The Dark Side

Chapter 10 - Snow Top

Jake told us that the creature that destroyed the camp and chased us earlier on is called the IX. It is most feared among everyone and I agree with them. Over the past week, we've been living our lives on the run from it. As soon as we feel the slightest vibration from the ground, we pack up and leave that camping spot.

"I'm gonna get some firewood." I say from the tent, as I leave it. Jake and Drew glance at each other. I swear they are glaring at each other.

"I can, Jess." Drew says, standing up from beside the fire.

"Are you sure? Cause, I totally can do it myself." I say quickly.

"Yeah. It's fine." He confirms, smiling at me. I return the smile and nod.

"Be careful." I say.

"I will." He says and makes his way out of the campsite.

I grab a piece of beef jerky and begin eating it, "I was saving that for later." Jake says, as I finish.

"Too bad." I say and flash a smile, flicking my hair over my shoulder.

"I was gonna give you the last piece of squirrel meat." He says, turning his head away and raising an eyebrow.

"What? Wait, really?" I exclaim and kneel down once more, rummaging through the dark grey bag, only to find nothing. I hear Jake chuckle a bit. I get up and walk over to him, punching him on the shoulder roughly, "I hate you so much." I mumble, before laughing quietly.

He stands and wraps his arms around my waist, pulling me down onto the snow and trapping me beneath him.

"Jake! Get. Off!" I exclaim, laughing my head off.

"Why?" He asks as if he's done nothing wrong.

"Stop!" I say, lengthening the 'o'.

"Okay, okay." He laughs and hops off of me, helping me up. I shove him, hard, and run away from him, around the tent. He chases me around it, both of us laughing.

After a bit, he catches me and we both stumble backwards, falling back on the ground, me on top of him, I hold myself up with my hands against his chest so our faces aren't so close to each other. My knees rest on either side of him, "Guess you're falling for me already." He chuckles. I don't say anything.

"Uh... I got the firewood." I hear Drew say, behind us.

My eyes widen and I quickly stand up, Jake standing up beside me.

"Did you get the firewood?" I ask him.

"I just said-"

"Cool! Great!" I say and quickly slip into my tent, "I'm having an early night! Goodnight!" I shout from inside as I lay down.

"Uh, okay." The boys say slowly.

I sigh and sit on my black sleeping bag. I leave my jacket on because of the freezing air. It is a bit warmer in here, but not enough. I quietly lay down and listen to the sound of the boys talking. I don't mean to eavesdrop, but I can't help listening to their conversation.

"So..." Jake says, awkwardly.

"You two do anything together? I was only gone for a while." I hear Drew ask quietly, as if hoping I don't hear.

"Yeah actually." I hear Jake confirm, without thought.

"I... heard her yelling out and..." Drew trails off, "What did you do?" He asks quickly.

"Dude, what is your problem?" Jake exclaims.

"I just- I don't know!" I hear footsteps leading around the tent and towards the fire.

"Wait a second, can I ask you something?" Jake asks and I hear him walk around the tent at a faster pace. I hear them mumbling to each other a bit.

What is with those two? First, they hated each other. But now they're doing this whole 'hey-lemme-speak-to-you-in-a-shifty-conversation-that-Jessica-can't-hear' kind of thing. Wait, maybe they didn't want me to hear... Oh well! What's done is done.

I sigh and turn over to face the flimsy wall of the tent and shut my eyes.

~-*-~

"Jess." I hear a quiet voice. My eyelids snap open and I sit up quickly.

"Are they already here?" I ask quickly, my voice cracking from exhaustion.

"No, but Jake wants to keep moving." So it's Drew.

"Ugh. Why?" I rub my eyes. I hear him chuckle quietly.

"C'mon." He says and leaves the tent.

I groan and get out of my sleeping bag.

Once I'm finally ready, we put out the fire and take down the tent. The tent is packed into the large bag that Jake settles on his horse, Twilight.

I walk over to Drew's horse that he is already seated on and he helps me up, behind him. Then we keep moving at a trotting pace, Jake being a bit further ahead.

But, of course, the snow begins to fall. I unwrap my arms from around Drew and I reach my arms out, trying to catch some snow.

"That won't work." I hear Drew laugh quietly. I look at him, his head is turned slightly in my direction.

"I know." I cross my arms.

After a while of constant crunching of compact snow from beneath the horses hooves, I begin to get bored.

"Drew." I lengthen the 'e'.

"Yeah." Drew says lengthening the word.

"I'm bored." I continue, lengthening the 'o'.

"Gosh, you two are annoying." Jake mutters quietly.

"Why thank you." Me and Drew say in sync.

"Jinx!" I shout before Drew.

We're left in a comfortable silence. The sun seeping through the thin forestry around us, as light snowflakes fall one-by-one. I look down at Drew's horse, "Do you even know what to name him?" I ask Drew.

"Actually, I haven't thought about that yet." He realises, turning a bit in the saddle to face me.

I look around, trying to think of a name. Then, my eyes land on the snowflakes atop Drew's head. There are quiet a few snowflakes, but they blend in really well with his white-dyed hair, "Oh! I know! What about Snow Top?" I exclaim.

Drew chuckles, "Is there really snow in my hair?"

"Hm..." I mumble as if thinking, "I can't tell. Is there?"

He turns forward, before dropping his head back and throwing all of the snow on me from atop his head. Which, might I say, is a lot more than I thought, "DREW!" I shout and punch his arm. Jake turns to look at what the hell we are doing and starts chuckling quietly, with Drew. "Not. Funny." I say sternly, before I burst out laughing myself. I look in my lap to see quiet a bit of snow, but an idea pops into my head.

I gather up as much of the snow in my lap as possible and shove it down the back of Drew's jacket, in his shirt, "Ah! Jessica! No!" He yells quickly, and uses one hand to empty his shirt of all the snow, while I sit there laughing, "You are pure evil." He says.

"You started it, by putting it all over me." I object.

"You called me Snow Top." Drew says, holding the horses reins with both hands.

"Can your horse be called Snow Top?" I then ask, excitedly.

Drew sighs and runs a hand through his hair, as if making sure there is definitely no more snow, "Fine."

"Yes!" I exclaim, causing him and Jake to laugh.

"You'll pay for this though." He adds quickly.

~-*-~