Wild Boys

Chapter Sixteen

"I'm so itchy. You got any insect repellent by any chance?"

Iris handed the item towards Axel's waiting hand.

"How about snacks?" Lowell inquired.

Iris handed the large tupperware containing tonight's dinner, courtesy of Felicia. A few minutes later, she heard them snickering under their breath, and she instinctively knew it was because of her.

"...Doraemon, pfffft!"

Iris scowled at Lowell and Axel and wildly flashed her flashlight at both their faces. "You're lucky we brought stuff, though you never should have went in here in the first place."

"Don't worry, I'm sure Felicia's gone to ask the town for extra help," Julian had finally recovered though much to their disappointment, he didn't know the way back either. Why he went in the first place remained a mystery. Could he really have gone for the sole reason of rescuing these idiots? For the nth time, she wondered, could a person really change in so little time?

But then again, she'd learned in one night that he could bake, and so amazingly at that. Nothing else mattered.

"Or that kid! He did say he comes here, but for what exactly?" Lowell wondered. "Maybe he's looking for us already if he's so one with the forest."

"Why did you even get lost?" Ares asked through a tone that implied he won't hesitate to kill them right here and now. "The others made it back in one piece. What's so special about you three, other than the fact that you seem to be lacking in those heads of yours? Especially you, Caleb, I didn't expect you of all people to go gallivanting with these idiots. Maybe even you as well, Axel. What happened?"

Lowell looked offended at having been left out, ready to protest but caught himself, probably realizing Ares didn't have any patience for dealing with them any longer. Iris fought back a relieved sigh. She didn't want to risk angering the man any longer than they've already made him. His 'for now' truce felt too fragile. No doubt a single backlash against him would snap that thread and it'll be Psycho Ares all over again.

"We didn't get lost together." Caleb admitted. "I strayed when I thought I heard a voice crying out for help. A little girl's voice at that. But there was no one and next thing I know, I got separated. Only a fuckin' coincidence these two got lost as well, though I can't say why."

It was so like him, Iris felt ashamed for thinking him an idiot. Even Ares had nothing to say. He said, "And what about you two?"

"Same thing!" Lowell exclaimed, jumping around them for a few seconds before deciding that was dumb when he almost impaled himself on a branch. "I heard the same thing! What the hell? Were we just targeted by ghosts or did mischievous buggers just played a prank on us?"

Iris felt herself frowning as her heart began to pick up speed. They weren't lying. She looked at Axel, daring him to say the same reason. By the astounded look on his face, she could only guess why.

"It was probably just someone playing a stupid prank." He muttered, shaking his head in disgust.

"Actually..." Julian spoke up hesitantly. "I heard from Nico once that there was a girl who got lost in this very forest years ago. She was never found."

Crickets, leaves rustling, their footsteps crunching. No one spoke. Ghosts, then. It was the only plausible reason why they got separated and lost from the rest, especially when all their accounts told the same thing.

Iris was scared.

She knew it was irrational, but some fears weren't really meant to be reasonable. They're fears, simple as that. The acceleration of heartbeat, cold sweat on skin, short breath and leaden feet. All her life, she'd been taught to conquer every single thing she feared. She used to be terrified of spiders, and then her Father found out and made it her duty to catch one every single day. He upped it two, then three, then gradually to five, until Iris wasn't a shaking mess any longer and she could handle letting one arachnid crawl over her arms without a care in the world. But ghosts? How would she begin to desensitize herself from something so intangible?