The Silent Forest
Summary: A field trip becomes a nightmare when the gang is separated from the rest of the group in the middle of a vast forest. Things go from bad to worse when they discover that they are not alone.
Pairings: Chaylor, Troyella and some mild Zekepay. Ryan will also feature but with no pairing.
Disclaimer: Yep, I own it. *Keeps dreaming*
Warnings: Possible character death(s). Rated T for some language and quite a bit of violence/blood. Probable spelling and grammar mistakes due to my lack of beta.
15. The Beginning Of The End
"…And I guess that's when you guys found me." Chad finished recalling the events to his intently listening friends.
They allowed his shocking tale to sink in. They had known that they weren't safe out in the forest alone. But now, a whole new threat had been added to the equation. Like a villain out of a story book, this beast-like man that Chad described was scarier than anything else they had faced so far. And it was no longer a case of if they'd find their way home, if they'd starve or even if they'd get caught in any more traps. Now, it was simply a case of when their stalker would next strike.
And they were completely defenceless.
Troy got to his feet and helped Chad to a standing position. Taylor hesitantly approached her boyfriend, unsure of what to do as he seemed more fragile and frail than she had ever seen him. He avoided her concerned gaze and focused on the floor with shame. Without a word, she pulled him into her arms and rubbed his back comfortingly.
"I'm so sorry." She apologised. It was wrong that he'd had to go through what he had experienced. No-one deserved the nightmare he had endured.
He sniffed and tried to forget it all. He tried to focus only on her. How she felt in his arms. Warm and soft. There was nothing else. No danger. Just him and her. The bliss didn't last long.
"Those noises…" Sharpay began, needing an explanation for the sounds she'd heard. "It sounded like more than one guy. It didn't even sound human."
Chad released Taylor and looked at Sharpay. "That monster… he's not human…" He whispered. He frowned as he noticed a change in the group. "W-where's Zeke?" In the back of his mind, he knew the answer already. The look on their faces only confirmed his initial thought.
While Taylor weaved her arm around his waist, Gabriella opened her mouth to answer, only to shut it again and look away.
Chad sighed and shook his head. "When?" He asked simply.
"This morning." Ryan answered.
Morning? Now Chad was confused. All this time, he'd thought all the events had happened on the same night. As far as he could tell, it was still the same night that he'd gone into the forest alone. How long had he been gone?
"If this… man…" Gabriella said, looking nervously around her. "If he's out here… where are we supposed to go?" She asked. "Where are we safe?" This was unknown territory. His territory. They didn't know where they were. He did. He probably knew their next move before they did. He would always be one step ahead of them. "What do we do?"
They didn't have many options.
"I have an idea." Ryan spoke up. He knew they probably wouldn't agree. In fact, the more he thought about it, he didn't really agree with it himself. It was dangerous. And it could end up not working. But it was something. And it was better than nothing.
The others waited expectantly for his answer.
"We could…" He began. "Well, uh, we could…. I mean, i-if you guys w-."
"Spit it out, Ryan." Sharpay urged impatiently.
Ryan sighed. "You said there was a cabin, right?" He asked Chad. "When you were… taken? He took you to a cabin…." When Chad nodded, he continued. "Maybe there's something there that we could… Like, if we just found it-."
"No way." Chad said firmly. He'd only just got out of that place. He was never going back. "Didn't you hear what I've been saying?" he asked with disbelief. Was Ryan crazy? Or was he just stupid? Going to the cabin was the complete opposite to what they should be doing.
"I know," Ryan tried to explain. He knew he'd face resistance from Chad but, to his surprise, the others all seemed quite acceptant of his idea. "But it's our only-."
"He's strong." Chad reminded him. "And he's crazy. He's fast…."
Ryan already had an answer for that one. "We get that he's strong but there's six of us. We could overpower him easily."
"And kill him?" Chad asked. "Is that what you plan on doing?"
That was tougher for Ryan to answer. He hadn't thought about killing the man. Just catching him. "We could always tie him up or something…" He proposed. "Knock him out?"
Chad was not at all convinced. "And what do you suggest we do when we get there anyway?" He shot Ryan another question. "It's an old, wooden cabin. The guy doesn't have a phone or anything."
"He might have food." Sharpay cut in. Ryan's idea was growing on her.
"From where?" Chad said. "The only food he'd have would be from the forest and we all know it's poisoned."
Ryan knew that better than anyone, but he still didn't allow Chad to deride his plan. It was going to happen. The others were up for it. It was just a case of persuading Chad now. His hesitance was understandable but they needed his co-operation more than anything. His involvement was vital.
"Chad," Gabriella said softly. Ryan was getting nowhere with him so she decided to have a go. "We know you're scared, okay?" Chad looked at the floor. "We all are." She explained. "But we have to do something. Would you rather we wait for him to find us again?"
He shook his head. That's the last thing he wanted. Taylor tightened her arm around his waist and squeezed him to her to let him know that she was there. She was there for him and always would be.
Troy could tell that Chad was slowly being won over. He could see the thoughts running through his brain as he tried to rationalise and evaluate the situation. "C'mon, man," he encouraged. "We're all in this together, remember?"
"I guess so." Chad murmured. He sighed with defeat. "Fine." He accepted, not sure what he was getting himself into. He never wanted to see that creature again. He didn't want to put himself in such danger. But Troy was right. He wasn't alone any more. His friends had his back. And he trusted them with his life. They had risked themselves to find him after all.
Ryan almost applauded with satisfaction. "Great." He smiled. They had a plan and, if things went well, perhaps they'd be out of the forest within the next twenty-four hours. He wasn't sure how that would come about but something about that cabin seemed promising. It was, without doubt, their last glimmer of hope.
Taylor wrapped her other arm around Chad and hugged him tenderly with her head resting on his chest. She could hear his heart racing and knew that the decision had been hard for him. She leaned up and gave him a kiss on the cheek.
He forgot the circumstances for a moment and smiled. A genuine, happy smile. "What was that for?" He asked, secretly hoping for another.
Taylor smiled back and settled her head back on his chest. He rested his chin on the top of her head. "For being so brave." She explained tiredly.
He shut his eyes. Brave? As far as he was concerned, he was anything but. He was a coward. He was frightened. He was not brave.
As Taylor withdrew her arms from where they had been draped around him, her hand grazed over the scratches on his stomach. He winced and yelped involuntarily. She sprang back, unaware of what she had done to hurt him.
"What's wrong?" She asked. The others got closer to him, all of them equally as troubled by his sudden outburst.
Before now, Chad had paid little attention to the constant stinging at his middle. Now, rather than answer the question, as he wasn't really quite sure what was wrong, he pulled up his torn t-shirt to reveal the partially shredded skin underneath. The glass from the shattered window he had climbed through had badly scratched him. The cuts weren't deep and they weren't bleeding and, as long as they weren't aggravated, they didn't hurt too much either, but they certainly looked awful.
"Dude…" Troy breathed.
Chad pulled his shirt back down to cover the horrid, raw skin. "It'll heal." He assured the others and himself.
They all stood in silence for a moment. They were each lost in their own thoughts.
Taylor wondered if it would heal. Or if it would get infected. She wondered if Chad would end up like Zeke; dying a slow and painful death. His injury was nowhere near as bad as Zeke's but it was an open wound and could easily get infected.
Gabriella was thinking about what the day that would follow might hold. They were going to have to find the cabin, fight, avoid or perhaps kill this strange man, and then find their way home. All of which had to be done while they were exhausted, starving and unwell. It was going to be hard.
Sharpay couldn't stop thinking about Zeke. It was weird and ironic how she only realised her true feelings for him when he was dead. If only she hadn't been such a stubborn person, so obsessed with the way things should be, she would have been able to share her feelings with him. Now it was too late.
Chad was scared for his life and the lives of his friends. They were walking straight into a dangerous situation. They probably wouldn't come out of it alive. He didn't want his friends to be victim to the man like he had been. He didn't want their lives to be taken away from them.
Ryan thought hard about his plan. If things went wrong, the deaths of his friends would be on his hands. He led them to it. It would be his fault. He hoped it would all work out but knew that there was a ninety-nine percent chance it wouldn't. But this plan was all they had.
Troy knew they probably wouldn't make it. But he was done with sitting around and waiting to be found. He was ready to take a stand. He was ready to fight back. He wasn't going to allow himself to be a victim any more. He was bigger than that. Stronger. If he was going to die, he was going down fighting.
"Do you remember the way?" Troy asked suddenly. This was the reason Chad was so crucial. He was the only one with the slightest chance of being able to locate the cabin.
Chad looked around to try and determine which direction he had run from. It had been dark. It still was. But the sun was rising now, making their surroundings look different in the dim but evident light. "I'm not sure." He shrugged. "I was just running, you know? I didn't care where I was going as long as I was distancing myself from him…" He trailed off and shrugged again. "I just don't know."
"Think." Ryan pushed.
Chad pointed out into the trees. "That way?" he said with uncertainty. "I'm not sure… but I think it was that way."
'Not sure' was good enough for them. "Let's go then." Ryan decided. He began walking in the direction Chad had pointed. The others followed without hesitation. This was the start of something huge.
This was, in a way, the beginning of the end.
A/N: This chapter wasn't too eventful but I can guarantee that from now until the end it is pure action. Thanks for reviewing!
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