I had barely put the car in park when Chance opened the door and started making his way to the woods. Jay jumped out after him leaving me to lock up the car. I was about to run after them when my eyes drifted to my glove box. Something pulled at my gut nudging me to it. I sighed, cursing my paranoia, and grabbed my silver knife from the compartment and stuffed it in my bag.
I eventually caught up with the group as we entered the tree line, just in time to hear Chance's gloating.
"This place is so fucking cool, it's like something straight outta a horror movie. Or maybe, like, a post apocalyptic thing."
"So you decided to bring us there? You do realise that's how people die in films like that, right?" I groaned still trailing behind them further into the woods. Christ, it's a good thing I'm armed. Is this what normal teens do? Go stare death in the face in the middle of the woods?
Okay, so 'the woods' is an exaggeration. It's not anything near a forest. It isn't even large enough to get seriously lost in. It was just a bunch of trees that got stuck in between the park and a neighborhood. It'd take around fifteen minutes to walk from one end to another from the farthest apart points. But if you got in the middle and the traffic died down, you could trick yourself into thinking you were in the wilderness of South Dakota, forever lost. It was a nice place to stop and relax, but I think Chance spent a lot of time here to avoid his patents. I didn't know anything about his home life, like I said, were weren't close. However, I don't really see another reason for him to spend so much time here.
I looked back up to realise I lost sight of Chance and Jay. But after I made it to the top of the hill to witness a surreal view was laid out in front of me. An old, decrepit brick building laid dormant among the trees. Rust trailing down the walls from the tin roof, as of it was weeping or injured. It whispered for me to turn around. I didn't of course. Not with Chance and Jay edging closer to the ancient death trap. My stomach twisted, this was just the place for monsters, and even beasts of the human variety, to dwell in.
I padded up to Chance asking when he found the windowless place.
"Uh, yesterday. Around eight. I heard some movement and followed it here. Never actually saw a person though." He informed me.
"I've got a bad feeling about this place C. We should leave." My voice was drier than I would've liked.
"Aw, come on Novak. It's in the middle of the day. Let's have a little fun. Let's explore." He pleaded.
"No. This is exactly the kind of shit that would get you killed in a horror film. We should go." I commanded.
"Alright fine. Let's get Jay then we can go get something to eat." He finally sighed.
"Thanks. You're buying too, your ass dragged me out here to this death trap." I grinned.
"Hey come on! Don't be like that!" Chance whined as I rounded the corner to gather Jay and leave.
"Yo, Jay we're heading out--" I stopped, they were staring at the ground in front of the entrance to the building. "Are you okay?"
"Claire… is that blood?" Jay asked, not bothering to look up.
My heart dropped. As I got closer I could begin smelling a strong hint of iron. Which seemed to be coming from the crimson puddle spilling out of the doorway. The blood only looked to be an hour or so old. The center of the blood hadn't completely dried.
I grabbed Jay's wrist, normally I would've investigated further but my first instinct was to get civilians out of harm's way.
"We're leaving. Now."
No later than those words left my lips came a blood curdling scream from Chance's way. I bolted towards the sound of distress, grabbing my knife out of my bag. As I turned the corner of the building, I could make out a person dressed entirely in black pinning Chance to the ground. Without thinking my foot made contact this the stranger's temple. They staggered back enough for me to grab Chance and brandish my pure silver knife towards the assaulter. Jay was right next to me trying to help Chance to his feet. I glanced at my friends to realise both of them were trying desperately to stop the blood streaming from Chance's neck. Scarlet red seeping in between his ebony fingers and escaping from under Jay's tawny palms. My heart dropped.
Did he get bit by a fucking vampire? But I looked back to see the psycho had a pocket knife.
There was a slight relief but that didn't solve the fact that there was a crazy guy with knife.
I smiled slightly. Well, I'm a crazy chick with a knife.
Without looking at my friends I uttered a command to get Chance to the police station. It was two streets away, barely three minutes if they ran.
I'll handle the this asshole.
The stranger lunged for me and I managed to ram my elbow into their sternum. They made sound like the wind had been knocked out of them. Twisting their arm I wrestled the pocket knife out their grasp. A gravely voice growled a curse at me. They got a good punch to my ribs but that didn't stop me from hitting their neck, knocking them out. The stranger was passed out on the ground. I didn't bother looking at their face, or checking if they were alive, I stuffed my own knife into my bag. Finally running after Chance and Jay.
I caught up to them a street over from the park. Chance was hobbling along--being supported by Jay as much as they could, they're way tinier than Chance--looking slightly woozy from blood lose. I ran up alongside them, putting my arm under my injuries friend's shoulder.
We made it to the police station, bursting through the front entrance.
"Help! We've got an injured kid here!" Jay screamed insanely panicked.
Jody comes around the corner. "Call the medics! Now!" She barked at the other officers. Then at me, "Claire what in the hell happened?!"
"We were in the wooded area of the park when he got jumped. Some psycho cut his neck!" I answered in a rush.
Jody was sitting him down on the ground while two other officers joined the group. Assisting in medical help for Chance.
"What were you doing in the woods?!" She screamed.
My face was flushed. Was this really the time for her to be upset about me skipping class?!
I didn't get much farther into that thought before someone was behind me pulling me away from from the scene.
"No! He's my friend! Let me help!" I screamed.
But they didn't. Not matter how hard I struggled or screamed my myself hoarse. I was taken away. Pulled into another room as Chance was placed onto a gurney and disappeared out the front entrance.