Riley couldn't recall how long she had been on that horse's back. It seemed like hours, even though it had probably only been minutes. She was scared. Didn't know where she was going, if she was dead or not.
Finally, the horse stopped and she was violently thrown off of its back. Her legs and arms had been tied. The ropes dissolved as she hit the ground.
"Goddamnit!" she groaned, trying to stand up.
"Wait, I'll help you," she heard someone say, then that someone grabbed her hands and pulled her up.
Riley coughed, trying to wipe the dirt out of her face. "Thanks," she said, her voice raspy.
"Riley?" she heard the boy ask.
She finally looked up, recognizing the voice at last. It was impossible. How did she forget him? There was no way. Then again, all of her friends had somehow forgotten her too. "Stiles?" she finally asked.
"We could try to figure out where they went with her. Then we can look for Riley," Marlow told Scott. It was the next day, they were in school.
Scott sighed. "Marlow, we've been over this. If it were that easy we would've found whoever Stiles is as well by now," he explained.
Marlow sighed. "I know, but we could try," she tried again, trying to catch up to him.
Scott stopped. "Marlow, I really don't have time for this right now. I need to get to class."
Marlow looked at him, angrily. "Class? Do you need to get to class when we've just lost a pack member? And need to figure out how to stop the Ghost Riders before we and everyone else in this town are next?"
Scott looked back at her. "Look, I know this looks bad and I promise we will get Riley and everyone else back. But not right now, we'll talk about this later."
"Fine! Go to your precious class! I'll find a way. You'll see!" she yelled after him.
"Go to class!" he yelled back.
"As if," Marlow whispered as she snuck back out of school. "There has to be some way to get her back."
"Stiles?" Riley asked.
"You remember me?" Stiles asked back.
Riley rubbed the back of her head. She still didn't understand how she suddenly remembered him. "Yeah, I think so. What happened?"
"The Ghost Riders got you," Stiles replied.
"Where are we?" she asked.
Stiles shrugged as the Ghost Riders approached them to leave the tunnel again. They were steering directly into the pair when someone pulled them out of the way. The man looked at Stiles semi-annoyed. "It had to be you," he said. Without another word, he walked away from them and sat down on a nearby bench. Riley finally looked around. Everyone around them was sitting down. All of them unresponsive.
Riley turned to Stiles, her eyes narrowed and lips pursed. "Who-"
"Peter? Peter? How are you here?" Stiles asked.
"Hale?" Riley asked, her eyes widening. Stiles nodded. Marlow had filled Riley in on everything and everyone she needed to know about over the past couple of months and if there was one thing Riley was sure of, it was to stay away from Peter Hale.
"And who's that?" Peter asked Stiles.
"Riley Stevens," Stiles said. He turned to her, his eyes narrowed. "Parrish?"
Riley lightly hit him in the arm. "Stevens-Parrish. You know this!" she told him. "Woah!" she said. Memories flashed back into her brain. Maybe that's what the train station did. Remind you of what the Ghost Riders took.
"What are you?" Peter chimed in, already annoyed with their antics.
Riley rolled her eyes. She really didn't want to do tea time with a psychopath. She should be figuring out how to get home instead. "Witch. Former Werecoyote-Witch Hybrid."
Peter scoffed. "The scum of the supernatural world."
"Says the serial killer asshole," Riley shot back.
Stiles stepped between them. "Okay, back to the subject," he chimed in. "How the hell did you get here, Peter?" Stiles asked.
"What do you mean, how did I get here? I'm here, you're here, we're all here. Now, get the hell away from me Stiles," Peter replied.
"Okay, Peter. What are you doing?" Stiles asked.
"I'm waiting for my train," Peter simply said.
Riley looked around, then nudged Stiles. "Look, they're all waiting for their train."
"Didn't you just see that?" Stiles asked Peter.
"See what?" Peter asked.
"The horses. The hawk-tied businessman, with the magically dissolving ropes," Stiles replied. He turned around. "I'm sorry did anyone just see that?!" Stiles yelled around. The people turned around to him but quickly returned to waiting for their train.
"Do you mind? You're blocking the board. I'd like a little warning before my train arrives." Peter said.
Riley let out an annoyed sigh and lightly shoved Stiles out of the way. "Okay, screw this," she said. "Peter, the fucking train isn't coming!" she yelled. "How the hell did you get here?"
"Pretty sure I took a cab," Peter replied in that snarky, know-it-all way Riley couldn't stand in people. She stared at him angrily.
"Last time I saw you, you were being locked away in Eichen House," Stiles chimed in.
Peter looked away for a second. Riley groaned, turning to Stiles. "What is he doing now?"
"Remembering, I think," Stiles said. Riley sighed.
Peter finally stood up. He went on to explain how he escaped Eichen House when the pack got Lydia out. "How long have I been here?" Peter when he concluded his story.
"The lockdown was three months ago," Stiles replied.
"I've been missing for three months and no one came for me?" Peter asked.
"It's what the Ghost Riders do. They erase you." Stiles told him.
"Ghost Riders? Ghost Riders of the Wild Hunt?" Peter asked.
"Yeah, you know what I'm talking about?" Stiles asked. He sat down on one of the benches, pulling on Riley's sleeve so she would follow suit. Riley sighed, giving him a look. She would rather figure out a way to get home than spend one more second with Peter. Stiles nodded at the bench intently. Riley begrudgingly sat down next to Stiles.
"Of course I know what you're talking about. They ride the lighting. They are an unstoppable force of nature, but I promise you they don't make pit-stops in train stations," Peter explained.
"Well, there has to be a way out of here. Some kind of door or something," Riley chimed in.
"Do you really think it is that easy, little girl?" Peter asked.
Riley jumped up off the bench. "Call me little girl one more time, you old geezer. I will light your ass on fucking fire!"
"What are you doing?" Stiles asked as Riley stomped away from the two.
"Finding a way out of here," Riley said, walking towards one of the doors. She opened it and went through it, only to end up at the train station again.
"What the hell?" Stiles asked. He rushed up to her and walked through the door and came out back into the train station as well.
"What in the world is going on in here?" Riley asked. And as she looked around she spotted a guy looking at them. "Guys, the weird dude behind us. I think he's watching us."
Peter looked back. "Yeah, he's definitely watching us."
"So?" Stiles asked.
"Every person in this train station is acting as if they're brain dead and that guy is clearly keeping an eye on us. Don't you think that's a little weird?" Riley asked.
"Yeah, maybe..." Stiles mused.
"Let's go," Peter said. When the guy spotted them, he tried getting away only to be stopped by Peter. "Why are you watching us?"
"You tried the doors, nobody ever tries the doors," the boy said ominously.
"And you have?" Riley asked.
"The ones that I could open. I've tried everything else."
"Not everything. You're still here," Peter said.
"Yeah, it seems like you got some kind of plan. So why don't you tell us about it?" Stiles asked.
"I can tell you, but it doesn't mean you can do it," the boy said.
"Stop speaking in riddles, man," Riley chimed in. She wasn't up for games. Not when her life and the entire fate of Beacon Hills was at stake.
"Well it's right in front of your face," he said. He eyed the tunnel.
Riley walked towards it. She zoned out until Stiles shook her. "Huh?" she asked.
"What's going on?" Stiles asked her.
Riley shrugged. "No idea. But I have a bad feeling about this."
"Okay, push me," Peter suddenly spoke up.
"I'm sorry, what did you say?" Stiles asked.
"Push me!" Peter yelled as if saying it once wasn't embarrassing enough for him already.
"Alrighty!" Riley said as she shoved him forward, then followed him and pulled Stiles with her.
"Why are these guys so hard to find?!" Marlow yelled as she threw the last piece of the Wild Hunt mythology on her bed. She was at a dead end and she was getting sick of it. When she heard a knock on the door. It was Lydia.
"Marlow?" she asked.
"Come in," Marlow said.
Lydia smiled at her. "Hey."
"Hi." Marlow greeted back. "Talking to my parents again?" she asked. Lydia nodded. "They're still not helping?" Marlow asked.
Lydia shook her head. "That's why I need your help."
Marlow sighed. "Lydia, I have other things to worry about."
"I know, but listen. There's a possibility that you have a brother and that he's lost somewhere out there. And I need to find out where he is," Lydia said.
"Lydia, listen," Marlow said as she stood up from her bed. "You need to stop obsessing over this Stiles. He's not real. Right now, we need to focus on the things that are real and that are important. Like finding the Ghost Riders, keeping us safe, and getting Riley back. That's all I care about right now."
They'd been walking in the dark tunnel for a few minutes. It seemed as if it was going nowhere until they finally arrived at what seemed to be the next train station. "So, what now?" Riley asked.
"Shhh." the boy made. "Can you hear them?"
Riley focused on the sounds and finally, she heard the horses. "Get off the tracks!"
"What?" Stiles asked as Riley pulled him onto the platform and behind one of the posts. The Riders flew by in a rush, more people on their horse's backs.
The group came back together once the Riders were out of sight. "So what's your plan?" Riley asked.
"Once they get back here. We hop onto their horses and go with them."
Riley raised an eyebrow. "You have got to be fucking kidding me," she finally said. How long had this kid been there? Was he losing his mind? Would they be losing their mind soon as well? "Are you out of your mind?"
"Yeah, no. We're not doing that." Stiles said.
"Look, what other possibilities are there? I've tried everything. This is my last plan," the boy told them.
"Let him do it," Peter chimed in.
"Are you crazy?" Riley asked.
"No, I'm not. And he's right. There are no other ways to get out of here I'm assuming," Peter explained.
Riley could hear the horses stomping again. The Riders were coming back. "Okay, let's go," she said, trying to pull the boy with him. He pulled himself out of her grip and Stiles shoved Riley back behind the pole. "Stiles!"
"Let him do it! There's no other way!" Stiles yelled, trying to overpower the oncoming horses.
The boy prepared to jump as Riley stared at him wary of this whole situation. The Riders finally passed them and the boy made the jump onto one of their horses. He held on to the dead man and he on the other hand fought to get the boy off of him. But he held on until the portal, only to be yanked away and burned to ashes by it's force.
"Oh, my God!" Riley yelled as she jumped down to where the boy was just a few seconds ago. The young witch sighed as she leaned down and let some of the ashes sift through her fingers.
"Well, that settles it. There's no way out of here," Peter simply said, ready to move back to the train station.
"Yes, there is. There has to be," Stiles said.
Peter looked at him, getting angrier by the second. He ripped Stiles' wallet out of his pants. "What's this? Your wallet? This is useless now. Your cash, credit cards, license. It's all useless!" Peter said, throwing Stiles things away. "And these," he said, holding up the keys for the jeep. "These are also useless," he said, throwing them onto the nearby platform.
"Hey!" Stiles yelled.
"Don't you get it? We are already forgotten." Peter said.
"Somebody's gonna remember me," Stiles said. "Okay, Marlow, Scott, Lydia, Malia. They're gonna come for me."
"Yeah, yeah right. Uh? Riley? If remember correctly." Peter asked her. Riley turned around to face him. "Do any of these guys remember him in any way?" he asked. The girl shook her head. "See. Nobody remembers us," Peter said as he walked back into the tunnel.
"Hey! Wait for me!" Stiles yelled.
Riley looked back down at the ashes of the burned boy. "Didn't even know your name," she mumbled as she climbed back onto the platform and sat on one of the broken benches. She put her head into her hands, thinking about everything that's happened.
Marlow sat in her room, her head buried in her hands. She fought the urge to cry. There was nothing on the Ghost Riders. Nothing on how to fight them, or how to find them. It seemed pointless at this point. To try and fight them. Why not just let them take her?
She lifted her head back up, taking a deep breath. "No! This isn't the time to give up, Marlow. It's time to get up and do something. And get some help on the way."
Riley lifted her head back up. "I've got to do something to get out of this hell hole," she said. She got off the bench then quickly ducked back behind a pole as she heard the Riders arriving. She heard them ride by. Riley took a peek and saw Gwen get thrown off the horse. So it was only a matter of time until they'd get everyone else. She stood by the tracks when they were gone. Waited, waited, and debated on whether to do what the boy just did or stay here. Maybe she could do it, she was supernatural after all.
Another few minutes passed and finally, Stiles and Peter came back to the train station. "Guys, I'm gonna do it. I'm gonna jump on their horse. I have better chances than the boy."
"No, you're not. I know what you're thinking. But you can't heal. I'm gonna do it," Peter said.
"Okay, so if you can do it you have to warn the others. Tell them where we are," Riley told him.
"If I can make it out of this without being incinerated, the first thing I'm gonna do is get away from Beacon Hills as far and as fast as possible," Peter explained.
"What about Malia? I know you're doing this for her," Stiles said.
Peter stopped. "Stall them," he said a few seconds later.
"Huh?" Riley asked as she heard the oncoming horses once more.
"Stall them! Do something to slow them down!" Peter yelled as he hopped back onto the platform followed by Stiles and Riley. They picked up a bench and threw it on the tracks.
The Ghost Riders stopped for a second, giving Peter the chance to jump on the horse. Despite the struggle he managed to stay on it and go through the portal with them. The final Rider noticed the two remaining teenagers. He flipped his whip around Riley's neck and pulled her onto the tracks. She managed to breathe again when the Rider let go of her and followed the rest of them.
"Riley! You okay?" Stiles asked, jumping down to help her.
"Barely," Riley said as she got off the floor. "He made it."
"Yeah, he did. Let's just hope he gets to the others," Stiles said. Riley nodded. "Come on. Let's go back."
Riley shook her head. "Go. I can't stand these catatonic people anymore. I'll be fine." she said, getting back onto the platform.
"Okay," he said as he ran back into the tunnels.
Riley sat on the only intact bench that was still there. She sighed, trying not to scream. "Marlow? If you can hear me. Help me."
"I'm right here. I can help you," she heard someone say.
"Marlow?" Riley asked.
"Yes, it's me. I'm in the tunnels," the voice called out.
"No, you're not. Marlow isn't here. She's in Beacon Hills with the others," Riley mumbled.
"No, I'm here. The Ghost Riders got me," the voice called out again.
"Well, then come out!" Riley yelled. She knew her mind was playing tricks on her. If this were really Marlow then she wouldn't play silly games right now.
"No, come to me," the voice called out.
Riley rubbed her temples, dropping her head into her lap. "I'm going crazy."
