Project Aokigahara

Blake awakes to the sound of someone banging on her door. She had made the decision to stay up way too late the night before. Sitting up, she reaches for her water bottle on the nightstand and takes a huge galp flushing away the dryness in her throat. She grabs some fresh clothes and walks to the bathroom to get changed. When she meets her friends downstairs for breakfast just like she does every day, she notices that the cafeteria is less crowded than usual. Since it is the end of May, most of the students have gone home for the summer but Blake and her friends are taking one last trip before they all go back to their hometowns. Getting an amazing job for a travel magazine, Blake wants to impress her boss with a great first article about Aokigahara and Mount Fuji in Japan. Trudy, Blakes fest friend, is already sitting at the table halfway through an egg sandwich. Dylan and Holden arrive a few minutes later right on cue. Dylan is the average crazy outgoing girl who is friends with just about everyone and Holden is her large build, clueless boyfriend. Last to arrive is Wade, a small scrawny guy with short black curly hair. He places his backpack on the back of the chair and sits down. Resting his head on his arms, he groans from tiredness.

"I can't believe that we are all seniors in college," he said, turning to Blake, "remember when we met in preschool? We were such dorks." Blake and Wade had grown up together in a small town in Montana. Wade had always dreamed of being a director. He had directed plays in high school and is currently waiting to hear back from an internship he had applied for. Getting up, they cleared off the table and left for the airport.

"The plane leaves in about an hour," said Trudy as she scrambles to get all of her things together. They have been waiting to get through security for what seems like forever. Holden and Dylan both seem to be in their own world and Trudy is worrying herself to death about all the things that could go wrong. Taking out his camera, Wade starts taking pictures of the group.

When they finally get on the plane, Dylan, Holden, and Trudy are sitting together and in the row behind them is Blake and Wade.

"Would it be lame if I said I have never been on a plane before and I am kind of nervous?" Asked Wade as he was looking out the window at the wing.

"You will be fine," reinforced Blake as she snaps a picture of Wade's terrified face.

Arriving in Japan after a ten-hour flight and collecting their luggage, they met a taxi outside to take them to their hotel. Blake sat in the front while the others were squished in the back. They told the driver their location and off they went. They got to the hotel and dropped their things off in their room before going down to the restaurant attached to the lobby. Ordering the only thing on the menu that they could afford, they waited in silence for their food. Halfway through their dinner, Wade leaves to use the restroom and Holden goes with him. Trudy and Dylan begin to tease Blake about her relationship with Wade, wondering when one is going to ask out the other. After dinner, they head back to their rooms and getting a good night's sleep they wake up early to leave for Aokigahara.

Blake decides to wear a button up flannel and black leggings, she laces up her boots and begins to pack her bag full of all the supplies that they might need. She grabs a few flashlights with extra batteries, some rope, food, water, bug spray, and most importantly, her camera. Wade enters her room with his bag in one hand and sunglasses in the other. Putting them on, he urges Blake to hurry since they are about to leave. She braids her long black hair down the side and puts on her backpack. When they get outside, Holden and Dylan already have told the driver their plans.

"You really should not go there," he said with worry in his voice, "it is not safe."

"We are meeting a tour guide up there, he is the best of the best," said Holden as he began throwing their bags in the back.