It Lives In The Woods [BxB]

III

Picture of Logan Browning as Ava

Seven

6 pm comes by faster than expected as I head to the schools courtyard. In the distance I find Noah, Lily, and Lucas already waiting by the fountain. Andy comes shortly after, with Stacy trailing behind him, occupied on her cellphone.

"Hey guys, one sec," she says before returning back to texting.

Noah rises from his seat on the fountain, as Lily comes beside me. She's nervously twiddling with her thumbs.

"Who're we missing," Noah asks. I scan everyone's faces before realizing who isn't here yet.

"Um...I don't see Ava," Lily whispers. 

Ava suddenly speaks behind me, scaring Lily. She looks at all of us before snickering.

"You guys look like the cover of a Christian rock band," I roll my eyes at her comment.

"The hell are you, a ninja," Andy says shocked.

"Vampire," Ava corrects.

Lily looks at her, stunned, "But...I seen you out in the sun, though?"

"I am the day-walker, fear me," she waggles her fingers. I clear my throat.

"So, I'm pretty sure you all know why we're here. The blackout at the pep rally. The winds. The voice," I state clearly.

"I-I don't know what you're talking about," Stacy tries to peel away, but I stop her in her tracks.

"Can it, Stace, I seen your face at the rally, all of you looked as freaked out as I was. None of you would've been here otherwise.." 

"Everyone plays together," Noah recites, then sighs. A long, pregnant silence fills the air as everyone refuses to look at one another.

"There's.....something else..." Lily says, she holds her phone out with shaky hands. I can barely see, but I see a few text messages. They're the same texts I received from Dan the night I had the nightmare.

"Wait a second, you got them too?" Lucas says, clearly shocked.

"You mean to tell me we all got wierd-ass texts from Dan last night?" Ava's voice shakes a bit.

My fingers brush at the bruises on my neck, which begin to ache. I take a deep breath.

"Guys...I have something else to say," I summon the courage, then tell them about the nightmare, carefully reciting every detail. 

"Guys, I believe he's back. Mr. Red is back to get us.." Andy's face contours into anger.

"We have to call the cops, they'll find the psycho that attacked you and--"

"And they'll do absolutely nothing," I cut him off. He looks at me as if I'd lost my mind.

"Why do you say that?!" 

I give a look to Ava. "Ava, would your dad believe you if you told him a dirt monster tried choking you in your sleep," She scoffs.

"Are you insane? He'd scourge my room for drugs and make me pee in a cup. Absolutely not," she says.

"Besides, what're the police gonna do against Redfield, arrest him?" Noah steps in. Andy, feeling defeated, sighs. 

"Okay, I get it..." 

"Maybe get the dirt monster to testify, now?" Noah tries joking, but it only seems to piss off Andy.