"Okay Cliffhangers, gather your stuff and remember now anything you've forgotten," Sophie spoke, "we're leaving in five minutes."
It was 6:00am and everyone lay on the grass, their hiking bags piled around them. Dawn was just upon them and most were still asleep.
"I'll pay someone to carry me," Ezra yawned.
The only person not laying on the ground was Shelby. With light, came a new found courage and she walked boldly towards the bushes where she *thought* she saw movement the night before. Scott got up and followed her. As he approached he gave her a questioning look.
"Don't worry about it," Shelby snapped angered because he followed her. She surveyed the area but there seemed to be nothing, not a trace of anyone being there. She was really doubting her own sense of reality now, what if it was just her imagination? Scott began silently looking at the ground too, because she was. However he didn't know what he was looking for. He gave an exasperated sigh when she wouldn't talk to him, and then something caught his eye. He knelt down and then picked up a small cigarette butt.
Shelby watched Scott do this, and her face turned ashen as her fears were confirmed. Someone had been watching.
Scott mouthed the word, "Yours?"
Shelby shook her head, "Someone was watching us last night, Colleen and I had a smoke on the dock."
Scott raised his eyebrows then whispered, "Adam? Oh god Shelby, you gotta tell Peter."
Shelby shook her head, she couldn't tell Peter because he'd find out they were outside after curfew and know they'd been smoking. Together her and Scott walked back to the group as they all were picking up their packs and preparing for the long hike.
"Let's go," Peter said cheerfully, and they set off with everyone groaning and complaining about how early it was.
Colleen lingered behind everyone and about a half hour into the hike, she approached Shelby.
"You didn't happen to pick up my papers from the dock last night.......did you?"
Shelby gave her a strange look, "No why?"
"Well I forgot about them and when I went back to get them, they were gone."
"Oh well, I'm sure the wind just blew them into the lake or something, thats all," Shelby looked away so Colleen wouldn't see her fear.
Colleen bit down on her lip, "yeah thats probably what happened." Though she didn't believe that one bit, Shelby knew something.......she answered way too quickly. Why didn't she believe Shelby though? And why was that feeling of constantly being watched still lingering? Scott came into pace beside her and handed her a crumpled piece of loose-leaf. He gave her a apologetic look, almost pleading. Colleen looked the other way, but took the note. Later she read it:
"Break time! You've got five minutes guys!" Sophie announced. Everyone thankfully sat down to rest.
~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~ He sat down panting, then lit a smoke. He didn't except to hike up mountain at 6am, and he'd barely had enough time to gather what he needed. Tonight was the night. Colleen and him would finally be together again, and it would be the last time. He patted the gun that remained in his pocket. Tonight...........
~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~
Peter frowned at the clouds rolling in off the Horizon. "Ok, group we have to hustle to get to the campsite. It looks like it may rain a little and we want everything up before that happens."
There was a series of groans heard as the group started off again. On the way Peter explained the strategy.
"You will each be paired off at the main campsite where Sophie, Kat, and I will be staying. Kat's already done this so she'll help as a monitor. You'll all have a map in you packs," he stopped to take a breath, "you and your partner will have to work together to find your campsite and set up camp. There you will stay the night and learn how to work together and depend on each other, and trust each other. You'll see why," he winked at everyone.
"Well as much fun as that sounds Peter, don't expect to get any excitement or enthusiasm out of me," Daisy remarked.
"We'll leave that to Miss Priss," Shelby looked straight at Jules.
"I hardly get excited about sleeping on a bug filled forest floor with dirt and creepy crawlies, ew. Besides your just jealous because I can actually be happy at times and I'm not afraid to express myself," Juliette retorted.
Auggie put his arm around Jules, "And thats why I love ya!" she smiled and leaned against him, everyone rolled their eyes.
Colleen finally gazed toward Scott. His head was down and he walked quietly along oblivious to anyone else. He wasn't even panting from the long walked, and his athletic body gleamed with sweat. She found herself daydreaming of what it would be like to be with him. She hadn't had a guy interested in her since Adam and Scott was so cute.....and completely opposite of Adam. A clap of thunder in the distance jolted her back to reality, as if it was a sign telling her to stop thinking about it.
"Think logical," she told herself, "Scott's an ass, plus I could never do that to Shelby."
Finally they came to a halt in a small clearing with a tiny cabin. Sophie and Peter announced it as base camp.
"I'll read out the pairs now, as soon as you find your site, get to work on your shelters it looks like rain." He smiled. "Okay group one: David and Ezra. Two: Scott and Auggie. Three: Daisy and Juliette. Four: Shelby and Colleen.
Daisy rolled her eyes skyward and Shabbily looked relieved. Everyone was about to leave when Peter stopped them.
"One more thing," he smiled, "Give me your tents."
Everyone's mouths dropped open and people started complaining.
"You can't expect me to actually build a lean-to by myself," Daisy cried, "Lord knows the princess won't lift a finger to help, she'll break a fingernail," she gave Jules an evil glare.
"Not true, I'll help," she whined.
"I'm sure you two will work things out when you start to get wet," Peter pointed to the clouds, " I suggest you all hurry."
Reluctantly they all trudged on. Shelby turned to Peter, "You will be watching us all night, right?" she asked.
"Of course Shelby," Sophie replied, "Why? What's wrong?" Shelby shrugged then turned and started following the map. Her and Colleen didn't talk much, but intently followed directions. They found their camp in no time, it was marked with a yellow flag and their names were written on it.
"I imagine you've never built a lean-to before?" Shelby finally spoke.
"I looked at a diagram of one before I came so I have an idea. I'll gather the wood."
Her and Shelby worked hard, and didn't even notice the misty rain begin to fall and the darkness. It also gave them both no time to think about what or who could be lurking out in the forest.....
~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~
He watched them work, such strong women. It worried him, what if he couldn't contain both? Then he felt the reassuring poke of the cold piece of metal on his hip. He smiled and blew a kiss to Colleen. "Tonight, babe."
~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~
Colleen collapsed to the ground exhausted. Only then did she realize that her parka was soaked. They had completed the frame of the lean-to, and only had to place the foliage on top. The hard part was done. All there stuff stayed dry, under the tarp Peter had given them. "At least something will stay dry."
She got up and started weaving branches through the frame, then froze. The tingling sensation came back like she was being watched. She glanced around.
"What's wrong?" Shelby came up beside her.
"Oh, uh, I just........though I heard something. Don't worry about it." She didn't want to scare Shelby because of her own overactive imagination. Together they finished the lean-to, which turned out pretty good. By this time the rain was pouring harder and it was getting even darker. The began trying to start the fire.
Suddenly Scott appeared through the trees, he put his fingers to his lips, "I'll help you with your fire, just don't tell Peter."
We could have gotten it going Scott," Shelby snapped. She was still a little angry at his for kissing Colleen, but she was grateful when the fire was going and she could finally get warm.
"If you need us our camp is about 2 minutes that way," he pointed, then before Shelby could do anything he gave her a quick kiss and headed back through the trees.
Shelby sat and tried to get warmer. They spread their blanket under the lean-to and rested. After a few moments, Shelby broke the silence, "Do you want to tell me the rest about Adam?"
Colleen was caught off guard, "What? Oh,um....Adam. He's psycho, he killed a cop and among other things. He's capable of doing anything." Colleen decided at that moment, that she wanted to talk, and she needed someone else to know her secret. The one that haunted her day and night and consumed almost every though for so long. "I told you how he used to force himself on me......well, I got..........I got pregnant."
Shelby's gaze jerked towards Colleen.
"He was so angry when he found out. He wanted me to get an abortion, but I refused. He got so angry that he beat me.........beat my stomach. I lost it, I was so scared I didn't say anything..........oh god I didn't say anything. Then finally he was taken away to jail and I thought....I though it was over you know? But the threats started happening, about how he was going to kill me for leaving him.
Shelby had tears in her eyes, "Oh Colleen, I'm so sorry. How can a person be so cruel?"
"He was tanked when he did it, and high. But yeah, he's capable of anything and thats why I'm so scared right now. I wish it could all be over, then I could get on with my life."
Shelby grew more fearful now that she realized the danger they'd been in last night. She pulled her knees up to her chest and wished for Peter to come.
Colleen stood, "I have to go the bathroom, nature calls." Her eyes were red and puffy from crying. She walked into the trees.
"Don't go......too far," Shelby muttered. Thank god they weren't at Horizon, the night was perfect for a freak like Adam to strike. She was contemplating on telling Peter now or when they got back when she saw a note sticking out form underneath Colleen's pillow. Curiosity took hold of her and she unfolded it. She immediately recognized Scott's writing. Her eyebrows formed a frown as she read it.
Colleen came out of the bushes but stopped short when she saw what Shelby was holding.
Shelby turned to her, "When did Scott give this to you? Is it true? Do you also like him, is this some kind of stupid game?" her questions shot out like ice, and she immediately lost her sympathy.
"He.....he gave it to me on the hike. But your misunderstanding he's playing a joke on me Shelby," Colleen lied, "That's all it is, a joke. He's trying to get back at me for punching him."
"Bullshit," Shelby spat, "I know Scott, and this sure as hell isn't a joke. What's going on between you two? I thought you were my friend."
Colleen stared at the ground, the rain poured down even harder now and she shivered. A crack of thunder told them that the storm was finally upon them, "I don't like him Shelby, I can't explain it, but I know I don't like him in that way."
"We'll see," she shoved passed her and headed for Scott's camp. She stalked right into Peter.
"Going somewhere?" he asked Shelby, who stuck the note in her jacket.
"To relieve myself, you wanna come?" she almost yelled at Peter. He stuck up his hands, "no thanks, just came to tell you that if this storm gets any worse I want you to come back to base camp. Do you think you can find it?" The nodded and he head off. Shelby headed in the opposite direction for Scott's camp.
"Shelby wait," Colleen hurried after her but was stopped by a hand clamping around her throat. She froze in shock, unable to scream.
She felt a hot breath by her ear, and then words, "Hey Colleen."
The voice, the all to familiar voice. It shot through her body like ice. Colleen finally managed to turn and face him.
"Adam," she whispered. The rain blasted through her jacket and a bolt of lightening lit up his smile and the gun in his hand. He was wearing the white Rage against the Machine T-shirt she'd given him for his birthday one year. She finally managed to scream, and she kept on screaming till Adam wrestled her to the ground, covering her mouth.
By this time Shelby had turned and saw what was happening. He rose and held Colleen down by keeping his foot on her neck. He pointed the gun at Shelby.
"Get over here," he ordered.
Not knowing what to do Shelby dashed away and ducked behind a big tree.
"Dammit! You bitch," Adam screamed then ran after her, leaving Colleen gasping for air on the ground. A gun shot hit the tree trunk and Shelby screamed and ran.
Adam went back to Colleen and ripped her to her feet, "Call your friend back."
"Never, leave her out of this," Colleen turned around and nailed Adam in the knee then ran.
Adam screamed and chased after her. He pounced just before they both reached a steep incline toward the river. Together they fell, and rolled over and over down the hill. Colleen came to a stop on a ledge, just before the edge dropped straight down toward the river. Adam was right beside her, and he got up shakily then straddled her. Colleen's upper body hung off the edge.
"You I have waited for this for so long," he smiled, "I couldn't have imagined it better. You sent me to prison Colleen, you left me that night when I loved you! You left me alone, and I would never have done that to you. We always promised not to do that to each other!" he was in hysterics, babbling on and on.
To Colleen, everything was silent except her own thoughts. The rain, thunder, Adam, they were all silent as her life flashed before her eyes. Adam finally leaned down to kiss her one last time.
"Kiss of death," he said looking deep into Colleen's eyes.
Suddenly there was Scott, he came running down the incline with Shelby behind him. Scott slammed into Adam sending him flying, while Shelby pulled Colleen away from the edge.
"He's got a gun Scott," Colleen screamed. Finally reality hit her again. She searched frantically for a weapon.
"Oh god," she heard Shelby mutter.
Colleen turned to see that Adam had the gun pointed at Scott, who had his back to the cliff. With a burst of unknown strength she rushed Adam and shoved. The gun went off and Shelby screamed Scott's name as he slumped to the ground. Together Adam and Colleen flew over the edge. Their screams were engulfed by the roaring sound of rushing water below as they hit.