The Elemental Circle

Chapter Twelve

Chapter twelve

We have been walking for awhile when Gwen taps my arm. I just humm out in answer. "Riley I think I've started," she says. I look at her not knowing what she means at first but then she makes a face. Ohhhhh.

"Guys, Gwen and I need to pee," I call out causing every boy to stop and glance back at us. Everyone seems to only be dragging on at this.

"You could have just told me not everyone else," Parker jokes with a carefree smile. I shrug my shoulders in response. Ben walks away a little ways off until we can't see him. After about. minute he calls for us.

"Scream if there is trouble."

When he is out of sight Gwen quickly uses the bathroom while my back is facing her. "I was right! Ughhh no I didn't want to be right!" She yells a tad bit over dramatically but it may just be from being tired. I mean, we have been hiking for four days.

"Do you need to go?"

"Nah, I'm good. Hey, at least you're not pregnant!" I say with a joking manor. We walk back laughing causing several guys to glance at us in confusion.

"What do girls talk about when they pee that makes them laugh?" Josh asks.

"We talk about how moronic the male kind is becoming," I say and Gwen nods her head yes. They look at us like we're crazy. We start walking again and for a least another hour until we get to a rather beautiful lake. The lake is at the base of Frost Mountain, and if my memory serves me right then it's called Glacier Lake.

There are blooming beautiful, perfume-y flowers scattered around. There are all kinds of birds and butterflies fluttering around around waterfall. It is absolutely breathtaking but despite the warm looking area I feel cold down in my bones making my skin slightly chilly. 

"We are staying here tonight to rest before we make it up the mountains," Parker states while setting his hiking bag down.

We then make a circle with five tents. In the middle is where Nick made a place for the fire. Mine and Gwens tent is ironically purple and blue. It is only one in the afternoon so we have a lot of time to rest. We haven't had a bath since we left and I feel horribly gross.

"Riley come here!" Gwen yells out. I walk over to Gwen who is actually with Parker. She has a smile on her face making her seem a bit younger. What were they talking about? I give them a questioning look rather then actually asking the question.

"All of us except you two, Philex, and Nick are going hunting. Philex and Nick agreed that they would like to bathe. So if you didn't bring a bathing suit you can wear your under clothes or go nude," Parker explains all while Gwen is making these weird suggestive faces. I swear she's boy crazy.

"I actually brought two just in case," I say. I always over prepare on trips. I have this nagging feeling that I may not have what I need. I just like being prepared, okay?

"Great! We will be back soon," Parker says. I go to my tent to change. The bathing suit I put on is the one Josh got me last year for my birthday. I walk out only to have Philex throws a towel at me.

"Thanks!"

He laughs at that. "You are so pale," he says while gesturing to me. I make a face at him in retaliation but Gwen laughs at me as well. She walks with me to the lake.

I slowly waddle into the freezing water. When it gets up to my hips I dive under. When I come up I can't touch the ground. "It is so cold!" I yell.

"You are always cold!" Gwen yells back. I smile at her. I am yanked under the water with someone trying to pull me. I open my eyes to only see Philex.

He lets go to let me swim up. When he surfaces I splash him. "Jerk!"

Gwen swims out to us as she laughs. "Where did you get your bathing suit?" She asks.

"No clue Josh got it for me for my B-day."

"Really? He's got some good taste."

I nod my head before I swim over to the waterfall to sit on a rock. I catch a glimpse of a mass of red hair. Nick? I haven't seen much of him. He hasn't really talked much to me. I jump in only to find a cave behind the waterfall. I pull myself into the cave and see Nick behind it. "Hey stranger."

He looks at me blankly while saying nothing. He looks pissed off. "What's wrong?"

"Nothing," he grumbles before diving in.

"Well someone has a stick up his butt," I mutter to myself. I slide in the water to go back to the land. I lay the towel on the grownd and lay on it. The heat off the sun is hardly touching my skin because of how cold I am. I slow my breathing before falling asleep.

"My god, Riley you are burnt so bad," Philex gasps. I sit up fast and regret it because I only feel the warm ache of the sunburn. "I couldn't even feel the sun!" I groan.

I look over my body only to find I'm literally sunburned everywhere. I pick up the towel and walk to where the fire is. Where the hell is Nick?

"Go get real clothes on," Gwen tells me. I just sat down! Ugh. When I come back out Ben and Josh are loaded with fish. Only minutes later the others return with twenty-five more fish.

"Riley are okay?" Josh asks.

"I don't even feel it," I grumble out knowing he's speaking about the sunburn. I'm actually starting to feel that bone aching chill again. It's mostly my feet, fingers, and chest that are cold.

"Okay," he says with a frown. He probably wanting me to go more in depth but I really don't want to explain. They then skin the fish and cook it. Surprisingly, the fish is amazing and fills everyone up until they can't eat anymore. Afterwards, I head back to my tent so I can catch up on some much needed rest. Why is it so freaking cold? The chill in my body has started to spread making it uncomfortable. I tighten my covers around me hoping to keep in what little earth I have. Im jerked awakes when someone yanks me up to a sitting position.

A hand goes around my mouth muffling my screams. I still scream until I feel tear at my throat and kick but it doesn't work. I frantically move my hand to their face, pull at their soul until I can grip at it with my mind. Concentrating I shred their soul until I feel their hold go slack. I look down at my captor only to feel my heart ache. A pitiful, hoarse scream escapes my throat as I see his still body. I killed him.