Number 7

Five

I hadn't managed to eat breakfast without multiple glares from Liam whenever I passed him, no matter how hard I tried to avoid him. We were about to set out for the next game, and the Indigo Team, my new team, were very excited. I climbed the tree I'd slept in last night, and took my backpack off the smaller branch I had hooked it to. I took it off when I heard a voice I hadn't heard since yesterday morning.
"Oi! Get out of my tree!" Elle yelled from above me. I looked up to see her, confused. She leaped down right next to me.

"You!" She looked slightly shocked.
"Yea, me." I looked down and laughed. She didn't even know my name. "My name is Josh."
"No duh!" She exclaimed. "Why did you do it?"
"Do what?"
"Why did you kill Cal's cousin?" She said, as if I should have known it. Although, I guess I should have known, since that's all Cal would say last night. I felt another flare of sadness. I looked away, refusing to cry.

"Why does everyone think I did it? Heck, I didn't even know he was dead until Cal screamed it at me last night."
"Sure you do," she said sarcastically. "Look, I thought you were ok before, but never come in my tree again. Never go near me. I don't want to be friends with a murderer, especially not one who doesn't admit the obvious." She spoke harshly and went to go away. I pulled her back with a firm grip.
"No. Stop. You don't know me. I didn't kill anyone. Dave was my friend, And I'd appreciate it if you'd stop with all this."
She turned away. "Just shut up." She turned back one more time before leaving.
"Did you see Dave killed?" I asked harshly.
"No, but it's obvious he's dead. There's a grave for him near the beach." She looked ready to choke me.
"I'm not denying that he's dead. All I'm saying is that I didn't kill him. I didn't." I stopped, afraid my voice would crack as I tried to stem the tears.
"You're not lying." It was a statement, not a fact.
"Of course not." I looked down.
"Fine. Whatever. Even if you didn't kill him, he's dead. There's something about this I don't like. Just go and win the flag for us."
"Does this mean I can sleep in the tree?" I said, trying to lighten the mood.

She groaned and rolled her eyes. "You're unbelievable." She ran off into the bush without another word, leaving me confused.
I shook my head and slung the backpack over both shoulders.
I ran around to the beach. I was going to get this straight today with Cal, no matter what he thought of me. And Darcy. I snuck to where I knew Cal always ran through, keeping to the bushes. No one came this way except him, and it was a perfect spot for Cal to sneak up on the Indigo base.
Or for me to sneak up on him.

I dived into the prickly bushes as soon as I saw a pair of familiar sneakers. Cal's sneakers. I waited for them to pass me, but it was excruciating, knowing that if Cal looked down, I'd be dead meat. He finally went out of sight, around me, and I sprung from my hiding place, hands out stretched to tackle him.

They never made it. I felt myself pulled from the ground as soon as I'd let out from the bushes. One hand gripping my shirt, the other drawn behind him in a poised fist, Cal looked like he could kill me at any moment. I struggled with my collar to pull it away enough to breathe easier, but it was no use. I forced air down my lungs.
"Come here to kill me?" He hissed. "Because if anyone is leaving here alive, it's me. Got it?"
"Ok, seriously Cal. I didn't kill Dave, let alone anyone. He was my friend too, remember?"

I expected him to punch me or hit me, but instead, to my surprise, lowered me back in my feet.
"Look, I know, ok?" He puffed. "I know you would never do anything like that. It's just, everyone says they saw you."
"Well, I have no idea how they did. I was unconscious, so unless I'm a sleep killer, it can't have been me." I tried to lighten the mood. I failed miserably.
"I know Josh, I know," he started crying. "But someone killed him. Someone did. He had freaking holes in his head from where they stabbed him!" His face was contorted in a mess of tears and pure anguish. "They, they just left him on the beach to die!" He looked up, apparently having composed himself enough to get up. "And when I find out who it was, up they are going to wish that the Ghosts got them instead." His whole body was tense with rage now.

"Wait!" I said. "That's just it!" An absurd, yet possibly good idea popped into my head. "The Ghosts will take the killer away to teach him a lesson we just have to find the missing person!" I almost scared myself with how excited I seemed at the idea.
"Yea..." Cal stood up fully, looking at me. "And when they get back, they're gonna feel the most pain they ever have in their life."

He smiled. Smiled.

I reeled back. "Wait. You're not going to kill him, are you?" Cal was acting different.
He was beginning to act like the murderer. "You can't, Cal. What he did was disgusting, but killing them won't make anything better."
"Oh, I won't kill them. But I'll make them wish they were dead."

And with that, he ran away in the direction of the Indigo base. I sprinted to the Cyan team's flag, just running to block out the image of Cal's face as he ran in the direction of my new team. His brown eyes were twisted in sick laughter, his mouth straight, slightly curving at the ends. Not a good smile. More of a grimace. I shivered and ran, trying to escape the image that would not leave my mind.