said Mason.
"We brought enough material to start building workshop" -said Ethan.
"Okay. How's hunting going?" -said Mason.
"Very good. Squirrels and rabbits as usual" -said Ethan.
"Nice. Have you seen Oliver or Zoey?" -asked Mason.
"Zoey is with Bill and Oliver is in shelter currently" -said Ethan.
"Alright, thanks. Let's go get Oliver" -said Mason.
"What do we need him for? We gonna build it now?" -asked Ethan.
"No.... not really. I just figured out we take a day and look around you know" -said Mason.
"Getting to know the area" -said Ethan.
"Exactly" -said Mason.
Two of them walked inside the shelter.
"Oliver." -said Mason.
"What's up guys?" -asked Oliver.
"Nothing much, we just thought to look around a litte. Wanna come with us?" -asked Mason.
"Sure." -said Oliver.
"Where did you see Bill and Zoey?" -asked Mason.
"They were figuring something out about growing some crops, I don't know." -said Ethan.
Three of them then found Zoey and Bill.
"Hey!" -said Mason.
"Hey, what's up?" -asked Zoey.
"We are going for a walk and we wondered if you guys wanna join us?" -said Mason.
"I'd like to" -said Zoey.
"You Bill?" -asked Mason.
"Thanks, but I'll pass" -said Bill.
"Okay then. See you later Bill" -said Mason.

Mason, Ethan, Oliver and Zoey crossed the river and started looking around. After some time of walk they stopped to rest.
"We are going pretty far" -said Zoey.
"Don't worry, we'll be back before nightfall" -said Mason.
"I'm not worried about that" -said Zoey.
"Then about what?" -asked Mason.
"What if we get lost?" -asked Zoey.
"More lost than we are right now?" -asked Oliver and Mason laughed.
"Don't worry people, I know the way" -said Mason.
"Man knows the way"-said Zoey.
Ethan sat on the ground and said:
"Ah! Only good thing about our situation is that we get to spend so much time in nature"
"I suppose that's true" -said Mason who also sat down.
"Yes, it's wonderful out here" -said Zoey.
"Back in the world, people are always busy and in hurry, I think we should appriciate this time right here, this freedom" -said Mason.
"You guys have lost your minds, we've been kidnapped, probably drugged cause no one remembers anything, we don't know what's going on out here or where we are, and you are telling me it's free and wonderful?" -said Oliver.
They all laughed and Zoey said:
"Well there has to be little bit of irony in life"

Four of them were sitting and enjoying the sound of birds and insects as the wind blew through their hair.
Mason took a good look at triangle sign cut in his arm wondering about it for a moment and then shortly after, he looked up to the sky.
"It's a cloudless day today" -he said.
"Yes, it's very nice" -Zoey said.
It was calm and peaceful, everyone could simply lay down and relax.

After a while they got up and it was time to go.
They started walking back towards their camp when all of the sudden Oliver spotted an unknown man walking down the valley.
"Look" -said Oliver.
"He doesn't look like one of us" -said Ethan.
The man had black hoodie on.
"Let's get to him" -said Mason.
"He might know something, or even save us" -said Zoey.
Four of them ran down towards the unknown man, after few moments they reached him and man noticed them. He turned around and said.
"Are you here to rescue me?"
No one gave any response as they just stared at him.
"Please! I need help" -said the man.
Mason took a step forward and the man took a good look at him, he noticed the triangle sign on his hand and said.
"Oh... seems like I'm not the only one"
After few moments of silence Mason said:
"You're not"
"I was with my brother" -said the man.
"Your brother?" -asked Mason.
"Yes, we got separated, have you seen him?" -asked the man.
"No... no we didn't" -said Mason.
"Yes, I'm sorry" -said Zoey.
"Does anyone have any idea what's happening to us?" -asked the man.
"No... we don't" -said Mason.
"Listen, we have a camp, you can come back with us and we'll find the way out together" -said Zoey.
"A camp?" -confusedly asked the man.
"Yes, eleven of us is there" -said Mason.
"Eleven?" -confusedly asked the man.
"Yeah, you can come with us" -said Oliver.
"That sounds like a good idea" -said the man.
"I'm Mason by the way"
"I'm Zoey"
"Oliver"
"Hi, I'm Ethan"
"I'm Jeff, Jeff Stone. Nice to meet you" -said the man.

They all came back to the camp before the night and Jeff met the rest of the group. Soon after the night came and everyone was sitting around campfire as Jeff was telling his story.
"...I didn't remember anything at all... I just woke up there. The very next day I've found my brother, he didn't know what's going on either. We thought we crossed some bad people and this was their retaliation. But we realised that wasn't the case soon after as we found some weird things out there. Some creepy things. Then about week-week and a half ago the storm hit, it was night and we couldn't see anything, it was like we were blind bats in the forest. Hitting trees, disoriented, lost. The storm was just getting harder and louder through the night, thunder strikes were endless. I passed out, woke up later that day when it was all over, I don't know how long was I out, maybe hours, maybe days. But by the time I woke up my brother was gone. I looked around everywhere and couldn't find him, so I know he's alive and out there. I was looking for him for the past week or so" -Said Jeff.
"I'm sure we'll find your brother Jeff" -said Zoey.
"I don't remember any storm here" -said Bill as he was suspicious of Jeff's story.
"I've been walking for whole week, it probably wasn't in your area" -said Jeff.
"Yeah, probably" -said Oliver.
"You came a long way Jeff, you can rest in shelter tonight, I'll sleep here next to campfire" -said Mason.
"Thank you... for everything. You guys gave me food, water, shelter... I'm speachless" -said Jeff.
"We're all in this together now" -said Mason.
"Let's get some rest now people, we have work to do tomorrow" -said Bill.
"Good idea Bill" -said Ed and ran into the shelter.
After few minutes everyone was in except Mason, Zoey and Jeff.
"Thank you again for this. I'll go to sleep now, it could be a first proper sleep in a while" -said Jeff.
"Good night" -said Mason.
"Good night Jeff" -said Zoey.
Mason looked up to the sky and said:
"Look at this unclouded sky, the stars are so bright"
"These stars look like... someone rearranged them" -said Zoey.
"Like we are looking up to the sky from the another planet" -said Mason.
"Exactly" -said Zoey.
"Worst part is... the moon is missing" -said Mason.
"Ah, I'm getting tired as well, gonna get some sleep, good night Mason" -said Zoey.
"Good night" -said Mason.
Mason laid down and stared at the sky, thinking. Not long after everyone was asleep, lastly, Mason fell asleep too.

A harsh distant voice began to speak to him.
"Kill the demon Mason... kill the demon".