The Demon's Virgin

Entry 4)Human Monsters

"Come little Children." 

***
Witches, magic, the devil... It all seemed like child's play, stories concocted to add a bit of spice to our mundane town of Salem. With Halloween looming, these tales circulated more frequently among teachers and adults alike. Despite the cold biting at my face, I pressed on. I waited until Evie pulled out of the Walgreens parking lot before venturing into the forest. Truth be told, I had no clue what Jake was dragging me into this time. If he didn't have any marijuana or cigarettes on him, I swore I'd never let him cheat off my Chemistry tests again. Only after trudging a good ten feet into the forest did I spot Jake's unmistakable green jacket, his figure leaning against a towering tree.

"Hey, man," his voice announced as he turned to greet me. His face was the only thing visible, illuminated by the flashlight he held up. "Thanks for not asking questions back at school."

"Course," I replied, "I just love randomly venturing into creepy forests instead of hitting up fun spots. Didn't I mention that when we first became buds?"

Jake rolled his eyes at my sarcasm, his expression turning grave. "You came alone, right?"

"No, man. I've got the entire Salem PD surrounding the area," I quipped, but my sarcasm didn't seem to entertain Jake in that moment. He stared at me with a bizarre expression until his shoulders relaxed, and he released a breath.

"Oh. You were joking."
"Duh."

"This whole night would be so much easier if nobody knew we were out here," Jake explained before nodding for me to follow. I walked alongside him, suddenly feeling uneasy. It was only now sinking in that I was trailing my friend into a pitch-black forest, with nothing but the full moon to light our way.

"Where are we headed?" I asked, my nerves starting to fray.

"There's a cabin about two miles in," Jake replied.

"Two miles?!" I balked. "You didn't mention anything about trekking a long distance to get there."

"We needed seclusion," he explained. "If just anyone could stumble upon us, this whole thing would be pointless."

He had a point. If teens were getting it on with booze and drugs, this wasn't the type of thing you needed a noise complaint called on or cops busting us. Still, my curiosity was piqued at to what kind of fun could be awaiting us. "This a party?"

I couldn't see Jake's expression given he was walking ahead of me. "More like a gathering."

"Of people we go to school with?"

"Yeah."

I rolled my eyes at how cryptic he was being with his vague responses. Jake sighed as if he could hear my eye roll. "It would just be easier for you to see what's going on instead of hearing about it. You dig?"

"Yeah, okay."

Our walk felt endless, the silence stretching between us like a yawning chasm. Fatigue crept over me, a stark contrast to the athlete I used to be, dominating varsity suicide sprints and shuttle runs. Now, a hint of laziness had settled in, my smoking and marijuana habits eroding my athletic prowess. By the time we reached the first mile, exhaustion gnawed at my muscles. At 5'10 and one-sixty, I was no longer the pinnacle of fitness. A guy my size and age should easily run five miles without breaking a sweat, but I was far from that now. I grumbled and complained through the majority of the second mile, but Jake seemed uninterested in my gripes. He guided our way with his flashlight, offering sparse responses to my nagging.

As we descended past numerous hills and trees shedding their leaves, the woods lost their eerie feel. Only the moonlight and the rustle of fallen leaves accompanied us. Finally, after what felt like an eternity of walking, we stumbled upon a cabin nestled at the edge of the woods. A flicker of light inside indicated that people were already present. The cabin itself was unsettling, its single floor dilapidated, the gutter hanging off the side. Though the darkness obscured much of its exterior, it was undoubtedly an eyesore.