Red Hood Forest

Chapter 30

Lily was the first to raise her head and open to eyes. She looked around, seeing that the ground stopped shaking, and the black cloud dispersed. George and Jake soon opened their eyes to looks around. George soon saw Bella, her physical form back to normal, laying on the ground, face down.

"Bella," he whispered, running to her. Lily followed him, as he slid in the snow next to Bella's body. George turned Bella over. Her chest still had the large gashes, and although her eyes were open, the light that once shone in them were gone.

George put his fingers on the side of her throat, to check for a pulse. He started crying when he couldn't feel one. "She's gone," he said to Lily, as she knelt down.

Lily covered her mouth with her hand, choking up on tears. She leaned over and grabbed Bella's shoulders, then dropped her head onto Bella's chest, bursting into tears.

Jake saw Dave's body a few feet away from Bella's, laying on his side and his physical body back to normal as well. He slowly walked over to him, and knelt down. Dave's body was covered in scratch marks from what Bella/Gilbert had to do. Jake put his fingers on the side of Dave's throat to check for a pulse, but he already suspected the worse.

George looked over to Jake. "Gone," Jake said, wiping tears away.

Meanwhile, Sasha sat in the snow, with Amara's head on her knees. Slowly, Amara's body started to fade into ash.

"Is it over, Amara," Sasha asked, shaking in the cold, "Is it truly over now."

"Yes," Amara replied, "It is over. Blanchette is dead, so is Gilbert. But I can bet Gilbert will love a better afterlife. As for me... I can feel myself fading to the afterlife as well. It's very... peaceful."

"Thank you," Sasha said, crying, "for all you did for us."

"Anytime, Sasha," Amara replied. She looked up into the snow filled sky, saying her final words. "Finally... I am free."

With that, Amara's body turned into ash, leaving her clothes. Sasha sat there, trying to wipe away tears, but kept getting soot in her face. She stood up and walked to the others. She sat beside Lily, placing a hand on her shoulder.

"They," Sasha started saying, "they... really did a good thing... when you think about it. We may hate it now... but they did it because they knew it was right."

"Damn," George started, taking off his glasses to wipe his tears, "They always did know what was right. Damn it..."

Lily lifted her head. She turned to Sasha and hugged her. "I never got to know," she mumbled, "I didn't get to know how she felt."

Sasha just froze, wondering what exactly she had meant. She looked over to Jake, whom look at the two with a sorrowful look.

"You really liked her," Jake said to Lily, "Didn't you?"

Lily pulled away from Sasha, and looked to Jake. "Yes," she replied, "I did. I'm the lesbian that loved Bella."

Lily giggled a bit, still crying. "God," she said, "That was really corny. Come on, Lily, now is not the time!"

"Hey it's ok," George said, trying to smile, "I mean, I know Dave would've liked a good laugh right about now. And you know what... because of how fast Bella became your friend again... I think she liked you too."

"I can bet on that," Jake said, standing.

The others soon stood with Jake. Lily, before standing, look at Bella. She put her hand over Bella's face, and closed Bella's eyes. She then stood with the others. They walked a few feet away from Bella and Dave's bodies. Standing side by side, the four embraced each other.

"What now," Sasha asked.

"I don't know," George replied, "We... can't exactly tell the cops the truth. They won't believe us."

"We'll think of something," Lily said.

"Yeah," Sasha said, "I mean, you two are pretty smart. I'll let you guys handle the cops."

"They'll want everyone's story," Jake said, laughing a little.

Suddenly, a ringtone was heard. The group looked around, before realizing it was coming from Sasha. Sasha dug into her dress pocket, and took out her phone. The caller ID read her father.

"I have service," Sasha exclaimed, smiling. She quickly answered the phone, stepping a little away from the others. "Dad," she asked.

"Sasha, thank goodness," Her father said over the phone, "Your dad and I have been worried. We've been trying to call you and your sister for a while now. I though the mountain still had service?"

"Y-yeah," Sasha replied, trying not to cry, "It does... I've been... been."

She started crying again, and her father took notice when he heard.

"Sasha," He started, "Is everything alright?"

"Dad, I really need you," Sasha sobbed, "Something bad happened. I really need you."

"Ok ok, your dad and I will be up there right away. Let me call someone to look over Summer, and then we'll be right up!"

"Ok. I'll see you then."

She hung up the phone, sobbing.

"How am I going to tell them that Sarah's gone," she asked.

"We'll figure that out together," Jake said, walking over to her, putting a hand in her shoulder.

"Okay," Sasha said, looking to her phone, "I better call the police."

"Let me do it," George said, walking to Sasha and taking her phone, "I'm a bit more stable right now."

With that, George dialed 911.

About ten minutes later, the group had talked down the trail to where their cars still sat. They stood, and could faintly hear the police sirens in the distance.

"They're almost here," Jake said, "Hey George. What did you tell them?"

"That somehow," George started, "a fire started in the lodge, and we didn't realize it until it was too late. We all ran outside, and heard noises. Soon, a pack of wolves came out of nowhere. I told them that there were three dead."

"They'll need more info," Lily said, "Like the tunnels?"

"We can say," Sasha started, "that Jake, Sarah, and I were exploring the lodge and fell through floorboards. We can also say the the wolves used the tunnels at a home, and that's how... we lost Sarah..."

"Hopefully it's believable enough," Lily replied, "I wouldn't want to be accused of murder or something."

"They're not going to think that," George replied, "What happened to our friends, plus Jason and Wendy, was not done by a person. And it shows. The wolf story will work good enough."

The group looked forward, hearing the sirens come closer, and seeing the red and blue lights come closer.

"Do you think," Sasha started, taking George's hand, "we'll be okay? Will we ever be happy again?"

"Not sure," George replied, "All I know is I'll need some serious therapy after this. I lost two of my best friends tonight, and that was the last thing I wanted."

"I think we'll be happy again," Jake said, taking Sasha's other hand, "Believe it or not, we will be happy again. These things just take time."

"I miss them though," Lily said, taking Jake's other hand, "And I'll always miss them."

With that, they stood hand in hand together, as the police cars finally arrived on this sorrowful night.