A/n: I am now performing a miracle in putting this chapter almost right after the last one. Thank you everyone who reviewed my story, and also thanks to everyone who has given me their actual thoughts and views. We all know how it is when all the reviews say are "Good" or "Bad", not that those reviews are pointless, its nice for stuff that's nice and simple, and I understand your busy, but sometimes its nice to get reviews with critical comments. But thanks to everyone!
ArwenEvenStar83 : CONGRATULATIONS! you were my first reveiwer on this chapter! thank you so much!
Jennifer Duesbee: thanks, but you didn't see anything wrong with it? nothing that i could improve on? no ideas or questions? thanks for being so nice though, i didn't know my chapters were "amazing".
LeMoNsOuR: my #1 reveiwer and co-author! i used your idea again in this chapter, and i am really glad you liked "the darkness". i thought that would confuse people, but i know your smarter than that! thanks so much! i read more of your story, up to chapter 24, so i got to reveiw now, i just kind of read and decided i would make one big reveiw when i could no longer contain my excite to tell you what i thought, so after i put this chapter up, i'll go reveiw your story!
Grey: wow! that's a mysterious name! i'm glad you think its realistic, that's what i'm trying for, but i hope it still has that hint of fantasy, and you might understand more when you read the dream sequence in this chapter! thanks again!
Here's Chapter 4, and I know you'll want more!
Chapter 4:
Two weeks. Elizabeth had barely survived, but she made it through two weeks in this hell on Earth. In those two weeks, she studies that boy, almost stalking him. She didn't care what everyone else thought about her, she didn't notice their whispers as she stared over at him, watching his expression, looking at him as he drank gulps of water in the hot sun. Her reasons were simple; he scared her. No, he terrified her. Was he really haunting her dreams? Was he stalking her? Was her dream really some act of fate? Or coincidence?
She spent her spare time in the Wreck Room, sitting in the corner, and watching him from all the way across the room. The nightmare kept replaying itself, like some kind of broken record, but now, she looked forward to eat. She had a secret yearning to fall asleep and encounter this boy in her dreams, a craving for more. The dream no longer sent her into a spastic attack, but when she did wake up, she would be shaking, sweat dripping down her forehead like rain.
Two weeks, and at the night that marked two weeks of survival, Elizabeth finally got her wish for answers.
She had fallen asleep early, and as she drifted into unconsciousness, she expected to find herself in darkness, but instead, she stood in an alley, or better yet, the alley she had been in only weeks ago. She ran along, as she had done before, but this time, she wasn't looking for Zack. She had no desire to find him, she did not want to see him dead again. She was, instead, looking for someone else.
"RICKY!" she cried. Who was Ricky? What did he have to do with anything? She wanted to find the imposter, not Ricky.
"RICKY!" she screamed, turning a corner with ferocious speed. She ran as fast as she could, just as she had done for Zack. Her heart was pounding hard in her ears and her mind was spinning.
"Ricky!" she cried once more, her voice dying away. Finally, she stopped, slamming herself against a nearby brick wall. Elizabeth crumbled to the ground, sobbing hard into her hands. "Ricky." She sobbed, crying hard. Hurrying footsteps were coming, and she looked up. There were no people, but before her stood a cloud. The cloud was thick, black, and heavy. It was the darkness, coming after her again. She jumped up from her crumbled state, but instead of running away from the cloud, like her instinct told her to, she began to walk toward it. Slowly and carefully she walked toward the fog, preparing to give in to it. Something told her she would be happy, if she just stepped into the cloud, all her troubles would disappear. It seemed that the cloud was telling her this, not in words, but more of feeling. If she gave up to the darkness, she would see her true love again. She would be with Zack.
Then she stopped. She froze. At the mention of Zack's name, her body stopped, only feet from the cloud. She told herself to go, just a few more steps, but she stopped. Her legs refused to push forward, but began to proceed back to the wall. She never did actually hit the wall though, she just kept going back. The alley disappeared, but the darkness grew, growing stronger and stronger with each doubt that past her mind. Questions. More and more questions went in and out of her mind, none of them answered, but one question turned her to ice again.
Did you really love Zack?
Tears filled her eyes again. She moved her mouth, trying as hard as she could to scream, "Yes!" but she couldn't. Something stopped her. She tried everything, but she couldn't say it. She wouldn't allow herself to say she loved him. But the voice kept taunting her.
You didn't love him!
She started to sob, trying again to scream out her love for him, but it didn't come.
He died because of you and you didn't even love him.
"It wasn't my fault!" was all she could say. She couldn't say she loved him.
Yes! And now, you finally hear the truth! It was your fault, and you did not love him!
"STOP!" she screamed, and ran from the cloud, trying to run from the voice inside her head.
It was your fault!
It was your fault!
IT WAS YOUR FAULT!
An ear-splitting scream escaped Elizabeth, and just as the darkness was about to engulf her, she felt that familiar pull, and she found herself, yet again, with that boy. He had saved her again. The tears fell from eyes, soaking her cheeks and leaving a small puddle on the ground. They were back in the alley, but this time, she didn't run. He reached out his hand, and she took it, and hugged him tight, sobbing into his chest, soaking him also. The two of them began to fade away slowly, and finally, drenched in sweat and tears, Elizabeth awoke, hugging onto herself for comfort. She did not sit up, she did not move, she just laid their and cried. Hours went by before finally, the trumpet call came on to wake them up.
That day she kept away from the boy. She did not look at him, and ignored his presence, but as hard as she tried to forget he existed, she knew he was there, and she felt like he was watching her.
The whole day of digging went by, and even when she was done digging, she sat in her hole, sobbing quietly to herself. She was waiting, making sure they were all gone before she went back. Her knees were bent up to her chest and she hugged them tight. She felt it brought comfort to her to at least hug something.
Finally, when the sky started to darken, she pulled herself up and out of the hole. She walked slowly back to camp, dragging her canteen behind her, not even bothering to wipe her eyes.
She walked straight into D-tent without even realizing where she was going. They were all in there, and they watched her as she dropped her canteen onto the floor beside her bed, and then slowly sat on her cot. Her sobs were barely heard over the talking and laughing of the boys. But, when the sky was finally dark outside, she heard the tent flap open and someone enter.
"Ricky, you have to stop leaving your canteen in the Wreck Room."
Elizabeth, shaking, turned slowly to see Pendanski handing a canteen to the boy. The imposter. The imposter he called "Ricky".
"You." She muttered. No one really heard her, but Caveman, whose cot was closest to hers, looked curiously at her.
"Hey you guys, I think she wants to say something." He said loud enough for everyone to hear. Pendanski stop, in the middle of his lecture of responsibility, and turned to Elizabeth.
"What can we help you with, Elizabeth?" he said calmly, but she glared hard at "Ricky".
"You." Her breath was coming sharply as her voice rose.
"What about Ricky?" Pendanski asked.
Elizabeth stood, shaking from head to toe, and started walking toward him.
"What fun do you see in driving people insane?" she said harshly to him. "What enjoyment do you get in killing people slowly? Why won't you LEAVE ME ALONE?" she screamed, tears falling again. He looked confused, but she seen through it.
"YOU'RE AN IMPOSTER! STOP HAUNTING ME! JUST LEAVE ME ALONE!" Pendanski tried to reason with her.
"Elizabeth, Ricky doesn't know what your talking a-"
"SHUT UP!" she shot a sharp glare at Pendanski, and then turned back to Ricky.
"All I want," she whispered to him, glaring hard into his green eyes, "is to see Zack, my Zack. I DO LOVE HIM! IT WASN'T MY FAULT! WHY CAN'T YOU LET IT HAVE ME? WHY WON'T YOU LET ME SEE HIM AGAIN?" Ricky was backing away from her as she pursued him. He had gotten up from his cot, and was backing away to the wall.
"Look, I don't know-"
"YES YOU DO!" she screamed, cutting him off. Then her face went blank, and she dropped to the ground, shaking, clinging to her knees, crying. Pendanski helped her over to her cot, and once she was laid down under her blanket, he looked to the others.
"Boys, I am asking you to please put up with this for now. She not completely…well…she's a bit…"
"Whacko!" Squid said, and Pendanski shook his head.
"Special. She's been through some hard times, what with the shooting and all." He paused, and looked regretfully for saying that. "Try to get to sleep. Lights out." And as he left, the tent went pitch black, and they had no other choice but to sleep. The last one awake was laying on their cot, smiling viciously to them self as they planned out their devious plot.
a.n: okay, I really hope you liked this chapter. Elizabeth obviously has problem, but if your confused about anything, please don't fret to ask, I love answering question. But some questions I can't answer, because it will be revealed in later chapters. The next chapter should also be coming soon, because I am already writing it and the ideas are just flooding in. thanks again, happy New Year! thanks again! i just can't say thank you enough.
Next Chapter: A devious plot may cause one less camper, unless that camper can stop it.