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🅴︎🅿︎🅸︎🆂︎🅾︎🅳︎🅴︎ 🅵︎🅸︎🆅︎🅴︎ Ⓟ︎Ⓐ︎Ⓡ︎Ⓣ︎ Ⓣ︎Ⓦ︎Ⓞ︎
ONLY ONCE THEY TREKKED DEEPER into the woods did Kali Griffin feel just slightly at peace. She turned her head at every corner, checking all trees for any cameras they might be hiding. Nancy and Jonathan didn't question it, but kept glancing at each other whenever she did something strange.
Darkness was slowly creeping into the sky, spreading its mighty shadow over the town of secrets and lies, protecting it with a thick, warm blanket. Eventually, they were so far into the woods that they started looking for anything and everything that could be unusual, something that could be linked to that figure.
Kali debated telling the others what she knew, but she didn't. They would figure it out themselves, anyway, and that would put her in instant danger. Kali knew by now to put herself before anybody else. She couldn't have it any other way. One word about her, one whisper of the things she could do, and they would get her. They would kill her. If Jonathan and Nancy worked out the real truth, she'd have to kill them before they had a chance to process anything. But there was a part of her — a weird part that felt odd and squishy — that didn't want to hurt Nancy Wheeler. She didn't want to kill her.
"Hey, so are you, like, okay?" questioned Nancy, walking towards the girl as she circled around another tree.
Kali glanced back at her blankly.
"I'm sorry if I'm being intrusive, it's just..." She shook her head. "...you look lost, almost."
Kali blinked. "I'm fine," she answered simply, tone expressionless, and moved on.
Soon, the three teenagers had to turn on their flashlights, and Kali stopped being so careful around things. She and Nancy stood close together, and the Wheeler girl found herself paying close attention to Kaliʼs hands, her gloves, again. She hadn't taken them off since the very first day they met. In the getaway car. Nancy still couldn't quite believe that had happened, that she was really standing beside the most dangerous girl in town, feeling oddly safe around her.
Kaliʼs company made her feel a lot of things: curious, anxious, excited, warm, cold, safe. She felt safe around somebody who only ever made people feel the opposite.
Suddenly, Nancy stopped and stood still, causing Jonathan and Kali to turn to her. "What, are you tired?" asked Jonathan sarcastically.
Kali glared at him.
"Shut up."
"What?"
Nancy looked around, finally letting her eyes land on the two people standing in front of her. "I heard something," she revealed chillingly.
The three all let things go quiet, they didn't speak a word, until they heard it again. A whimper, a growl. Inhuman.
Kali glanced at Nancy. A part of her wished she'd told her. She wanted to tell her everything. She suddenly didn't care about the risks or the danger — she just wanted to tell her. She had to. Otherwise Nancy wouldn't be safe.
However, it was too late now. Nancyʼs mind had started to wander and so had her feet. She lead the trio through the woods, stopping at the source of the noise, kneeling down beside a hurt deer.
Jonathan sighed.
"It's been hit by a car," said Nancy, frowning at all the wounds on the poor animal.
Kali watched her from the side. Nancy cared about everything and everyone. Nancy was good. Until she met Nancy, Kali didn't believe anybody in the world was good. Kali couldn't believe that. It made her weak. It made her vulnerable. But, strangely, she didn't mind that anymore. Not when it came to Nancy.
"We can't just leave it."
Jonathan and Kali both looked down, unsure of what to do. The deer was in pain, too much pain to bare. They didn't have enough money to visit a vet, nor did they have enough time. The only way to help this deer was to end itʼs suffering. To kill it.
Seeing the expression on Nancyʼs face, so sad, so compassionate, Kali sighed. She put her hand out near the animals, feeling two big bubbles grow in her head as she thought of her next move.
Whether or not she should take the gloves off.
However, she didn't have enough time to make that choice. Something grabbed the deer by the foot, dragging it away at lightning speed.
In response, Jonathan and Nancy jumped back with a gasp, while Kali stood behind them, controlling her reaction. "What was that?" whispered Nancy, panting, her back pressed flat against Kali.
They walked on further again, keeping their flashlights pointed at the trail of blood the deer left as it was taken. Kali kept her hands together, still debating if she'd be any help. She stood extremely close to Nancy, almost as a silent swear to protect her.
"Where'd it go?"
"I don't know," said Jonathan. "Do you see anymore blood?"
"No."
The girls paused at a nearby tree, seeing a moldy, clear opening at the bottom. Nancy kneeled down in front of it, and Kali watched her every move with careful, straight eyes. She needed to tell her. She needed to tell her everything now, before it was too late.
Nancy Wheeler let out a frightening scream as something grabbed her by the hand. And, like, the deer, she was dragged through the opening in the tree.
There was no hesitation this time. Not when it came to Nancy.
Kali Griffin peeled off her gloves and jumped straight through the portal to the other world.
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