A/N: kinda unsure about this story...I wanted to try something different. A horror/ romance...a vastly different temperament of the OC. And I'be always loved Friday the 13th so...yeah.

Not sure I'll continue...but, I kinda hope I do.

Enjoy :)

Xxxxx

"It takes the sadness of life to truly appreciate the beauty of death…".

Why had I agreed to this….

My feet drug along the asphalt as I made my way towards the car, my friends causing a commotion as they wooted and hollered about our up coming trip, greeting me loudly as I shuffled up. I chose to remain silent and offer them a quick nod as I tossed my duffle into the already full trunk, pausing briefly to press my weight against it in a feeble attempt to make it fit.

"Are you excited?" Cam's voice suddenly asked, her tone cheery and upbeat, her lips pulling back in a wide smile.

"No…" I said, slightly annoyed. One drunk idea at Gareth's birthday party and here I was trudging off into the woods the week before finals. "If I fail it's your fault."

"Oh c'mon, Luna." Cam groaned, rolling her eyes. "You always get like this-"

"Well I'm so sorry I NEED this degree!" I snapped in a hushed tone, slamming the trunk shut. "Not all of us have daddy's money to fall back on!"

"I love you, Lun. I really do." My friend hissed in reply, eyes narrowing. "But if you bitch and complain this whole trip and ruin my chances with Matt…." Here she paused to send a wishful glance over to the blonde on the other side of the car. "I will end you!"

I set my jaw, silent for a moment before replying.

"Fine." I finally said, holding a finger up between us. "But when he shoots you down, do NOT come knocking at my door."

Her laugh was amused, her tanned hand coming up to brush some of her lavender dyed hair over her shoulder, casting another glance over at Matt. "Nobody, Luna….says no to me."

I couldn't help the envy that rolled up in stomach as I watched her turn and strut away, joining the rest of the party, laughing at whatever was said.

Of course nobody shot her down.

She was smart, had money…

Beautiful.

Lucky her.

Dropping my eyes, I straightened my clothes, smoothing invisible wrinkles from my shirt. I bit the inside of my lip and drew a deep breath in through my nose, trying to quill the tightness in my chest before following her, stepping unnoticed into the group.

Xxxx

The car ride seemed to take forever.

The twists and turns of the cities busy roads slowly clear as we entered the suburbs, only to have traffic drop off completely as we started down unfamiliar roads, thick with trees and brush.

"Hey," my voice was soft as I spoke, leaning forward to poke my head between the front seats. "Where exactly are we going? We crossed over the bridge a long time ago…."

"We are going…." Gareth started, only to pause and purse his lips, turning to gaze out his side window thoughtfully. "Some place….amazing!"

"Amazing?" I repeated, skeptically. "In New Jersey."

"Yes, in New Jersey, Luna." He replied, letting out a long sigh before looking back at me through the rear view mirror. "Just chill, okay? I promise you won't die, if that's what you're worried about."

Beside him, Cam snickered, nudging his arm gently as her eyes stayed plastered out the window. "Leave her alone, Gar. You know she can't help it."

Furrowing my brow, I sat back and turned my attention back out my own window, my eyes focusing in time to spot a rest stop sign just before it disappeared from view. "Can we at least stop at the rest stop for a couple minutes?" I heard myself asking.

Faintly I heard Cam sigh, her head falling back against the head rest. "Can we just get there, Luna?"

"Yeah," Gareth agreed, glancing over at Cam. "We'll be there within the hour."

Slowly, I sank back down into my seat, my arms crossing loosely over my chest as the tips of my ears grew heated.

'I could be cuddled up in my dorm right now.' I couldn't help but think, bitterly. 'Curled up with a coffee from the dining hall and a nice long book.'

Silence.

"Actually," Matt said from beside me, drawing my attention. He had leaned forward between the seats, hands braced on either side as he took my former position, looking over to Gareth. 'I could use a stop also."

"C'mon, dude….rea-" Gareth was cut short in his reply by Cam's voice, her tone thoughtful.

"Ya know, come to think of it….I could really go for a smoke break."

My eyes rolled in response, my arms unclenching and falling limply into my lap.

It was Gareth who sighed this time, shaking his head as he slowed the car.

Matt met my eyes as he leaned back in his seat, offering me a small smile. I nodded him my 'Thank You' and turned back to watch rushing scenery start to crawl.

"Fucking ridiculous." I heard Gareth mumble as he pulled into the driveway, towards the seedy looking building.

I left the car in a huff when it finally stopped, slamming the door shut behind me with more than necessary force, the early autumn heat feeling like a ton of bricks as it bounced off the asphalt and hit me in the face.

Xxxx

The bathrooms were in horrible disrepair.

The small, confine space strongly of mold and stale urine. The stales were broken and chipped, most of the doors either hanging or ripped off all together and cast haphazardly to the muddy ground.

It was clear this place had been long forgotten about.

I stared at myself as I stood before the line of sinks, the cool, slightly discolored water, running over my soapy hands as my eyes traveled the contours of my face.

My eyebrows drew together.

I looked tired, the delicate skin under my eyes was dark, my lips cracked and parched. My skin was blotchy, dotted with the persistent, seemingly unmanageable, acne that had plagued me since my unwilling standoff with puberty. Even my hair was sad, the tresses of dark auburn locks pulled away from my face in a half hearted attempt at a ponytail, strands having fallen sometime during the day and now framed my face.

Almost as if further emphasizing what a mess I really was.

My reflection angered me.

My eyes narrowed as I watched the other me, trapped inside the mirror, mimic. We glared at each other until I finally shut off the faucet and turned away, grabbing some paper towels as my eyes wandered to the wall opposite me.

A large, faded piece of graffiti taking me by surprise, stealing my breath as I took an unsteady step backwards.

"Holy hell!" My gasp echoed through the empty bathroom, only to fade away slowly leaving the pounding in my ears as my heart pumped wildly within my chest.

My eyes squinted against the dim light as I started walking, my wet foot fall suddenly deafening against the silence as I brought myself forward, staring up at it's girth.

A giant hockey mask?

I felt myself scowl.

'Why would some body spray paint a mask on the wall of a bathroom in….god knows where?' I couldn't help but think as I stared at it, feeling an odd uneasiness settle in the pit of my stomach. 'At least draw some thing that means….something.'

Some drunk teenager probably, I concluded. Trying to freak out who ever happen to wonder in.

I shook my head and started towards the exit, taking one last look back at the faded, dripping red paint before tossing my towel and shoving against the door I had propped open with a rock I had found near by.

Everybody turned to look at me as I neared, Cam the first one to speak.

"What took you so long?" she said, her voice annoyed as she pushed off the car only to cross her arms across her chest. "It's fucking hot."

"Sorry, I was washing my hands," I started to explain, twisting my body slightly to point behind me. "And then I noticed this really weird-"

"Look," Gareth suddenly said, interrupting me as if I hadn't even been speaking. "Can you tell us later? I'd like to get there before the sun goes down."

My jaw snapped shut with a audible 'clank' and my hands fell to my sides, heat once again biting at my cheeks and ears.

"Yeah…" I mumbled, watching everybody disperse and re-enter the car. "Whatever."

Xxxx

"Hey, are you sure we're going the right way?"

Matt's voice jarred me from my sleep, like a hand shaking me awake, as I raised my head quickly and looked around the car.

Cam and Gareth had turned around in their seats at one point and we're leaning forward towards Matt, all eyes glued to the crinkled map that was partially spread out on the console between them.

"Yeah…" Gareth replied as he scratched his head slowly. "I mean….this is exactly what the guy said."

Suddenly, Cam's head whipped to the side.

"Wait….what guy?" her voice was low, teetering between anger and confusion.

"The guy at the liquor stare by campus." Gareth replied as if it was the most obvious thing in the world.

My eyes widened. 'Gary?'

"You what?!" Matt said, snatching the map away, looking at Gareth darkly amazed. Cam let out a disbelieving gust of air and ran her hands angrily through her thick hair.

"Gary?! Are you fucking kidding me?" she snapped, her teeth clenched. "You said your brother took the trip out here!"

"He did! Or…Ya know, he was meaning to."

"Do you even know the way back?" Matt raged, eyes narrowed. I watched Gareth look at all of us before shrugging.

"I can find it-"

"Are you fucking-" Cam said again, her voice louder now. "You took directions from a GARY, who's a well known drug dealer! Who I have seen wandering around at night not remembering where his own damn house is and you drove us to who knows where on HIS 'directions'….and NOW you're telling us….you DON'T even know the way back!"

'Fuck.'

Letting out a sigh I sat back in my seat, rubbing my face roughly with my hands before turning my attention back out the window.

"I told you I could figure it out!" Gareth yelled back, turning back around and grabbing the steering wheel.

"Yeah," Matt scoffed, laughing humorlessly. "And you also said your brother had been out her before us!"

"SHUT THE FUCK UP, MAN! OKAY? JUST BECAUSE YOU HAVEN'T GOTTEN LAID IN MONTHS DOESN'T…"

My gaze shifted and Gareth's voice faded off as movement in the bushes a fee yards from our car caught my attention.

It was too dark to see.

All the shadows seeming to melt together in one large, impenetrable black mass. Slowly, as I stared, shapes started standing out.

Trees, bushes, random woodland creatures and….

My heart stepped up. Kicking into an unexpected overdrive as my eyes traced the dark silhouette that loomed just beyond the first rows of trees.

It was massive, dwarfing the good sized shrubs it was behind. It looked bulky and inhuman as it stood still, seeming to stare me down.

I should have been terrified.

I should have been screaming.

I should have been running away.

But, instead, I found myself…intrigued.

I was drawn forward by an unknown force, my hand raised and pressing against the heated glass as I leaned closer, my eyes traveling up it's gloomy length, watching with baited breath as its head shifted to the side.

I could feel the wait of the shadow persons eyes on me.

A growl of irritation and the gentle roar of the car starting up drew my focus away, my eyes leaving for just a moment to glance at my friends before returning, only to find the murky figure gone.

Emptiness polluting the place it had once was.

I craned my neck as the car started away, hoping to catch one more glimpse, disappointed when I didn't.

"What are you looking at?" I heard Matt ask, his voice low and curious. Slowly, I shook my head in answer.

"Nothing," I said, shaking my head as I turned to face him. "Just a deer…"

I scowled inwardly.

Why was I lying to Matt? Shouldn't I tell somebody what I had seen? The simple answer was yes.

Yes I should have, But for some reason I couldn't.

I couldn't open my mouth….I couldn't form the words in my brain.

I watched silently as a gentle smile pulled at the corner of his lips, reaching the dark brown depths of his eyes. "You were straining that hard to see a deer?"

I shrugged, my eyes moving to stare down at my hands resting against my lap. "I like nature." I responded lamely.

I heard him chuckle, watching as his head dipped slightly, trying to catch my eyes.

His mouth opened, prepared to speak, only to be cut short by the horrible shriek that echoed throughout the small car.

"GARETH! LOOK OUT-"

The crunch of the metal was overwhelming.

My ears popped as it boomed, my hands flying out to grab onto whatever I could as I felt us tipping. The pierce of broken glass as the windows blew out sent a shock through my numbing body, cutting at my chest and face invading my senses as we rolled, airborne for a few seconds only to crash again, upside down.

The seatbelt splintered against my stomach and I found myself falling, my face and shoulder hitting the concrete as the air was pushed from my lungs. I felt thee roof of the car snap back up and send me hurdling towards the front seats, my head banging against the rear view mirror.

My hands broke through the windshield first, my vision spotty and weaving as I found myself skidding against the cooling forest floor.

Then suddenly….everything went quiet.

The thick silence that surrounded me was eerie, but I could still hear the sickening grown of the steel as it bend and flipped.

It was engrained in my mind.

And that scream…..

Cam!

I struggled to turn, to move my arms and check on my friends.

But I couldn't move.

My body deadening.

All I could do was lay there in the dirt, the sharp pine cones biting at my back as I tried, unsuccessfully, to move my fingers. I found myself watching the clouds slowly drift across the sky in a weird, sort of serene state, marveling silently as the sky turned to a deep amber above me.

My vision was tunneling as I finally let my eyes slowly close, my limbs increasingly numb as I floated away.

Letting my body drift wherever it thought suitable.