Disclaimer: I own nothing. : (

Soundtrack: Homecoming – Hey Monday (My best friend Marcy, loveincognito, helped me with this one).

Chapter 10: The Tree Trunk

RPOV

Even with Alice's speedy driving we didn't get to Eaton Center for about thirty minutes. I thought I would die of boredom in that car! Okay maybe I'm exaggerating...a little bit.

"Okay so we're here!" Alice exclaimed.

I rolled my eyes lazily around the old boy's camp. The only thing that caught my eye was the woods. They looked enticing. I had to go in them! My competitive side taking over quickly.

"Well I want to go off into the woods." I said calmly.

"I want to go explore the beach." Alice said quickly. "What about you Bella?" She then said sweetly.

Then I quickly gave her the look that said I wanted, no needed to do this on my own. However if she wanted, I mean really wanted she could come.

"No I'll be fine." Sarcasm was thickly flowing from her words as she said this. "I guess I'll go check out the cabins." She resigned.

I quickly flashed her a smile.

"Okay then meet back here in about an hour." I instructed before I headed down the trail in the woods.

The setting was creepy, what with the wind howling through the trees and the crunch of the ground beneath my feet.

I continued down the path for several minutes before I realized it wasn't going to lead me anywhere exciting. I stopped. On either sides of me there were thick woods, nothing too appealing. Up ahead the path continued. Sighing I turned to the left and slipped through the trees into the woods. It was dark, and I couldn't see too far ahead of myself. I really wish I had brought a flashlight!

I continued to stumble around for a couple minutes before I realized this was hopeless. However, I didn't know the way back. Great, just fucking great!

At least there weren't any strangers near. That would just make this horrible. See I'm not so good with strangers. All three of us, Alice, Bella, and me, have our fears. Alice is afraid of being alone, and not like she is now alone, I mean long term. Like 'I have no friends' alone. If she's alone temporarily, like now, she just gets a little antsy. Bella is afraid of being lost. Not like a 'I need directions' lost but like lost in life, not knowing where she's going with her life. They are also both afraid of spiders. See though besides the spider thing their fears are totally justified. Mine however not so much. I'm afraid of strangers, male strangers especially.

Bella and Alice are the only people that know that. We don't share our fears with any other people.

I growled and punched the nearest tree. I couldn't find the path. What was I supposed to do now?

I finally found a small clearing where the moon shined and provided some light. In the middle was a small boulder that I could sit on. The grass was knee high I noticed as I sat down.

It was starting to get foggy and darker by the minute. I should go. There was another older looking path winding behind the boulder. I guess it leads to the other path.

Quickly I ran to it. The woods seemed to be thinning. There were more mossy boulders here. Eventually it led to a small lake or large pond, whatever. The moonlight reflected off it in a beautiful yet eerie way. I knew I should turn back, that my earlier assumptions were wrong this didn't lead to the path back to the jeep. Yet, something was keeping me from leaving.

The old path continued to lead down to the lake when it stopped at an old wooden bridge. The bridge led across the pond to the other side where I could see the path pick back up again. Carefully I tested the old bridge by placing my foot on it and put my weight on it slowly until I realized it was sturdy.

Quickly I started across and a loud creak echoed across the lake. I froze and looked around, paranoia setting in. Then I crossed the remainder of the bridge.

I jumped onto the path and set off again. I was soon immersed in the forest. I continued quickly down the path and after a couple minutes I was in another clearing similar to the one with the boulder. What caught my eye however was the moonlight shining on a particular tree. It had the initials S H and S P carved into it. There was a heart surrounding them. That's strange I thought this was an all boys camp. Then again I don't doubt that there are other camps around here. That would explain why this was so far into the woods.

I sighed this was giving me a migraine. I should just forget about this and leave. Maybe if I hurried I could get back before my girls freaked. I spun around and was about to leave when I heard a bone chilling bark not far behind me.

It was the part in the horror novel that you can't seem to put down that you just want to scream at the characters for being so incredibly stupid. The part where you start to grab the book in a death grip and at the same time you want to throw it across the room and never pick it up again. The part where the characters are being pressured to do the thing that you don't want them to do, but then again you know me I've never been one to be swayed by others.

AN: Thanks to my amazing beta, An End Has A Start! And I love you guys!

IT'S MY BIRTHDAY so please review!!! It would be the perfect birthday present : )

*Kristen*