They said their goodnights quietly.
The girls went into their room. The boys remained in the hall. No one was relaxed. Sienna was sweating. Outside the tree hut, it was pitch black. No moonlight. No distant village glow. Just darkness swallowing the forest whole.
From far away, they could hear water gushing. Wind sliding through branches. Trees scraping against each other like whispers.
“Is it too dark?” Lily asked softly.
“It’s now or never, Lily. We have to do it.” Sienna tapped her shoulder. They pulled their packed bags closer. Sienna bent down and checked under the bed again.
There was nothing. That bothered her more than if she had found something as her mind replayed it.
Why hide main documents in a guest room?
They are not too carless unless it was placed.
“Can you pass the other bag?” Lily asked.
“I’ll carry it,” Raven said. She handed the torch to Lily so she could adjust her grip.
“Where did you find that?” Lily asked.
“I checked their drawers.”
Lily smiled weakly. “Thanks… sorry. My palms are a little sweaty.”
Raven didn’t smile back immediately. Her mind was somewhere else.
“Are you okay?” Lily asked.
“Yes.”
“No,” Sienna corrected without even looking at her.
A dry scoff escaped the three of them.
Finally, Raven spoke what they had all been circling around.
“Torch inside a drawer. Clothes placed too neatly. Three toothbrushes and toothpaste. Everything feels calculated.”
“I was thinking the same,” Lily admitted, her voice lower now. “I just didn’t want to say it.”
Outside in the hall, the boys were tense too.
“Should we take pictures of the newspaper? Just in case?” Damian asked.
“No,” Theodore replied immediately.
Blake frowned. “Why not? It’ll be quick.”
“Water as an excuse” Theodore said. Damian understood instantly. Blake took a second longer or never understood.
“Weird place to hide something, don’t you think?” Blake muttered.
“Unless it was meant to be found,” neither of them spoke.
A chill ran down their spines.
“Wh—”
They turned.
The girls were already behind them. None of them had heard the door open.
“We never heard you,” Theodore said, as the boys looked pale.
“Nonsense,” Blake brushed it off.
“Why not?" Lily insisted.
Blake shrugged. “I mean… how would they know if we were leaving, right?”
Sienna snapped. “It’s revenge.”
“Let’s stay,” Damian said after a moment. “We leave at 8 a.m.” He hated saying it. But none of them had a better plan.
“Pitch black forest. No idea where they actually live. A chainsaw psychopath waiting for us. The couple have been here their entire lives,” Damian said slowly. “Worst case..."
He swallowed.
“Worst case scenario,” Damian finished quietly, “all of us die.”
ns216.73.216.133da2
and then Add to home screen.