I should have done my homework before heading into the woods, but Sammy listened to the CD she took from Jasper. Realizing that if she heard these songs in a store or any other place, she would not even pay attention, Samantha played the disc at least three times. Because Jas loves this music...
At a quarter to eleven, Sammy finally started to get ready. She decided to leave the phone at home so as not to risk losing it, and Leah promised to take the flashlight.
Convinced that her parents were in her bedroom, she silently slipped to the door. Her conscience pricked her belatedly - her mother would be so worried if she found out where her daughter was going ... But everything will go well, what can happen to them? Unless, Leah will drink too much for joy, having completed the “task”. Sammy had no doubt that her friend would be able to get alcohol, despite her minority - Leah always goes ahead.
A friend was waiting for her in a car two blocks from her house, as they agreed.
Glad you managed to sneak out! Leah exclaimed as she started the engine. - To be honest, I was afraid that you would throw me, you are so obedient.
Samantha rolled her eyes as she slammed the door.
- And this is your gratitude? No respect.
"Soon we'll both be in a different capacity," Leah winked.
Sammy glanced at her and sighed - as always, I see the goal - I see no obstacles.
- How are you? Leah asked, glancing at her. Dark trees whizzed by on the highway, and Samantha shivered.
- Fine... If you want to talk about Jasper and my attitude towards him, you'd better take me back home right away.
- No, no, what else! We've got something more interesting here. In general, you would think about someone else. I'm serious, Sam!
- You might think there are options.
- Maybe there is, - Leah smiled mysteriously, but Sammy did not develop the topic.
Soon they pulled off the highway onto a small road.
- Now, somewhere here ... Ah, here is an old road sign. Chris talked about him.
Leah stopped the car and she and Sammy climbed out, then wandered off in the direction Abby's boyfriend had given them earlier that day.
It was getting noticeably colder, and Sammy's mood was falling more and more. But she obediently followed her friend, further and further deep into the forest. It seemed that Leah knew very well what she was doing, but it soon became clear that this was not so.
“Damn, well, it’s dark ...” Leah muttered, stumbling over a root sticking out of the ground. Even with a small flashlight, walking through the forest at night was difficult.
- Where is your next landmark? Sammy tried her best to hide her annoyance. Their idea seemed to her more and more delusional every minute, especially the reason for which it was happening. But once you volunteered to help a friend, you have to go to the end.
- Must be around here somewhere. Fifty paces from two oak trees to the north.
Sammy whirled around.
- What?? On North? Lee, you said west!
- Or the west... I don't remember.
- If you don't remember, how will we find the way?
- Don't be hysterical. - Leah pretended that everything was in order. - Now I'll see what is written in the message ... Oh, shit! The battery is dead.
- Are you kidding? Samantha stopped, her hand on a nearby tree. The bark was hard and scratched the skin, but she did not notice. - Leah, you went to the quest at night and didn't charge your phone?
- Well, you clucked like an old grandmother! she said irritably. “I corresponded… with someone. And then there was no time to charge.
"Just a shine..." Sammy sat down on the cold ground. She herself was no better - she left her smartphone at home, afraid that she might lose it in the forest.
Leah sat down next to her. She constantly scanned the dark undergrowth with her flashlight beam, and Sammy realized that her friend was frightened. And if self-confident Leah is nervous, why talk about her.
- Listen, let's think. Sammy shivered, telling herself it was from the cold. You said north. It seems that moss grows on the trees from the north side ... We must have a look. At least we'll figure out which way to go.
- So the skills of the Boy Scout came in handy, - Leah grinned. - I always knew that you were a storehouse of knowledge, Sam.
Wait a minute, this is just a theory. Sammy jumped to her feet just as Leah's flashlight went out.
The friend gasped and clicked the button, but the light did not turn on. The girls were in total darkness.
- Now it's like an ass, - Leah's voice trembled. - Sammy, I don't know what the hell... It's his father's flashlight, he always takes it on night fishing trips.
"Maybe the battery is dead," Samantha suggested, but it didn't really matter in the grand scheme of things. The fact remained a fact - they were in the forest, in the dark, and now it was not only possible to complete this stupid task - it was not possible to get out of the forest.
- Let's try to find the moss by touch? Leah giggled nervously.
"Good idea," Sammy quipped. - So, listen - can someone from Abi's company be here to monitor the progress of the quest? Or are we on our own?
Judging by the rustle, Leah jumped to her feet.
Of course, how did I not think of that! she chattered excitedly. -. Of course, a couple of guys around here somewhere! Sammy, you are a genius!
"If I were a genius, I wouldn't have run into the woods at night," Samantha grumbled. - Then another question - how do we find them? Shall we shout?
“Well, you can scream,” Leah answered uncertainly, and Sammy realized what she had not finished talking about.
For some reason, I didn't feel like screaming in the night forest.
- Yes, and in general, you know ... Imagine that they will talk about us at school ... We went on a quest and got lost.
- Where better to spend the night in the forest and catch pneumonia? Sammy saw the prospect clearly, and she wasn't happy with it. “Not to mention the parents.
Both of them are now silent. House arrest is the most innocent thing that girls could get for spending the night away from home.
- Then we should try to get out, - Leah was clearly trembling, from cold or fear. It's just damn dark...
At that moment, as if in response to the girl's words, the moon came out from behind the clouds. Full and surprisingly bright. Sammy's breath caught at the beauty of the heavenly body, especially at a moment like this.
“Wow…” Leah said. The full moon seemed to impress even her. - Like a natural spotlight?
- And in fact, it became a little lighter. Sammy looked down and found she could see her hands. Let's try to go back to...
She did not have time to finish - the night silence was suddenly broken by a howl. Real wolf howl!
Samantha's legs were stiff with fear. She leaned against the trunk of a tree, trembling all over.
- What is it, your mother? Leah groaned beside him. Sammy met her huge, frightened eyes. “What the hell are wolves here, Sam?!
- Quiet! Sammy looked around. It doesn't seem to be close...
- But where are the wolves from? ... They are not here!
- How do I know, Leah? Maybe now there is! We need to get out of here as soon as possible, and report to the sheriff in the morning.
- So he arrested them? Leah giggled hysterically, and her friend grabbed her by the arm and dragged her deep into the forest:
- Come on, hurry up...
But it was more difficult to do than to say - despite the moonlight, visibility was not added at all significantly, and the girls moved much more slowly than they would like. In addition, there was no certainty that they were going in the right direction.
Both Sammy and Leah were silent, trying to walk faster. Damp foliage under their sneakers champed with dampness, and sticking out branches and roots now and then strove to grab their feet. Samantha hoped desperately that they were heading in the right direction... She was very scared, even though she didn't want to give in to her emotions.
Ahead, in the thicket, a light flickered, there was a distant sound of a passing car, and Leah cried out:
- Sam, we made it to the highway! Let's go, a little more!...
But before Sammy had taken a step, a noise was heard very close, a little to the side. A branch snapped, followed by a rustle. Someone was next to the girls. And headed straight for them.
Chilling horror ran down her spine, but in the next moment Samantha almost fainted from horror - Leah screamed. Loud, heart-rending and piercing.
Turning around, Sammy barely had time to make out a strange silhouette in the moonlight, like a wolf, when her friend yanked her arm with all her might and shouted hysterically:
- Let's run!
And Leah really took off running, only Sammy's hand slipped out of her wet, cold fingers. In surprise, Samantha lost her balance and fell to her knees in the wet, dirty foliage. Her head was spinning, her heart was beating unevenly, and only a receding noise was heard ahead - Leah was running away, forgetting about everything in the world.
Leaning on trembling hands, Sammy closed her eyes for a moment, and when she opened her eyes, she saw the wolf again. The moon shone behind him, and the girl saw only a dark silhouette. The beast froze a few steps away from her, only for some reason did not attack. His strange large figure seemed to be frozen in space, and only bright yellow eyes, burning in the darkness of the night, forced to believe in his reality.
Nearly losing consciousness from horror, Sammy tried to stand up. She could not run after Leah - the wolf was exactly in her path. It seemed to her that all this was a bad dream ... Now she will wake up at home, in her bed ...
A guttural growl was heard, and Samantha's numbness instantly flew off. Out of her wits, she sprang to her feet and ran away. Sammy did not think where she was running, only one thing beat in her head - to escape!
Branches whipped her in the face, and her legs fell into the pits, but the animal fear of a wild beast urged the girl on with a whip. It seemed to her that the wolf was catching up with her, she could almost feel his hot breath on her neck ...
Tripping on a root sticking out of damp foliage, Samantha fell, hitting the ground hard. The tension reached its climax, and everything went dark before her eyes…Sammy woke up abruptly. She exhaled and, moving a little, groaned - her body ached, and her hands were just numb. She was surrounded by an almost inky gloom, as if the moon had disappeared behind the clouds. There was silence all around, broken only by the rustling of the leaves that had not yet fallen under the cold, bone-chilling wind.Samantha shifted gingerly, trying to move her arms and legs, and then, shivering, managed to rise to her feet. She groped for a tree trunk and pressed her back against it. Gradually, her eyes got used to the darkness, she managed to distinguish the outlines of trees and bushes.How long was she unconscious? Probably decent, because Sammy was very cold. Then why is it so quiet, no one is looking for her? Did Leah not run?Samantha began to panic. The wolf she and Leah saw wasn't after her, si
Putting on the warm terry bathrobe she had always loved, the girl climbed into bed and immediately fell asleep, this time without delusional dreams and frightening images.***Waking up was like coming out of a coma. Sammy could not understand what had happened to her - maybe she just dreamed everything? She scrambled out of bed and made her way to the bathroom.But the dirty clothes in the basket made it clear that everything had happened for real. Suppressing a convulsive spasm in her throat, Samantha brushed her teeth and somehow put herself in order, after which, grabbing her backpack, she headed downstairs.- Sammy! Are you okay? The mother looked at her worriedly. - You don't have a face!"I think I've caught a little cold," Samantha replied hoarsely, looking down.- Can you stay at home? Teresa suggested, but Sammy shook her head.- No, today is a test... And you... can you give me a lift to school?- Certainly! the mother exclaimed. - Eat first.- Don't want. Sammy gulped down
Samantha didn't remember how she got to the office and sat down. She found herself already at the lesson, and somehow, apparently mechanically, she laid out her notebooks and textbook, and even wrote down something. But emotions overwhelmed her with her head, she wanted to burst into tears and run away wherever her eyes looked.Turning her head, Sammy found that she was sitting at her desk alone - Leah had not come to class. From this circumstance, she was completely dizzy, and she lowered her head, trying to breathe deeply. Out of the corner of her eye, she saw that Doyle was watching her, which scared the hell out of her.The lesson went on as usual - Mr. Becker was explaining a new topic, the students were talking in an undertone to each other, rustling notebook sheets, fidgeting in their places. But Sammy felt as if she had fallen out of this reality, and everything that surrounded her was a props. The real, creepy, is hidden behind all this tinsel.The phone vibrated and she winc
"Okay, to hell with him!" - decided the girl and went in the indicated direction. If Travis killed her, there would be evidence, a message, he should understand that. Giggling nervously at her own thoughts, Sammy tried to blend in with the other students - all she needed was for someone to notice her getting into that idiot's car.She saw the jeep right away, and her anxiety only increased - the rear windows were tinted almost tightly. That's why the back seat... No one will see her there.Once at the car door, Sammy paused. Looking to the side, she caught the eye of her classmate, Iris. She, apparently, was interested in why Samantha got into the car with Travis. Sammy suddenly changed her mind about hiding - let them know. For her safety.Taking a deep breath, she pressed the handle and opened the door. In the cabin, an indicator chirped melodiously, but she heard nothing more. Looking closer, Sammy saw Travis in the semi-darkness from the tinted windows, he was also sitting in the
Travis' words hung in the air. He finally turned to the girl sitting next to him and looked at her.“I am very afraid of losing myself,” he said. “I know that everything I said sounds like a complete psycho, but it really happened ... And I'm also afraid to do something at a time when ... When I'm not a person. And last night I got to know you. My consciousness returned to me. I don't know why, but you helped me come to my senses. And I want you to help me in the future. I have to learn to control what happens.- But how can I help you? Samantha spoke up. Her voice trembled against her will.- Just be there when things happen.Sammy stared fearfully at the boy next to her. Is he joking?"You're going to kill me," she choked out."I didn't kill you last night," Travis said quietly. There was something in his blue eyes that made Samantha's heart clench. I didn't mean to attack. For some reason I was drawn to you ... I can’t explain. You ran, I ran after. Then you fell, and I sat next to
123FORWARDPart 6-1.The next morning, Sammy woke up in the same all-consuming excitement that she had fallen asleep the day before, but, nevertheless, thoughts fit neatly in her head. What Doyle told her could not be accepted and understood with a half kick, but Samantha decided not to worry ahead of time and just watch what was happening.The first thing to do was decide what to say to him. Sammy really didn't want to get involved with Travis because she didn't trust him one iota. However, what happened in the night forest did not want to fit into the framework of the understandable and reasonable, and Sammy did not like understatement. She had to complete this story.Going to school, the girl found the strength to chat with her parents as if nothing had happened, and the usual things calmed her down and gave her confidence.However, when Samantha caught sight of her own ill-fated essay, her mood deteriorated rather badly. In the evening, the state of mind was not conducive to stud
When it was finally time for the big change, she was ready to kill Travis herself with her own hands. After wandering around the dining room building, Sammy did not meet him, and had already decided to send Doyle to hell when her phone rang.She did not save his number, but she found out, because he had written to her the day before.- Doyle, is that you? said Samantha coldly, answering the call.“I am,” came the answer, but somehow muffled. - Come to the parking lot, to my car.- And why not ... - began, it was, Sammy, but Doyle had already passed out. Cursing under her breath, she tossed her phone into her backpack and headed for the parking lot, determined to tell Doyle what she thought of him.From irritation, she did not immediately find his car, but there was no one near the jeep. Looks like Travis was waiting for her inside again. Sammy gritted her teeth and pressed the handle of the back door, pulling it towards her.Doyle was indeed sitting in the car - through a veil of ange
After class, Samantha broke down and went looking for Jasper. She found a friend in the company of a friend, Nate, and even rejoiced at this - if they were alone, Sammy would never be able to restrain herself and tell Jas the truth. The truth about what's bothering her. But Nate couldn't do that, so Jasper would still think of her as a normal person for a while.A friend slapped her on the palm and sat her down on the concrete railing next to her. Nate, as always, made a face at the sight of Sammy, but she was genuinely glad to see both of them.- How are you? Jasper asked. - You weren't seen today.- Yes, I ... Was busy at a big break, - Samantha said, dangling her legs."I understand," Jas said. “Heard you and Leah had a fight?” Can you tell me what happened?- Straight news of the day ... - Sammy muttered. – Yes, only… Not now. I don't want to talk about it yet."Of course," her friend nodded. - As you say. And I also heard that Travis Doyle has been fighting for the second day bec