Chapter 27

"Alright, guys," I clap my hands to get their attention. They stop their arguing and six pairs of eyes turn to me begrudgingly. I swallow my fear and wipe my sweaty hands on my shorts. "You could keep talking all day, getting nowhere. Or, you could follow me and we could check out—"

"Oh, just be quiet," one of the guys throws at me. "You've never done this before so just keep your thoughts to yourself. We know what we're doing."

"Clearly," I mutter under my breath, tilting my head in annoyance while I watch them walk in circles at the edge of the lake. They still think the scent goes somewhere, but I can feel it tugging me back down the path, the way we came, deeper into the forest.

"Fine," I put my hands on my hips. One girl spares me a glance, but the rest have gone back to ignoring me. "I honestly don't care if you follow me or not, or even if you find the flashlight or an alligator out there in the stupid lake. But I'm heading back." I turn on my heel and start marching away, but