Evils Are on the Hunt (Collection of Horror Stories) || Excerpt

LOST IN THE WOODS

Nine in the morning. The clock's pendulum swung, and Kevin covered his ears with pillows as the clock sounded.

"Wake up!" shouted Kevin's mother, entering the room, as the clock stopped making its noise.

Since Kevin's father had died in a car accident when he was eleven years old, Mom raised Kevin single-handed, but there were no lapses in his upbringing. Kevin loved her and respected her for all the sacrifices and struggles she made for his better future.

"Wake up, Kevin," said Ms. Moreno, sliding the window curtains. "Your friends are waiting for you down in the living room."

"Tell them I'm sleeping," muttered Kevin, throwing a pillow aside and covering himself with a blanket from top to bottom.

Mom sighed and left the room, murmuring, "Twenty-three. Still acts like a child."

After several minutes, Kevin felt as if someone was pulling his blanket.

"Please let me sleep, Mom."

Someone yanked the blanket and swiftly dragged it onto the floor.

Kevin frantically got up, sat steadily on the bed, and rubbed his eyes to clear his vision. Kevin crawled to the bed's edge and looked down at the floor, slowly craning his neck. No one was there. Frightened, he cautiously grasped the blanket resting on the floor. Abruptly, four hands emerged from beneath the bed and tightly clutched Kevin's hands.

Kevin screeched while trying to free his hands. The clench on his hands ceased, and his friends came into sight from under the bed.

"F-Fredrick! Z-Zara!" said Kevin, goggling at them. "What're you doing here?"

Ms. Moreno entered the room and said, "I sent them up here. They have been waiting for you for the last two hours."

"Why didn't you wake me up?"

Fredrick, Zara, and Ms. Moreno stared at him with an exasperated look. Perhaps Kevin had received his answer; hence, without blurting a word, he proceeded toward the bathroom.

While he was opening the bathroom door, Zara shouted from behind, "Hurry up! We're already late."

Kevin turned around, ceasing his moderate hold on the doorknob.

"Late?" he asked.

"Don't try me, Kevin," said Zara, her thin face turning red as her anger was rising.

"I don't understand what you're talking about."

After a moment of staring, Zara said, "We're going hiking at the Greenland Woods Mountain. I told Fredrick to let you know."

"I never got the message."

Zara's glower shifted to Fredrick, who didn't dare to look into Zara's eyes.

"I'm sorry. I forgot to tell him," said Fredrick, looking down at the floor like a kid who fears his parents, despite being in his early twenties.

Zara raised her hand, and Fredrick pulled his head back, closing his eyes when her hand had almost reached his face.

"That's wrong, Zara," said Ms. Moreno calmly as she didn't want to be so hard on her.

Zara dropped her hand and walked out of the room, glowering.

"You two kiddos always make her upset," said Ms. Moreno, frowning. Then, she exited the room.

"Try to get ready A-S-A-P," said Fredrick, and he exited the room.

* * *

Kevin quickly packed his hiking backpack and rushed to the living room.

"Wait!" said Ms. Moreno.