Lake Eldritch

In summer, there are normal teenagers who go to beaches and parties then there are those who decide that it is more fun to camp at a lake in the middle of nowhere.

"Preston we're gonna be late if your little brat doesn't hurry up," Tracie shouts, pacing the living room.

"Oh please, Tracie," Chris says, looking up. "As if we can really be late."

Micheal and Anabelle remained planted at the dining table, caught up in their world of word games. It was it that kick-started their friendship.

Preston, on the other hand, couldn't care less that Tracie was in a hurry. He had actually made it his duty to tell Camille to take her sweet little time. He sat on the stairs throwing his tennis ball against the adjacent wall.

After a few more minutes, Camille emerged from her bedroom with her backpack in hand. "Babe, I'm all set." She tells Preston who jumps to his feet and smiles at her. He complimented her dress and caressed her forehead with a tender kiss, before leading her down the remaining steps. 

"Tracie, I'm sure you would want to be the first one through the door," Preston mocked, causing everyone except Camille, to burst into laughter. 

"Babe behave," Camille warns her boyfriend who in turn rolled his eyes, not at her, but at his ex-girlfriend, Tracie. "Tracie I know you guys said to be ready by nine o'clock and I slept in, I'm sorry." For the life of Camille, She couldn't tell why this girl hated her since they met.

"Whatever, I'm only letting you tag along because Preston won't come if you're not invited, so save the pretend apology and stay out of my bloody way." Tracie's outburst created a cold silence an everyone put an extra pep in their step to rid the tension of themselves.

Camille looked to her boyfriend with a puzzled expression, but he only shrugged his shoulders and shook his head. He knew exactly why the hate was there, but he didn't want to tell her just yet, or maybe ever.

Tracie and Preston were once the 'couple to be' in town, and everyone thought they would last a lifetime but it didn't, and Tracie was too busy hating and judging all of Preston's new girlfriends to see her own mistakes.

After, piling into the SUV, they drove away. Each couple had started their own private conversation. "Babe, are you sure I have to come?" Camille turned to Preston, "because I feel like an intruder."

"Bunny I'm not going if you're not coming with me. Besides, my friends like you." He flashed her a reassuring smile and returned his steer to the road. 

Camille sighed, turning her gaze to the traffic outside.

"Don't worry about Tracie, that's just how she is," Preston continued.

 Tracie's mouth revolted at the sound of her name being called. "Stop gossiping about me."

"Are you the only Tracie in the world?" Anabelle joked, causing Micheal to snicker.

"Bitch, no one's talking to you," Tracie barked.

"Ladies come on, try to get along, hmm," Chris urged.

"Yeah, this is supposed to be fun, not annoying," Micheal agreed.  The guys were childhood friends and although they went to separate colleges, they made it a point of their duty to make time for each other every summer.

By now they had quartered the distance and about to exit the highway. It was so hot that they could see mirages on the road ahead. they had already finished all the water.

"We're approaching a rest stop in case anyone wants to pee," Preston announced. They soon pulled up at a run-down gas station off the side of the road.

"Camille, come with me, " Anabelle grabbed Camille's hand, rushing off to use the restroom. Meanwhile, Preston stays back to buy more Gas and Micheal, Tracie, and Chris meet inside the gas station to refill their snacks.

"Why does she have to come with us? " Tracie grumbled.

"Tracie, she's Preston's girl and we invited her, so stop," Micheal said, but Tracie wouldn't listen. In fact, she didn't care how it made her look in front of her current boyfriend and didn't bother to consider his feelings.

"He's right Tracie," Chris added, taking the bottles of water from her. "Plus, you should have some respect for your own relationship with Micheal here." He he shook his head in disbelief.

After paying for the items, they decided it was time to hit the road again. It was now time for Chris and Anabelle to take the front. Micheal and Tracie moved behind them, leaving The back seat for Preston and Camille.

"Put on some music Belle," Preston and Micheal instructed in unison.

"Actually, I prefer peace and quiet."

" actually nobody cares, Tracie," Anabelle mocks. "Don't be a buzz kill."

Tracie rolled her eyes and held back a response. She knew all too well how to passively get what she wanted out of Preston, but little did she know he was too in love to still fall for her tricks. Behind her, Preston was busy whispering sweet things into Camille's ears and ever so often they would cackle loudly about something he said.  The road ahead was still a long way and though it was supposed to be a fun trip, the girls just couldn't get along and the drive turned out to be longer than they initially thought.

"Hey, y'all remember that time in fifth grade when we lost the bet to Luke?" Micheal asked out the blue, causing Chris and Preston to erupt in boisterous lung-crushing laughter. It was one of their many memorable moments together.

"Bro I didn't know he meant that we should smoke the whole joint,"  Chris added. "I was still high as a kite the next two days."

The girls couldn't help but join the contagious laugh.

"That's why I agreed." Preston chokes out clutching his chest tightly. Meanwhile, Michael's eyes become filled with tears from laughing too hard, his stomach stiff with the leftovers.

"Oh God, " Anabelle's eyes were now wet too. "that doesn't sound bery fun?"  She said.

"I woke up butt naked on my neighbor's lawn" Preston Added, erupting In another fit of laughter. 

"What!" Camille exclaimed in disbelief. She finally learned something about Preston's childhood shenanigans. He never told her those stories..

"Oh sweetie, but you don't smoke," Anabelle said.

"No baby, but that was better than taking the bus butt naked," Chris said. "You give me the same feeling whenever we make love. It sends me on cloud nine."

"Hm hmm," Preston Clears his throat and Michael follows with a TMI warning. Chris rolls his eyes and pinches Annabelle's cheek. He thought she was cute when she blushed.

"You're embarrassing her."

"Camile, shut up before we roast you next," Tracie said, turning her head to make eye contact but quickly going back to looking out the window with a startled expression. She had no need to see what was unfolding behind her. Preston was even too busy to notice that everyone was now staring at him, with his face into Camille's bra and Camille was too busy liking it to notice.

"Bro, you probably wanna move your head a little more to the left cause we don't really wanna see Camille's boobs," Micheal Finally let out, startling the couple.

"Actually, my head is fine right here," Preston told him, "Try focusing on Tracie's boobs, won't ya."

"But Pres, she doesn't have any," Anabelle added and they all started laughing.

Micheal was secretly offended but said nothing. Tracie on the other hand, couldn't care less knowing she had other assets.

"Too bad it's my time to drive and I wouldn't wanna lose focus," Micheal retorted.

Chris pulled over to the side of the road and they traded places. They had been sucked into a road in the mountains, surrounded by forests of tall trees and whistling winds. The further in they drove the more they noticed how secluded the area had become with no buildings in sight except an old café a some miles back.

"Are you sure we're not lost, babe?" Camille asked worriedly. She didn't realize they meant to camp this far into the wilderness.

"We're almost there, bunny."

Soon after, everyone fell asleep leaving Micheal. They had grown exhausted and bored. By the time noticed this, they had reached the Entrance to Lake Eldritch. “We're here.” He parked and announced.

They exited the SUV one by one then collected their luggage and gathered at the side of the road in front of an overgrown footpath. “Well, come on guys the day isn't getting any younger,”  Preston indicated, throwing his arms around Camille.

She laughed at his eagerness and his friends followed suit as they journeyed down the path.

“Leave it to you to behave like a five-year-old,” Micheal let out shaking his head. Chris had removed himself from the conversation by using his headphones and ever so often he would make an outburst singing off key.

“Babe mosquitoes are biting my legs,” Tracie complained slapping her legs every second.

“I told you to wear repellent and not short-shorts but you didn't listen,” Micheal taunted paying no attention to his girlfriend.

Meanwhile, Camille began having a weird feeling, like they were being watched. Since it was obvious they were alone, she thought she was overthinking things so she shoved it to the back of her mind. Preston had told her it was a secret spot no one else knew about.

“You okay, bunny?” Preston asked noticing her eyes allvover the place.

She nodded yes while her mind nodded no. She couldn't keep her eyes from wandering. They had ventured deep into the forest with trees so tall they couldn't see the sky. The forrest was cold and dark and the wind whistled between the trees.

“Hun, my legs are killing me,” Anabelle complained to Chris after dragging out his headphones.

“I'll massage them when we get to the cabin,” He told her and she nodded approvingly.

“We are almost there guys, just relax,” Preston assured. He had gotten the direction from a website and decided it would be a great idea to check out. He had been to these parts before, but not into the forest. The trees seemed thirsty and though there were mosquitoes there weren't many other insects or animals for that matter. This was something that bothered Camille silently and she thought maybe she was just scared of the woods.

They came upon a wide clearing not long after. Tucked into a large rock was an old cabin. Just ahead, Lake Eldritch stretched for miles. It was enchantingly calm and serene. “Whoohoo,”  Preston exclaimedf high-fiving everyone.

“This is gonna be fun, babes,” Micheal shouted lifting his girl off the ground in excitement. It was the most beautiful lake he'd ever seen.

“It'll be fun after I rest my feet, ” Tracie shrieked, “They're killing me.”

“For once we can agree on something,” Anabelle said.

“It's a start,” Chris and Camille say in unison. The two girls huffed and sauntered towards the cabin. The door was surprisingly open.

Preston went ahead to check out the lake and soon after Camille and his two friends joinrd him at the lakeside. “The water's so beautiful,” Camille squealed, startling him.

“I'm so glad I brought the camera.” Chris and Micheal did a high five and dove into the water. “Oh shit!” They both screamed causing Preston and Camille to burst out laughing. The water was cold as ice and Preston had discovered that beforehand. “You're evil, You knew,”  They curse trembling and forcing themselves out of the icy water.

“After seeing your faces just now I'm glad I didn't tell you, ” Preston mocks.

Anabelle and Tracie had heard the screams and ran out of the house only to be greeted by their freezing boyfriends. “Are you gonna kill yourself, babe?” Anabelle huffed throwing a blanket over him.

“Preston, I know you knew it was cold as ice,” Tracie cursed, also throwing a blanket over Micheal.

“Well, I didn't tell them to go take a dip now did I?” Preston smirked. He knew his friends weren't mad at him, in fact, they would've done the same, but Tracie just had everything bad to say.

“You're the only one upset right now Tracie and you're not even the one wet,” Camile said. They gathered the boy's trousers and headed toward the cabin.

“Shut up bitch,” Tracie.

“You, shut up, Tracie,” Preston barked, “don't talk to my girl like that. For Christ's sake, stop bitching so we can enjoy the weekend.”

“Whatever,” Tracie murmurs and waves him off. She then went to tend to Micheal. The cabin's interior was surprisingly clean as if someone had been keeping it up to date.  No one else noticed that even the floors seemed to have been swept before they arrived. More than likely it should've been just as dusty as the outside but it wasn't.

Preston sat on a rocking chair in the living room and Camille sat on his lap. “This place gives me the creeps baby,” She confesses but he thought otherwise.

“You're just out of your comfort zone. Just focus on having fun okay,” Preston tells her and She nods and decides to retract what she really had in mind to say.

“ I'll try,” She whispers.

“Good, and you're safe with me bunny, I love you,”  She smiled at his sweetness. Somehow he has always been sweet and tender with her which was quite the opposite of how he was with everyone else. She felt special.

“I love you too,” Camille tells him.

On the other side of the house, Micheal and Tracie engaged in a heated argument. “I don't care what you say I hate her,” Tracie cursed quietly.

Micheal had changed out of his wet clothes and was drying his hair with a towel. “Tracie I'm not asking you to like her I'm asking you to respect my best friend, she's his woman. ”

“Why do I have to be the civil one?” Tracie complained, “She irritates me.”

“I'm actually starting to think that you're jealous of her. That's why I haven't introduced you to anyone yet because you're just using me, ” Micheal had noticed her attitude for months but never brought up how she would go out of her way to be near Preston. “You're still in love with him and it shows, ” He continues.

“That's a lie,” Tracie defends but obviously stunned by his knowledge. In an attempt to shift the conversation she did the only thing she's good at. “Anyway, now that we're alone again,” She counted each word, slowly stroking Micheal's chest with one finger. That was all it took to send him in a daze.

“Shit, you're hot,” Micheal lets out, shivering under her touch. Just like that, once again he was wrapped around her finger.

Annabelle and Chris were much more civil and understood each other mentally. “You should spend time with the guys tomorrow,” Annabelle Calls from the bathroom.

“What about you?”

“I'll be a fine babe,”  She tells him walking into the bedroom and sitting next to him on the bed, “I'll get the girls to stay with me while you go bond with your boys.”

“Damn, how did I get so lucky?” Chris wonders aloud causing Anabelle to blush.

“You spilled coffee on my favorite shirt.”

They both chuckled at her statement which was actually true. That day he had had a class and was hurrying out of the cafeteria and knocked her coffee right into her chest. It was a good thing it had gotten cold.

“Well, I'm glad I did,” Chris tells her and plants a kiss on her nose, “I love you, Anabelle.”

She hugs him tightly and spoke into the crook of his neck, “I love you too Chris.”

Everyone settled in for the evening and after bonding over beers and laughing at old stories they fell asleep in the living room.

Soon things wouldn't be so funny.

The guys gathered at the lakeside in their swimming trunks while the girls stayed back at the cabin. It had been a bit hard to convince Tracie to let the guys hang out alone especially since that meant she had to spend the day with Camille and Annabelle.

“I have to admit I didn't think it would be this boring,” Annabelle confessed. They had been sitting around all morning pretending not to be staring at each other's faces.

“Well, it was your idea shortie so entertain us,” Tracie barked causing Camille to spit her mouthful of water onto the floor.

“You kinda have a point there Tracie,” Camille agrees eager to watch what Anna would come up with as entertainment, “Entertain us shortie.”

Anabelle was actually quite the dancer so since she was being cornered two on one she caught a fine idea. The music the guys were playing was loud enough as it shook the trees around them and even the walls danced with the base. “Fine,” Anabelle finally let out, “I will dance.”

“Well go ahead,” Tracie roared, plopped down onto the couch next to Camille with fixed eyes on Anabelle who had begun swaying her hips to the music. Suddenly it stopped and silence enveloped the forest. Then another song blasted from the speakers, “I love big butts and I cannot lie...”

The girls sang along to the words as they cheered each other on. The first time they had fun together and not wanting to cut each other's faces.

They later joined the guys outside with lunch and since they hadn't been in the water yet it was their turn. It was a bit cold at first but soon their bodies got accustomed. “Where are you going, Annabelle?” Tracie questioned after noticing Annabelle backing away from the water. Her legs were getting tired.

“I'm getting tired,” She replies with a wave and a small chuckle. 

“When did you two become friends?” 

“A couple of hours ago maybe,” Anna responds to Chris. This was like an achievement for the guys as they wanted them to get along.

“Seems like they had quite the time inside,” Preston laughs earning a Glare from both Camille and Tracie as they met everyone on the grass.

“She's actually not that bad,” Camille lets out.

Tracie awkwardly shoves her shoulder, “Hey!” and smiles genuinely, “You guys aren't that bad either,” She confesses as well. Everyone laughs, not just at how Tracie had finally stopped being a bitch but also at how good a day it had been. They lie in the grass and chatted each other up until sunset. 

“Hey, you guys never told me that under all that stuck-upness Camille is a gem of a dancer,” Annabelle says causing Camille to blush crimson into Preston's chest.

“She's not stuck up she dances for me,” Preston shots at her but instead it shot Camille and she buried even deeper into his chest.

“look what you did you, idiot,” Tracie gestures toward a red-faced Camille.

“What?” Preston deadpan's, “I like to show her off, I love her.”

“You're doing it again bro,” Chris tells him. Everyone laughs except, of course, Camille. It wasn't just that he gave her more than butterflies but it was something else. The music had died out and silence had taken over but something wasn't right, she could feel strong energy surrounding them.

“Dude what's that?” Micheal points toward something floating in the water. It was black and odd-looking but that didn't stop him from grabbing it anyway.

“Baby, did you hear that?” Camille jumps in fright. A loud squeaky old voice screamed from the trees.

“Hear what bunny?”

Camille looked around and noticed she was, in fact, the only one wearing a spooked expression so she swallowed her words, “Nothing. ” She nearly pissed her bikini when she heard the second round of screams. Just like before, no one else heard so once again she gulped and held onto her safe haven, Preston. Micheal brought the thing from the water and upon examination, they found it was an old book. “Maybe a century old or so? ” Micheal asks no one specifically.

“Babe a century ago people knew English,” Tracie declares.

“Yeah, I don't recognize this language, It seems very old, ” Anabelle agrees. They were indeed correct; It was in fact too old to be recognized.

“Well, it seems hideous and we're out of firewood,” Chris says grabbing it.

“You're not supposed to burn old books.”

“We could sell it to the museum.”

“Let's just put it back.”

“Burn it!”

“It is actually still dry so go ahead.”

Chris didn't really care if they didn't want to but it creeped him out and he wouldn't dare show his scared side. The black book was in fact still dry and Camille found that all too convenient. The once creepy forest suddenly got creepier with noises that were equivalent to those in a horror movie.

It also seemed like she was the only one hearing things. “Im not crazy,” She accidentally chanted aloud.

“No one called you crazy bunny,” Preston whispers. She forced a chuckle. It was so hard to make her face do anything but wear a horrified gaze. One could even equate it to pretending you don't have constipation in a shared toilet.

Chris tossed the book into the dying fire and it blazed from kissing the pages. Everyone seemed quite contented and soon after they left the fire for bed. The night was long and winding as if every hour had been multiplied by two and though Preston slept like the dead next to her, Camille couldn't help but twist and turn all through the night.  

The noises pierced her ears so hard that even the pillows she covered her head with couldn't drown them out. It was as if the entire spirit realm was gathered around them and she was the only one to notice.

By the time morning had arrived she was too tired and had finally fallen asleep. The others woke up bright and early and decided they would take one last swim before they had to pack for the road. The trees had lost their color and the leaves hung feebly from the branches. The clearness of the lake was no more, dark muddy patches here and there greeted them. But just like before no one noticed the changes and just as they had planned, they went swimming.

Camille was bombarded with voices in her dreams and couldn't sleep.  Her screams filled the room and Preston ran inside. She had fallen off the bed. “Bunny are you okay?” He questioned and helped her to her feet.

“Yeah,” She wanted to say no but how would she explain the old woman in her dream with long black nails and a sickening laugh? She couldn't so she begged the day to hurry along.

The hours crept along and everyone was actually pleased that the last day at the cabin was the longest and thus granted them much more time to gallivant aimlessly and keep their own little drunk fest. Well, everyone except Camille who was too freaked out to even pretend to be having fun. “Bunny are you sure you're okay?” Preston pleads, noticing how bothered she was but couldn't put a finger on the reason.

“Auh, baby I am fine really,” She tells him hurriedly before her mouth thought to defy her.

“Okay, if you're sure,” He planted a kiss on her temple and retreated to inform his friends that it was time to leave.

Anabelle and Chris had already gone ahead with their own packing and not too surprisingly, Tracie couldn't leave without hitting something off her bucket list, something rather too sexual. “OMG! Micheal that was so much fun,” She squeals in excitement hugging Micheal tightly.

“Babe you're crushing me, ” He forces out between breaths. Her excited hugs were a little too excited from Time to time but she didn't care. “We have to hurry and pack up, ”  Micheal adds. Tracie frowns then turns to grab their duffle bags before flinging them onto the bed.

“We're ready to go, guys,” Anabelle's voice shouts into the door seconds later.

“Two minutes,” Tracie shouts back dashing everything into the bag and zipping it. Meanwhile, Micheal sat there staring at the two-headed snake perfectly tatted between her small breast.

“Come on!” She drags him out of his gaze internally smiling at how he is always memorized by her. In fact, he really liked her and hoped she would change her bitchy and slutty ways for their relationship. Too bad she wanted happiness somewhere else.

Gathered outside the cabin, the others awaited the two, and as soon as they showed up the chattering and walking began. “We're never waiting on you guys to finish screwing each other again,”  Chris complains.

“You could always join you know,” Micheal smirks knowing that would shut Chris up.

“Bro I'm way sexier than you so he'd prefer to join me and Camille. ”

“Ewe! Gross,” Camille and Chris say in unison. She could only see herself doing the dirty with Preston alone. Not that they couldn't break up but that she thought it nasty to have someone else there.

“That's so gay though,” Micheal lets out and erupts in laughter. They followed the same path out and ever so often Camille would snuggle into Preston's chest in fright. If it were only voices she heard it wouldn't be so frightening but each time she looked to the side she glimpsed strange things. It was either a dancing log or a walking leafless tree with extra-long branches. Always something out of the ordinary that made her eyes pulp out.

She couldn't tell what was creepier either the dark silhouettes playing hide and seek between the trees or the scent of death that loomed in the air. Either way, she prayed the road was just up ahead.

But it never was.

“Are you sure this is the way we came, Preston?” Tracie asks clearly tired and frustrated.

“Yes,” Preston declares, barely convinced himself. It felt like they had been walking for too long.

“Babe, I'm tired can you carry me?” Annabelle begs Chris who too, was tired but nonetheless stooped slightly and offered a piggyback ride. “Thanks, babe,” She kissed the top of his head gratefully then tangled her fingers into its silkiness.

“Micheal why can't you be like Chris or Preston who clearly is taking care of their tired girlfriends,” Tracie argues and drags the headphones from Micheal's ears and huffed. He sighed but paid no attention to her whining.

“Don't compare us with each other,” Preston warns.

“Oh thank God!” Tracie shouts letting out a long Breath.

“Finally,” They all muttered to themselves. Again Preston took the first turn to drive and Camille climbed into the passenger's side next to him. They drove silently for a while until the silence suddenly became too much for Camille and she connected some music.

“Thank you,” Anabelle whispers patting Her shoulder from behind.

“Why didn't you just ask to turn it on all along?”

“I thought you all wanted silence, ” Anabelle confesses causing an eavesdropping Tracie to but in.

“Girl nobody ever wants silence like this,” Micheal laughs while Preston kept his eyes fixed on the road. Chris had fallen asleep in Anabelle's lap but not enjoying it too much.

His body began to tremble rapidly as he fought back a dream that an evil witch was taking over his body. He was too weak to fight, the witch blinked his eyes revealing her fiery ones glancing around to notice everyone. Still laying in Anabelle's lap a deep-defined old woman's voice recited, “Beware! The ides of the nights.”  

Anabelle shudders at the feminine voice coming from her partner's mouth and attempted to shove him off of her.

“Jesus Christ!” Her screams awaken the rest of the car. Could it have been that they didn't notice anything? She didn't know; even Chris was frightened by the look on her face, much like she had seen a ghost. “Baby, What's wrong?”

“Anna are you okay?” They bombarded her with questions but it was as if her brain had been fried. She looked at them blankly with her mouth agape and her eyes wide. She couldn't explain what had just happened and even Chris didn't take note that his dream had actually been a reality. “Baby!” He shook her shoulders in an attempt to drag her out of her trance.

“Huh?” She finally responded.

“What happened?” Preston had pulled up at the gas station and they piled out of the SUV and gathered at Anabelle's door.

“You look like you've seen a ghost,” Preston tells her.

“He Uhm. Babe yo... Uh.” She stumbled over her words. Anabelle thought of a more believable way to explain but came up desolate. She looked at their curious faces and scratches the back of her head subconsciously, probably hoping to find the words back there.

“An old woman's voice came out suddenly, and his eyes became as red as blood,” Anabelle sniffled loudly and continued while Micheal held back a chuckle. He thought she was just bored and was trying to have some fun.

“He trembled like a patient in seizure and then warned me; beware the ides of the nights,” She continued.

As she finished Camille suddenly felt as if all that had been shown to her were somehow connected to this. It could be the same old woman appearing in her dreams. Micheal, on the other hand, didn't give her experience a second thought as he didn't believe in the supernatural. The others comforted her with soothing words ss Michael took his turn to drive them onto the highway.  Camille was glad they were close to home and as the night came down even more almost half the bunch had gotten a scare.

As they dropped each other at their respective houses Tracie and Micheal parked the SUV and grabbed their luggage. Not bothering to unpack Tracie decided to only empty the wet clothes into the laundry basket. Along with the clothes, in fell the same black book they had burnt back at the cabin.

“What the fuck, Micheal!” Her screams alarm a half-asleep Micheal. He met her in their bathroom staring at the same book, in perfect order just as they had found it.  “What the hell?”

Tracie soon panics herself into an anxiety attack. As she claws at her neck and chest desperately gasping for air Micheal tries his best to calm her. He was aware that in times of extreme scaredness, there are high chances that Tracie could have an anxiety attack. Hence, he had gone ahead to learn how to control the situation.

“Baby, listen to my voice, ” He tells her while directing them back into the bedroom, “I need you to breathe slowly with deep breaths okay?” Tracie forces a nod and begins to fight the pressure to breathe quickly. After inhaling and exhaling a few times as directed by Micheal, she finally comes to her senses.

“Micheal, what the fuck is that weird-ass book doing in our luggage?” She screens at her boyfriend while pacing around uncontrollably. Micheal could ask her the same question but instead tries to comfort her.

“Baby let's not overthink the situation okay,” He grabs her hand and hauls her, making her sit on his lap. “Maybe the guys took it out and decided to bring it but mistakenly put it with our stuff.”

“That's not fucking possible,” Tracie Deadpans, “It was burnt out babe.” Realizing that Tracie is right Micheal hurries into the bathroom, grabs the book, and dash down the stairs. Tracie stayed back in their bedroom still shaking in fright with hopes that Micheal got rid of the book for good.

Upon return, Michael finds his girlfriend in bed. Her legs kick violently as if trying to free herself from something or someone but there was nothing he could see. He chases toward her and throws the sheets to the opposite side of the bed. The sight before him shocks him into unconsciousness. He falls to the floor immediately.

Tracie struggles helplessly trying to pull a snake from crawling into her throat. The same snake she had tattooed between her breast was now alive and very violent. One head of the cobra wrapped itself around her neck, choking her and the other head forced itself into her throat. She wrestles with all her energy until breathlessness forces her into a slumber from which she will never awaken.

Micheal's unconsciousness lasted until morning. He finds himself waking up on the cold tiles and wonders how he got there. Standing, he comes face to face with a dead Tracie outstretched on their bed. “Tracie! No!” He wails upon realization, Babe, wake up.”  After trying to shake her awake for the trillionth time he finally stood from crouching over her and marches out of the house with a tear-stained face.

After getting drunk he decides to share the story of his girlfriend's demise with his friends Preston and Chris. He makes his way to Preston's house and tells him and Camille what took place. “Oh shit!” Camille reacts, covering her mouth with her hands.

“Bro are you sure this wasn't a dream?” Preston questions with hopes that what he just heard was not true. He didn't believe that the book held such powers but Camille did.

“I believe him, ” She speaks up causing both men to stare at her with wide eyes. Even Micheal still couldn't believe, and he was the one in the situation.“What? why?” They both question simultaneously.

She sighs and plops down onto the leather couch. “Because the moment we entered the woods I felt uneasy like death was lurking in the shadows, I thought it was just me being scared of the woods.”

Oh, baby why didn't you say anything?” Preston asks after sitting next to her.

“Bro she didn't know, ” Micheal tells Preston. They then sat in a hush. Neither of them knew what to make of what had taken place last night. The book couldn't teleport itself into their luggage.

“Maybe Anabelle brought back the book, ” Camille finally speaks after remembering that she was indifferent about destroying the book.

“Yeah you're right babe, ” Preston praises, “I'll call them.” He stands and stalks into the kitchen to use the telephone.

Meanwhile, in their hotel room, Chris and Anabelle had discovered their own fates during the night. In the middle of their sleep, a swarm of irate scorpions had flocked their bedroom. They woke up at dawn to scorpions crawling all over them. They screamed at the top of their lungs for help but unfortunately, the hotel had previously Installed soundproof walls and doors at the request of regular guests. Hence, no one could hear their cries for help.

Annabelle got bites all over her body, even in her eyes while Chris slipped while running into the bathroom and hit his head on the vanity sink. Immediately, blood sped from his eyes. By sunrise, the housekeepers found them dead.

***

Back at Preston's

“They're not picking up, ” Preston announces while walking back toward the couch.

“I suddenly think that witch from my dream is about to get us, ” Camille mumbles.

“What witch?” Preston interrogates.

From what dream Camille?” Micheal consults, turning to gaze at her waiting for an explanation. Camille gulps and gestures for her boyfriend Preston to take a seat next to her before she speaks.

“Okay, now talk bunny, ” Preston commands after sitting on the coffee ta*ble instead of the couch. Once again Camille gulps, then begins.

Camille shifts uncomfortably then look back and forth from Preston to Micheal. She begins to speak, “Well when you guys found that book I heard this sickening scream coming from someone in the forest.”

Micheal and Preston's exchanged confused looks but didn't interrupt Camille. “The voice sounded old and screechy and it scared me but I thought it was just my mind. When we went to bed old witch visited my dreams but I couldn't understand what she was saying.”

“But you said you were okay the whole time I don't understand,” Preston scratches the back of his head and spoke. He didn't know that all that had happened to his girlfriend, and he felt bad for not noticing.

“I didn't think it was real, babe,” Camille defends.

Micheal shook his head in disbelief and stumbles from the couch into the kitchen. “I still don't think all this is real either, ” He shouts from the fridge.

“Maybe I should check the Website again,” Preston says getting up and stalking upstairs. He found his laptop on the bed and began to search for the website. Meanwhile downstairs Camille continues to tell Micheal about everything she had felt during the weekend. For someone who didn't believe In the paranormal, Michael had quite enough reasons too but still resorted to the most feasible idea.

“Cam, I think someone was just trying to prank us and it went badly,” Micheal told Camille but she already believed it was a curse that befell them. They sat in the living room pondering over what to do.

“We should call the police then,” Camille thought that was the best thing to do since Tracie was dead and their other two friends, Anabelle and Chris weren't answering their phones.

“Bunny we can't do that,” Preston Calls from the stairs.

“Why not?” Camille and Micheal query in unison.

“Because no one will believe us so we will be murder suspects,” Preston tells them, “I couldn't find the website either. ”

“How come?” Camille asks.

“I don't know bunny,” Preston sighs and grabs the television remote, “Let's just not think about it for a while okay.” Micheal nods and Camille settles into Preston's chest. Even though she agreed to not think about it, the complete opposite was going on in her head.

The three of them watched episodes of The Flash until they fell asleep. After what had happened at Tracie's house Micheal decided it was a good idea to stay with Preston in case someone found her body.

The day hurried along and soon night took its course. The three, for a moment, forgot about their current situation while indulging in their movie. Camille was the type to sleep early so she left the boys downstairs and went to bed around seven in the evening. She slept peacefully just like always but when she woke up for her midnight snack, all the life drained from her body at what she saw.

“What the fuck!” Camille screeched in terror. She came downstairs to Micheal and Preston fast asleep on the couch with the PlayStation controller hanging from their grasp. If that was the only thing she would've thought it to be cute and she pinched herself multiple times to wake up from the nightmare.

“Baby!” Camille cried chasing down the stairs after starting in astonishment. All the figurines in the house were alive and swarming the two boys. Little monsters with pointy sharpened teeth lunging at Micheal and Preston. Noticing Camille, half the batch chased after her. She sprinted through the house knocking over furniture absentmindedly.

Preston finally woke up to the chaos, turning to see one of his best friends' torso being eaten out by little monsters.

“Oh shit! bro, ” He wept. It took him quite a few minutes to come to terms with what was happening and it was the piercing pain that ran through his left leg that dragged him back to reality. He looked down to see three of the little figurines biting into his leg. By kicking at them they fell off. A few of them broke giving him the idea to use a broom and slap them into the walls.

Preston hunted them all until all that was left was broken figurines decorating the floors. Camille opened the bathroom door and found her boyfriend sobbing into his hands. Annabell and Chris's story had taken the news by storm just after she went to bed.

They were the only two left and it felt like they didn't deserve it.

“Oh, baby, ” Preston coos when he notices Camille in the hallway. She then ran into his open arms and the sob uncontrollably.

“Bunny we can't stay here, ” Preston whispers into Camille's ear. She pulls away, in confusion. “Aren't we supposed to call the police babe?” She asks him.

“Yes, but we can't since we don't have a solid explanation,” He sighs and continues. “Bunny no one will believe us. They will lock us up.”

She thought about his reasoning then realized it was the best option they had. By sunrise, they were well on their way to another state.

They would soon see the mystery on the news.

The End