Author's Note: I'm sorry for the tiny delay in updating this fic. I've had a lot of changes happen with work, along with getting a cold and the family getting COVID. Hopefully, I can write more!
"Hey, you're the bus driver!" Taylor exclaimed as the man staggered closer to the group.
"Glad to see you haven't gotten blind on me, Taylor," Angela muttered, causing the other girl to glare at her.
"Are you all alright?" The older man asked. He seemed really scared to Melissa, which made sense, given their current situation.
Angela crossed her arms. "I'm not sure getting separated from a bus crash caused by you counts as being okay."
"Oh, shut up, Angela!" Taylor said, her glare changing into a scowl.
Angela's fiery eyes kept glowing. "Wow, that's a big step for you, Taylor. Didn't even ask your boyfriend permission to let you say that without his protection."
Daniel immediately went to his girlfriend's side. "After how you trashed mouth her, she doesn't need it."
Taylor scoffed. "You what?! How about you say the rest to my face-"
"Guys, all of you shut up!" Andrew blurted out, instantly defusing the situation.
After a moment, both women took steps back away from each other. Finally looking up at Taylor, Angela said, "I'm sorry. It really isn't any of my business." The girl still looked vexed, but she nodded in thanks.
While everyone took a breather, Melissa looked at the bus driver again. There was something…comforting about his presence alone. She couldn't explain it, but it was as if she could be safe with this man, despite what Angela had said about the crash. Squeezing her brother's hand for courage, she released it and walked over to the man. He looked startled as she approached. "I'm glad you're not hurt." His expression went from fear to surprise at her small statement. He tried to respond by the look of it, but no words came out. So, she asked him a question. "What's your name?"
He finally let his voice out. "Anthony."
She gave him a small smile to reassure him of his awkwardness. "Hi, Mr. Anthony. I'm Melissa." She turned toward the group and pointed to each member. "That's Mr. John, Ms. Angela, Daniel, Taylor, and my big brother Andrew." She hoped this would make him feel less scared.
"It's uh…nice to meet you." He responded, his right fist tensing for a bit. He looked at her and forced a smile. "Meg-" He stopped himself, letting out a quiet gasp. Melissa was sure no one else heard that.
Before she could ask him who Meg was, a clap was heard. "Well!" John said. "Now that we have that entertaining icebreaker out of the way, how about you tell us what the hell happened out there."
Anthony looked around the road as if he was looking for something. "After I took the detour, I thought I saw someone- I mean!" He interrupted himself again. "Something. I thought I had enough time to evade it and not cause damage, but I guess I was wrong."
"You guess right," Angela said under her breath. Even Melissa looked annoyed at the older woman's words. She understood that Angela was just as scared as them, but she didn't have to be rude.
"What did you see in the road?" Daniel asked him.
For some reason, Anthony looked at Melissa.
"You know, we found our bus driver. How about we head back to the bus and get the hell out of here." Taylor suggested, already backing up in the direction they came. "You coming, Daniel?"
"Taylor!" John called out. "We just agreed that going to town will be safer for all of us."
"If we go back, we can find a car driving nearby to pick us up. Daniel, come on." Taylor held out his hand for him, but Daniel didn't move. Her brother didn't budge when she asked Anthony and Melissa to join her. Melissa wanted to persuade Taylor to stay with them but couldn't find the words. Guess her newfound social skills had an on-and-off button. "Fine; go get lost in this creepy fog. I'm going to get help." With that, she turned and headed back for the bus, her form disappearing in the fog.
Melissa began to hug herself, feeling guilt build up in her for not saying anything. "Maybe we should go with her."
Andrew knelt before her and unclasped her arms, holding them by her wrists. "We need to keep moving, Meli. We don't know this place, so the odds of getting lost are greater if we stay on the bus. I'm sure Taylor-"
As soon as he spoke her name, the redhead walked back into their sight, confused. "What the hell?! I walked AWAY from you!"
"Calm down. We all saw you, so let's all try going together." John assured her. "Let's stick together."
The group began to walk, but a hand stopped Melissa from following them. Anthony (he was so quiet and still that she forgot he was there) had her shoulder. "It's no use." He uttered emptily. And he was right; everyone emerged from the fog and returned to the same spot.
"Damn it!" John cursed.
"I knew it; we're trapped!" Taylor cried out.
"Did we die in the crash?" Daniel questioned, to no one in particular.
"Don't be ridiculous, Daniel! This is what happens when we listen to our 'fearless.' leader.'" Angela scolded.
"If SOMEONE else wants to lead, step right up!"
"Did you know?" Melissa turned to Anthony, which caught everyone's attention. "Is that why you didn't let me go into the fog with them? Because they'd come back?"
He swallowed before speaking. "Yes. I wanted to avoid this place more than anything. And not get any of you involved, but it's too late now."
For a moment, Andrew stepped forward, and Melissa thought she was looking at a pair of doubles. What a silly thought. "What are you saying?" He asked the older man.
"Your friend is right; Little Hope is cursed, and we can't escape it."
"And how would you know?" Angela asked him with skepticism.
Taking a deep breath, Anthony looked everyone in the eye. "Because I was born here." A silence fell before he continued. "When I was young, my family was killed by a house fire. All of them. The town was abandoned; everyone left, including me. I didn't want anything to do with it because of what happened. So, I moved, found some jobs, and kept myself busy. I knew that if I came back, something terrible would happen. And I was right."
"And instead of warning us, you decide to hide it like some dirty secret?!" Taylor approached Anthony, but Daniel caught her hand.
"I'm so sorry, but I highly doubt any of you would believe me, would you?" Anthony said. One look from each group member was enough to answer his question. "That's what I thought."
John stepped forward. "Enough of this! It doesn't matter who or what caused the crash. We're here now. And from what I see, that fog is close to the fog. If we go to town, we get further from the fog. Let's head there and see if someone can help us."
"I doubt there's anyone there. No one has lived in Little Hope for a long time." Anthony explained.
"I'll take my chances," John replied, clearly not speaking for the group. But Melissa knew that almost everyone agreed with his decision. "As for you, Taylor, I do hope you make the right call. Because if you still want to return to the bus, I won't stop you." When Taylor declared she'd follow them (with much persuasion from Daniel), John led the group away.
Melissa was about to join them but heard a noise to her left, where a damaged fence was separated. It sounded like a cry from an animal, one she heard from when she and Andrew lived with their father. Without thinking, she took off toward the sound.
"Melissa!" Her brother called out, chasing after her.
She didn't have to run too far after she entered the small part of the woods. In front of her was an abandoned pickup truck that looked like it hadn't been touched in centuries. She was proven wrong when she was something moved under a dirty blanket that was on the cargo bed. Approaching slowly, Melissa threw off the blanket and found a bundle of black fur. Light green eyes stared back at her and let out a mew. "Oh, aren't you just the cutest?" She said as she stroked the cat at the white patch on its chest. The creature immediately relaxed under her touch.
"Melissa!" Andrew finally found her and turned her around to get on her eye level. "You don't just run off from like that."
"I'm sorry, Andrew," Melissa said, then pointing to the cat in the blanket. "But look, I found this cat!"
He gave a quick look but wasn't as impressed as she was. Andrew never cared for animals like her. They never owned a pet themselves, but there was a reason for it that Melissa would not like to think about right now. "We can't take it with us."
Melissa ignored his statement as she picked up the cat, shaking off the puffs of dirt from the blanket. "But she called out to me! I hear that you're bonded for life when you find a stray cat."
"Meli, I know you just made that up," Andrew said.
Melissa knew how to lower his defenses. Raising the cat to her chin, she blinked repeatedly and made a pout with her lips. "Please, big brother?"
She always received a stoic, deadpan look from her brother whenever she asked to take something home, whether a small toy or cheap candy. But it wasn't as if she asked him if she could keep the cat. While she did joke about "bonding for life," she knew she couldn't take it home with them. It came as a surprise, though, when he stood up and crossed his arms. "You cannot get upset if it decides to leave you for some squirrel somewhere."
Melissa smiled. "I won't. I promise."
"Then come on. Everyone's waiting for us." Andrew said before starting ahead.
As they walked, Melissa noticed something around her new friend's neck. She didn't get to see the collar since it was too dark near the truck, but the lights from the pylon made the medal tag glint. Squinting her eyes, she read something small that was inscribed.
"Ophelia." She read out loud. The cat instantly perked up and looked Melissa in the eyes. "That's a pretty name for a pretty cat. Nice to meet you, Ophelia." She said quietly as she stroked her head.
Maybe this was a sign that tonight would not be so terrible.
Author's Note: Ophelia will be a continuing character in this story. She is based on the hint that Angela can find in the Curator's Cut. A postcard of a black cat in a pumpkin patch. Her name is, according to BehindTheName, "Derived from Greek ὠφέλεια (opheleia) meaning 'help, advantage'."