Aurora giggled before cutting her husband off, finishing the story, her daughters eyes immediately snapped to her.
"After that-"
——————
I followed Elliot through the forest, I knew that I shouldn't have convinced my parents to let me come… It's all your fault, Elliot
"How much till we reach the camp?" Natalie groaned.
"I'm trying here okay. Do you guys have any other plan?" he immediately turned towards us, his expression and tone were filled with… fear, desperation, anxiety.
I took out my phone, I opened one of the preinstalled apps which was a compass.
But then my phone turned off, I remembered that I used up the battery on the bus, then I remembered the power bank…
I looked through my pockets, and found nothing but a pen, I must've left the power bank in my bag… which is at camp.
"Hey, north's this way. " I pointed towards north, Elliot turned towards me and pointed at the same direction before mumbling some things.
He then kept turning around and around, I put my hand down before he turned back to the direction he was walking in.
"That means that the direction that I'm walking in is right." he sighed and kept walking.
The more we walked the more unease I felt, I picked up a stick that looked sturdy and good enough to use for self defense.
"Calm down! Mister nerd here got it all under control!" Natalie chuckled, "Right?"
"Does it look like it?" His tone was now more aggressive and sarcastic, Natalie then stammered and shut her mouth, finally!
I kept my eyes on my surroundings, trying to find anything that'll help, any sign, any light.
The surroundings were getting darker and darker, the sky had some purple/yellow hue, signaling the beginning of the night and the end of the day.
I want to go home… But this isn't some story for me to just put down the book and regulate my emotions… This is real life.
I look around one more time, searching for anything, no matter what it is, my eyes land on a red mushroom with white dots.
I know it's poisonous so I just look for anything else but then I hear a squeal and thudding running towards the mushroom.
It was Natalie! That crazy-!
"DON'T!" I yell, Elliot stopped in his tracks like he was just snapped out of his own world.
Natalie stopped before looking at me, she suddenly yelled.
"NO! I'M HUNGRY!" without hesitation she went back to running towards the mushroom, so I run after her and grabbed her by the wrist before she could reach it.
"IT'S DAMN POISONOUS! DO YOU WANNA DIE?!" I snapped her out of her hangry state with a pull and a light hit to the stomach.
"WELL CAN YOU BLAME ME?! I HAVEN'T EATEN SINCE THIS MORNING! WE WERE SUPPOSED TO DO A BARBECUE!!" She yelled, arguing back.
"YOU THINK I'M NOT HUNGRY TOO??! NOW SHUT UP BEFORE I TIE YOU TO THAT TREE AND LEAVE YOUR FOR THE BEARS!" I yelled, I didn't mean it all, only most, Maybe.
She gasped, she lifted her arm before slapping me across the face, I held my cheek before slapping her back, her face went furious, she almost punched me before Elliot stopped her by yelling.
"STOP! OR I WILL MAKE SURE YOU TWO CAN'T EVEN THINK!" his voice was stern and that of a person who had enough.
I felt my confidence waver before we continued walking, of course both me and Natalie kept eyeing each other.
After some walking, I was able to spot some wooden structure to my left, I stopped dead in my tracks and stared at it, trying to see what kind of structure it is.
I saw a porch… and a door next to a window, I instinctively walked closer to it so that I could see more details about it.
Natalie scoffed and began ignoring that I was gone, that wasn't very in-character for her, but hunger can drive people crazy.
"Elliot! There's a hut here, I think!" I yell, trying to get his attention, but he's too lost in his own world, so I run to him and shake him.
"Idiot, I found shelter." I sigh.
"Oh really, where is it then?" he sarcastically asked, I pointed to my left and he looked at the structure then his eyes lit up.
He immediately ran towards it, I walked towards the structure before stopping and turning to Natalie and patting her shoulder.
"Just calm down, we'll find the class." I smile at her, trying to get her mood to change but she just rolled her eyes and removed my hand before following Elliot.
I look at her just coldly walking, she's very upset… Especially hangry.
I then caught up to them and saw Elliot pushing the door with all his strength, after seeing that his attempts are useless, he began banging on the door.
"Move aside idiot." I say, walking towards the door and kicking it, the door actually flew open and the lock broke.
I stared at the broken wooden lock that was on the ground, I knelt and grabbed it, feeling it, seems like it's made of weak wood.
Elliot kept staring at me, But… His stare had something other than his normal look, one of admiration, and something else… Affection?
Ha! I wish! Anyways back to the cabin.
I looked around and saw a normal cabin with no rooms… just one big room with everything, an oven, a bed, a mini fridge etc, but no bathroom…
"Seems like we accidentally trespassed." I say, my eyes observing the room.
"Well duh, you just broken in this cabin." Elliot said in a half joking way, it eased me to see that his mood is better now…
I took a deep breath before sneezing, so much dust huh. Seems like this place was abandoned.
I walked towards the mini-fridge, and unsurprisingly, it was off, and in it was a Very bad smell of rotten food, and I swear I just saw a centipede but the darkness is my ally right now.
"No food, this place must be old, even the fridge itself looks old." I yell, letting Natalie know.
I then walk out the cabin. I have no intent of coming back.
"Come on Elliot, this place might be infested." I grabbed him by the wrist and dragged him once again towards the direction we were walking in. Natalie following behind.
I remained the leader until I heard rustling behind me… Probably some rabbit.
"Uhm… Aurora? Let's play dead…" Natalie said, her voice had pure fear, no hesitation or desperation.
"Why?" I turn towards Natalie who is already on the floor, Elliot looking at her with confusion.
I look around, trying to know why she is doing this, and I actually spot a bear just a few meters away.
Shouldn't they be asleep already??
I stared at it, before crouching and pulling on Elliot's hand to make him crouch and he listened.
He's much more obedient now… why?? Oh right… my leg strength… Didn't know Elliot was a simp… NOT THE RIGHT THOUGHT PROCESS, THINK OF A PLAN!
"Guys, we remain hidden until-" I hear and feel a breath down my neck.
I felt my whole body cool down, my guts falling…
Don't move Don't move Don't move Don't move…
That's a stupid plan…
I slowly turn towards the breathing and see a bear REALLY CLOSE to me, it immediately roared, I immediately got up and ran, Elliot ran with me.
Natalie was still laying on the ground, so I ran back to her and gave her kick and ran back.
She looked at me before looking at the bear, she immediately ran like a rocket, but of course she was last.
I saw as Elliot face suddenly went stern and he took out his bat from the bag while running and hit it, but of course unlike last time, it didn't run away.
It almost clawed him when I intervened and gave it a kick, and it actually whimpered. AM I THAT STRONG WITH MY LEGS?!
"Hey, I got an idea! You hit it with the bat and I kick it!" I kick it once again, but this time something went wrong, it actually hit me, I felt myself flying for a split second before landing on the rough ground.
My arm and side now has claw marks, blood slightly dripping down… I felt a wave go through my eyes, I saw Elliot hitting it with all of his strength.
It didn't even waver and hit him harder, this time it slashed his whole chest, I could barely see the torn fabric and the wound.
But… He just kept hitting it, Natalie tried to join in but she was too scared to do anything.
I stare at Elliot who keeps getting hit but keeps fight… Just to protect himself… And… ME!
I got up, the pain was unbearable(pun unintended, or it is. Who knows), But I kept pushing, I dragged myself and kicked the bear again, but it slapped my chest and sent me tumbling to a tree once again.
The bear threw a claw at Elliot's head but before it connected, I heard a shotgun, the bear stopped moving… but before I could see another thing… I blacked out.
I woke up, in a hospital, my parents glaring at me, not even a "thank god" or anything just a glare…
Before I could say anything I coughed, I thought I was about to stop breathing but that wasn't the case.
"Reckless little brat, should've made you stay home instead." my dad scoffed, I looked around and spotted Natalie sleeping next to a person covered in bandages all over his upper body and not his head.
Elliot! Did he die?! What happened?!
The doctor looked like a balding person with a slight dad bod, he was white… kinda expected haha.
"Mrs. Lane, am I right? Don't worry you just suffer from 3 broken ribs and 2 cuts, they'll heal within a couple of months." the doctor stated as he read his notes.
"You and your classmates were able to escape thanks to the ranger of that park, without him, who knows what would've happened." He continued.
"Honestly why do we even?" My mom sighed in resignation…
"So he's okay?" I looked at Elliot.
"Yes, he will be, but right now… he just needs rest and he'll have to stay for… half a year maybe more." he said.
Hope you get well soon Elliot, but at least I'll stay here next to you for the next few months… hehe