𝚆𝙰𝙸𝙳𝙼𝙰𝙽𝙽𝚂 𝙷𝙴𝙸𝙻 ,, magnus nielsen

chapter four|creeping death

Chapter Four

creeping death

I left my accounting class arm-in-arm with Heidi, Martha meeting up with us in the hallway.

"So, have any plans for later?" Martha asked "Killian ghosted me, so I'm free." Figures. Killian Obendorf forgot I existed after that party.

"Sorry, Bartosz and I have plans. We're going out to the caves." Heidi said

I burst out laughing. "Is he serious? That mattress has been there since the seventies. Make sure he brings clean sheets!" I wheezed "I thought he was more romantic than that."

"I think it's kind of sweet."

"You would think that, wouldn't you? You know, Ulrich Nielsen used to bring his hookups there. He was quite the heartbreaker in the late eighties."

"Can we not talk about my dad like that, please?" Martha fake gagged "I don't even want to think about that."

"I mean, he totally hooked up with every woman in Winden, and made Egon Tiedemann hate him, but I guess he kind of deserved it?" I said

The three of us laughed, exiting the school building.

"To answer your question, Martha, I'm going on a photography expedition in the woods near the caves because both my parents are working late tonight."

"Guess I will just wallow in self pity and watch Heathers: On Broadway again." Martha laughed

"You and your musicals." Heidi shook her head "I will never understand."

The boys met us out front, Bartosz immediately taking Heidi in his arms, the two promptly starting to make out. Jonas and Magnus fake gagged, causing Martha and I to chuckle loudly.

"Are you sure this guy is the one you want?" I laughed "He pissed his pants in the third grade, don't think I forgot."

The group burst out laughing and Bartosz's face went red. "That was one time."

"That was twice." Jonas corrected.

"You're one to talk, Kahnwald. Don't think we forgot that boner you got when the eighth-grade math teacher put her hand on your shoulder."

It was Magnus' turn to laugh. "God, how did we survive life?"

"You think I know the answer to that?" I quipped sarcastically

In hindsight, I don'tthink we should have all been laughing. It was the last good moment we allspent together as a group.

I skateboarded home for a quick, haphazard pasta dinner, and to check up on everybody's social lives via Instagram. The Rock Am Ring and Rock Im Park lineup was coming out soon, and what better way to celebrate the end of junior year than hitting up the festival with Magnus, am I right?

After I finished, I ran upstairs to get my camera from my desk, checking to make sure I still had space on my SD card. After what happened to Zacharias, my parents weren't crazy on me going to the caves, even less crazy about me going in there alone, so I had to make sure that I was back before they were, which was going to be at least eleven.

Slinging my camera bag over my shoulder, I sent my mom a quick 'I love you, had a good day, what about you' before jetting off to the caves, hoping to catch the dying rays of the sun on film.

_____

I stood on top of the caves, the patches of rock and grass that shielded the interior form the harsh environment. From where I stood, I could see the sun dipping past the nuclear power plant. I also had the prime viewing spot for Bartosz and Heidi's candlelit dinner on the crappy mattress. And Bartosz had brought silk sheets.