Chapter 8
Ryan was at the wheel as the boat glided across the water. The weather had turned out perfect for the bonfire, just the right amount of chill to the air.
I laughed as I watched Sergey shove marshmallows into his mouth.
"Save some for the rest of us!" Katrina yelled pulling the bag away from him.
Me, Katrina, Sergey, Ryan, Heather, Josh and Elfie all piled off the boat on to the dock.
I grabbed the cooler and the blankets. I smiled watching Ryan tie up the boat. His sunglasses perched on his head. His arms flexing under his t-shirt as he moved about the boat. I bit my lip and followed the rest of the crew.
I opened the cooler and dug around for a beer.
"We should play a game!" Heather said
"Please don't say truth or dare" Sergey groaned holding his stomach. He looked queasy.
"You are the one who ate too many marshmallows." Katrina laughed
"Let's play flash light tag" Josh suggested.
It had gotten quite dark as we sat around the fire.
"Alright but some rules…no climbing up trees. Heather" Ryan said looking over at her.
"That was one time!" she said
We equipped ourselves with flashlights and flashlight tag had turned more into hide and go seek. I was searching for everyone. In the dark, in the woods with my dinky little flashlight.
I squinted into the dark waving my flashlight towards bushes and trees and rocks. I sighed.
"I am probably lost" I said to myself. I started heading back to the fire. I heard footsteps behind me; I spun around quick enough to see a shadow.
"I saw you! Come on" I laughed. Waiting for someone to reveal themselves.
I continued to search.
Ryan's POV-
"Heather it's been awhile." I said pressed up against a tree.
"Yeah it is dark though…"
"I am worried. She might be lost"
"Alright let's go find the others and find her. You can blame Josh for this one" She said as we looked for the others.
Josh and Sergey split off in one direction to look for her. Heather and Elfie in the other and me and Katrina.
Meg's POV-
"Alright, I quit." I said turning around and heading off in the other direction.
I thought I must be getting closer to the fire. But I didn't see anything.
I was trying not to panic. I was in the woods. Alone and possibly lost.
"Guys!" I yelled.
"Hey! I am done playing. Come out please!" I yelled.
Silence only followed. I reached into my pocket and took out my cell phone. No signal.
"Of course" I said closing it.
"RYAN! HEATHER…ANYONE!" I yelled
I heard something behind me. I turned around to catch a glimpse of fur, red eyes and claws before it disappeared where I couldn't see it. I screamed tripping over myself as I ran as fast as I could through the trees. I saw lights. Several flashlights in the distance.
"Meg!" someone yelled. It sounded like Katrina.
I ran until I reached the lights.
"Where were you?" Ryan said reaching me first. His face was white and he looked terrified.
"I was looking for you. I got lost and...I saw something" I said hugging him.
"You are shaking" he said taking off his coat and wrapping it around me.
We all headed back to the fire. We decided to camp out for the evening.
The few tents we brought along were set up quickly.
I snuggled into Ryan.
"What did it look like?" he whispered as we were sharing a tent with Heather and Elfie.
"Fur, claws and red eyes. It might have been a bear but it was dark and I was alone and afraid." I sighed
"It was probably just a bear" he said running a hand into my hair.
"I am sorry you were scared" he added pressing a kiss to my head.
I looked up into his face.
"It didn't help that I felt watched while I was out there"
"Still?"
"Yeah I don't know what it is"
His brows furrowed.
"I wouldn't worry about it" he said
I nodded. He leaned down and kissed me. His lips warm on mine.
I pressed into him and deepened the kiss.
He pulled away.
"Now is not a good time for this" he chuckled quietly.
"I know." I said. We fell asleep. Tomorrow would be a new day.
We packed up and headed back in the morning.
"I call shower!" I yelled when we got into the house.
I grinned shutting the door in Sergey's face.
It felt good to be clean. I got dressed and went to look for Ryan. Who was in the front yard messing with a bike.
"Hey, what are you up to?"
"I am going to go on a bike ride, want to join me?" he smiled.
"Sure" I said.
I got the other bike ready and we were off down the road.
We came to a stop at park. We parked out bikes.
"What are we doing?" I smiled. "You'll see" He said taking my hand and leading me.
He was leading me up a steep hill.
"If I had known you were going to take me hiking I would have worn better shoes"
"Not much farther." He said
We reached the top of the hill into a clearing overlooking the lake.
"I thought it would be nice to finally spend some time alone together..."
"Summer was kind of busy for both of us" he added sitting down on a rock.
I nodded.
"Think the others followed us?" I laughed
"I sure hope not" he said grabbing my hand and pulling me down next to him.
"Did you want to talk anymore about what you've been feeling since you got here?"
"It's probably just my imagination running wild."
"I just feel it all the time though, it never stops. Even now I can feel something is watching me from somewhere in the woods" I added
"Are you having nightmares every night?"
"Mostly the same one over and over again."
"Well that was a traumatizing life experience for you. Where did you live again before it happened?"
"North Carolina. I don't remember where it happened though; it's been kind of erased from my mind."
"You never went under any kind of hypnosis to remember anything?"
"Why would I want to? My parents and little brother died. That is something I rather not remember every detail of"
He nodded squeezing my hand.
"It's strange though that you are dreaming of the accident"
"I thought maybe it's because I am so close to a lake again."
"Let me know if it gets any worse" he said
I nodded.
We stay cuddled on the rock watching the sun go down. The mood for our romantic escape was kind of ruined.
He leaned over and kissed my lips slowly. He pulled away and brushed the hair out of my eyes.
"I am sorry for bringing it up. I just want you enjoy this time and not be plagued by bad dreams"
"It's alright. I know you are only trying to help"
"Let's get going. I know Sergey promised to make dinner tonight" He smiled.
We got up and headed back to the house.
Sets of eyes followed my every movement back. Watching and biding their time.
So it may be a while til chapter 9(a week or 2 :/). I am still coming up with more ideas for this. Music is a major help but it's hard finding songs that flow with the story. I will eventually put up the playlist i used. hope you liked this. I tried to make it longer this time around. Review! -M
