𝐒𝐄𝐀𝐒𝐎𝐍 𝐎𝐅 𝐓𝐇𝐄 𝐖𝐈𝐓𝐂𝐇

𝟎𝟕. 𝐫𝐞𝐯𝐞𝐥𝐚𝐭𝐢𝐨𝐧𝐬 𝐈𝐈

𝐉𝐮𝐥𝐲 𝟏𝟐𝐭𝐡, 𝟏𝟗𝟕𝟖

It didn't take long for you to find them. Not while Alice was screaming at the top of her lungs about Sarah Fier and Cindy was right there to shush her just as loudly.

Everyone formed a loose semi-circle around an outcropping of large, mossy stones. Alice must've roped Arnie into coming with them because he was somewhere near the back struggling to balance on top of one of the boulders. Tommy stood back and was watching the girls argue with a pained expression.

"Guys!" You hissed, whacking away one of the branches that were obscuring your vision. "What the hell do you think you're doing out here?"

Tommy's head snapped up at the sound of your voice and he mustered a weak but hopeful smile as you approached him. "I missed you," he cooed, placing his hands on your hips to keep his balance. He looked much worse than he had earlier; pupils dilated and skin wet with sweat and sickly pale.

"You shouldn't be out here," you scolded softly. You meant it seriously, but by the look on his face, you would have thought he was watching you get down on one knee.

"Would you quit worrying about me, Sunny?" Tommy's smile broadened as he brought up one of his hands to cup your cheek and stroke your jawbone with his thumb. "I feel loads better already. I promise."

You hummed disbelievingly, looking him up and down. They must've taken the long way through the woods; his jeans were all muddy and the knees were even more ripped than they were earlier.

Tommy staggered again and squeezed your hip. Why was he so reluctant to admit that there was something wrong with him?

"Whatever you say, tough guy," you played off your inner torment by patting him on the shoulder. "But you're crashing in my cabin tonight. I don't care how better you feel, I want to keep an eye on you."

Tommy's eyes lit up like a Christmas tree, no matter how quickly he tried to shake off his obvious excitement. "Are you–Are you serious?"

"(Y/N)! Would you please tell Alice not to go down there?"

Cindy gestured for you to look where she was pointing with her flashlight. Gently, you slipped out of Tommy's arms and walked over to where she and Alice were hovering around a deep hole in the earth.

It looked like an old cellar, carved out of the dirt and bricked up with stones and mortar. A breeze whistled up the ancient staircase and tickled your ankles. You blinked and squinted down into the pit. "Alice, go down there."

"On it!"

"What? No!"

But Alice was already waist-deep in the trench and descending fast. Cindy huffed and puffed, stomping frustratedly in place. Far behind the group, Arnie fell off of his boulder and slumped his way into the conversation.

"C'mon, Berman. Live a little," he said, clapping Cindy on the shoulder before disappearing after his girlfriend into the depths of the cellar.

Begrudgingly, she stormed down the worn stone steps in their wake. You watched her flashlight dance across the walls, soon disappearing along with the rest of them. The only proof that the cellar hadn't swallowed them up entirely was Alice's quiet jokes and distant cackles of laughter.

"Don't keep us waiting, Sunnyside!"

Despite the strong urge to turn and run, there was also a strong sense of morbid curiosity that begged you to follow your friends into the pit of darkness. After a few seconds of debate, you looked up at Tommy. "Are you really feeling okay?"