We're just five teenagers with a job at the Rock Purium owned by our very own Toby Slambrook. Xander Bly, Madison Rocca, Vida Rocca, Charlie Thorn or as he likes to be known Chip, and me Mackenzie Phillips. It's always the same thing which I have absolutely no problem with. Things all changed one slow day at the Rock Purium. And I can still hardly believe what happened and how everything turned out.
I sit on the front counter of the Rock Purium as Vida plays on her turn tables her headset on, Xander takes cash from another costumer, Madison talks to the only other customer in the story and Chip... well Chip does his thing. When the girl Xander is talking to leaves with her bag he leans against the counter and looks up at me. "Mack, what's up with you? You've been quiet all day." He states and I look down at him with a small smile pulling my lips.
"Sorry just a bit out of it. I didn't get much sleep last night." Since I was up all night cleaning the orphanage. I add silently.
"You sure that's it?" Chip asks walking up behind me silently making me jump before I look over my shoulder at him my red hair cutting off the edge of my sight but only a little. "I'm starting to think your a vampire!" He says waving his hands in the air a smile on his face.
I start to laugh and grin at him. "Would you like me to sniff garlic for you, or is the fact that I'm wearing a cross enough to prove I'm perfectly human?" I ask him and he turns red as I pull out the golden cross from under my green t-shirt.
"Oh..." He mutters and I smile softly.
"Hey I've made sure I can't be turned into an immortal blood sucker." I admit and he nods his head before he returns to fighting his invisible enemy. Madison grabs her camera and begins to tape us all. First Vida as she continues to play unfazed by our conversation. Xander walks over to one of the chairs and sits down before he picks up a magazine and begins to read as Madison turns to Chip.
"Still fighting Chip?" She asks and he freezes for a second before he jumps back into action. She turns to Xander and he pulls up his sleeve showing his biceps making me roll my eyes. Madison turns to me but gasps when she turns around. "Oh Toby!" She says and I turn forwards to see Tony in the doorway wearing snorkeling gear.
Everyone walks up to the front but I stay on the counter. Close enough. Xander walks up to Toby and pulls the snorkel out of his mouth. "Hey nice snorkel boss." He comments as Toby swats his hand away.
"Weren't you taking the day off today?" Vida asks. I shake my head looking into the box on the counter next to me only to find more books and CDs. Toby tries to answer but the snorkel, not completely out of his mouth, blocks his words.
He rips the tube out of his mouth and looks at us. "Yes I" He begins before he groans and rips the mask off of his head causing Chip to laugh. "Yes I was. As a matter of fact I was at the beach snorkeling with the pretty fishes and one of them swam straight up to me and said" Toby takes his hands and smashes his lips making him look like a fish. "are your employees cleaning the story like they said they would?"" We all laugh at this even though we know, well I know, we're in trouble. "Now I've got to go back to the water, back to the reef, and find the fish and tell him no!" He says throwing his hands into the air before he makes his way to his office.
"Why don't you relax boss take a breather I'll gather the troops and assign them things to do like mop the floor, stock the merchandise, put out the trash, etcetera etcetera." Xander says tailing Toby.
"You mean do the jobs I pay you for?!" Toby asks spinning around in front of his office door. "Guys!" He yells before he storms into his office.
"Alright you guys heard him." Xander says but I don't move from my spot knowing he'll just sit down in another chair and begin to read. After he gives the others jobs to do he flops into a chair.
"And what are you going to be doing?" Vida asks sharply a poison in her words as she jerks the pillow under his head out.
"I'm glade you asked. I'm supervising." He says and I snort. "Hey it's not as easy as it looks. It may look like I'm doing absolutely nothing but I'm very busy, up here." He says pointing at his head. I start to laugh till everything begins to shake violently. I gasp as I fall off the counter and a stack of CDs falls on me along with a few books. I hear the others running to get safe till someone grabs me by my arms and drags me around the counter and under it. I cling to whoever they are till the shaking stops and look up to see I'm clinging to Xander! I quickly pull away and crawl out from under the counter to see the store is now trashed.
"Is everyone okay?" Toby asks as he rushes out of his office and begins to look us all over.
"We're okay I guess boss." I mutter as I rub my side a little.
"Looks like books don't like you as much as you like them." Xander says and I spin on him.
"Oh shut up Xander!" I snap quickly and he jerks back.
I turn to Vida and Madison to see them smiling. "You've got that fire in your eyes that makes you look like you're ready to kill anyone who pisses you off just right." Vida comments and I smile.
"And that's why you like me, even when I bite your head off." I tell her and she laughs.
"That is so true." She admits. I look back at the door to see people run by the door meaning something has happened outside. We all walk outside to see trash cans over turned and people on the ground. "Come on guys we need to get to work before the boss yells at us." Vida says softly and I sigh following the others back inside. "It's even worse than before." Vida says.
"If that's even possible." Madison comments before we all get to work cleaning up everything. When everything is picked up we all head outside to do our own stuff. Madison documents how everyone is coping with the earthquake as I read on the hood of Vida's jeep. I look up at the clouds and smile before I get up and put my book down. I slide off of Vida's hood and walk over to her side mirror. I look at myself and brush my hair back running my fingers through it. I look at my shirt to see my green t-shirt is falling forwards. I quickly fix it and pull my pants up higher. I sigh before I walk back over to the hood of Vida's car and jump back onto it and lay down, picking my book back up. I take a deep breath as I turn the page of my book before I hear yelling I quickly get up and walk into the street to see a small crowd around the small grass patch with the city tree.
"Please someone help me!" Someone calls out and I walk around the crowd to see an old man in a green jacket and overalls walking towards us. "Help me please. It's my bother. We were walking just up the road when a monster just came out and grabbed him. I fear the worst." He says and I look at everyone else. "It's just out of town. The creature took him into the woods." He states and most of the group begins to mutter and back away. The woods just outside of Briarwood are one place that no one in town will go into the roamers of people going in and never coming out enough to ward people away.
"Imagine that, him asking someone to go into the woods." Xander mutters into Vida's ear. I look at Vida and see she's got a determined look on her face.
"V?" He asks but Vida pays him no attention.
"Won't anyone help me?" The old man asks desperately looking around at everyone as more people walk away.
"I will!" I call out but I'm not the only voice who answers him. Two people to my left move to reveal a boy around my height in front of a motorcycle tools at his lap. He wears a white shirt with a pair of grass stained blue jeans. He looks over at us as he wipes his hands off on some cloth. He has dark tan skin with dark brown eyes.
"I could use a break." He says and we all look at him. I look at the old man who looks from me to him.
"Thank you, the both of you." He says grabbing my hand as he makes his way to the stranger.
"Hey I'm... I'm uh Xander your new around here aren't you?" He asks. "Probably not aware of the facts and there's just one. You go into those woods... you don't come out." He says shaking his hand before he looks at me. I step behind the new guy and cross my arms over my chest.
"Yeah I heard about it." He states and I look at the back of his head. "This guy needs help and nobody else in this town seems to care but me and her." He says throwing his thumb over his shoulder pointing to me.
"Xander I live here and I'm going so shut up." I snap and the old man looks up at me. "He needs help and your to scared of the big bad woods to go." I growl. "All of you are!" I yell so everyone can hear me.
"I'll go with you!" Vida calls out and I smile at her as she walks up to us. "Not everyone in this city is a coward." She admits walking up to me and I nod my head.
"I'll go too." Chip says and excited look on his face. "I've always wanted to go on a dangerous quest." He admits and I laugh a little. He gets a confused look on his face and turns to Vida. "This is a dangerous quest right?" He asks and I smile a little more still laughing a little.
"Perilous." Vida states not amused.
"Sweet!" He murmurs not even fazed.
"Well lets go." The new guy says and we make our way away from the others. We begin to head out of town but we're all silent not sure what to say. Once we're about half way to the woods I take a deep breath then speak.
"So what's your name?" I ask the new guy quickening my pace to catch up with him and he chuckles.
"Nick." He answers looking down at me and I smile at him.
"Well, Nick, welcome to Briarwood. I'm Mackenzie or as I let my friends call me Mack." I tell him sticking my hand out for him to take. He does and he smiles at me.
"Thanks Mack it's nice to meet you." He says and I let go of his hand and slow my pace so I'm next to Vida. I turn around and begin to walk backwards now able to see the whole city over the hill we walk on.
"You think we'll ever see home again?" I ask and Vida looks at me.
"Are you trying to scare us?" She snaps and I grin widely.
"No I just want to know what you think. I mean come on we've all been raised to know not to go into the forest and now we are breaking the rule. I'm just wondering if you think we'll make it out... if the stories are true." I state before I turn back around. We all stop when we reach the edge of the woods and the old man turns to us.
"Are you sure your willing to enter?" He asks us. "The woods are a every scary place." He states and I look at Vida and Chip. Vida has a serious look on her face and Chip is rocking on the balls of his feet.
"You ask a lot of questions for someone whose brother is in danger." Nick states and I nod my head.
"Everyone's in danger." The old man states gravely.
"Everyone's in danger?" Chip asks and I look at him. "Yeah!" He says and I slap him in the back of the head. Someone honks a horn and we all turn to see Xander driving Vida's Jeep Madison in the passenger. My mouth drops open and I look at Vida to see her eyes narrow on Xander.
"He's dead." I mutter before I run up to her Jeep waiting for the moment when I need to stop the fighting.
"Xander I told you if you ever touched my car I'd rearrange your limbs!" Vida snaps and I laugh a little as Xander jumps out of Vida's car.
"Your going into the woods and your never going to return as if you're ever going to see it again." He states.
"He's got a point!" Chip says and Vida glares at him.
Madison steps up and sighs. "You are my sister where you go... I go." She states looking at the forest.
"Whelp I guess that's all of us. You know I never thought we would all die together but at least I'll die with friends by my side." I state and Chip laughs.
"Come on don't be so negative." He says patting my shoulder.
"I'm not, I'm actually being very positive about our deaths." I state and Xander sighs making me laugh. We all turn to the woods and make our way in slowly. After a while all we can see is fog and trees.
"This is creep." Madison mutter softly and I nod my head.
"No kidding." I whisper as I slow my pace. I slowly walk up to Xander and grab him. "AHHHHH!" I yell out and he screams making the others jump. Xander spins around and glares at me.
"Don't do that mate it's not fair." He states and I giggle.
"When do you ever play fair?" I ask him and he huffs.
"Wait where's the old man?" Nick asks.
"Did you guys feel that. We just walked through something." Madison says looking around and I nod my head.
"Guys I have a bad feeling." I state and they nod there heads.
"Come on guys." Nick says before he starts to walk again. I sigh but follow him slowly. This is not going to end well.
To Be Continued...