Page 37

“Yeah.” Doug trembled. “Only, we weren’t alone.

” Wolfe, Sol, and I looked at him. “Rodney was down by the lake securing the canoes when I heard something up the hill near the fire pit. I figured it was one of you guys, so I walked up the path and ventured closer, you know?” He shook as blood dripped from his leg onto the floor.

“Only, it was someone wearing a plague doctor outfit.” Wolfe nudged me.

“At first, I thought maybe one of you fuckers were trying to pull a prank. So, I just laughed it off. But whoever it was didn’t speak.

And as they turned to face me, I noticed an axe in their hand.

Like a real fucking axe!” Sandy and Kaila rushed back into the room and handed everything they found to Sol.

He immediately began to clean the wound while Doug laid there in pain.

“How did you get hurt?” Kaila asked.

Doug’s laughs mixed with tears as Sol poured a dark bottle of liquid over the wound.

Doug clenched his teeth and screamed as it began to bubble and foam.

Sol tried to be easy, but it was inevitable with how severe the wound was.

Doug looked up at Kaila. “Whoever it was in that plague doctor outfit, they fucking chased me down, and swung that axe into my leg!” Kaila gasped.

“They were trying to kill me! The only reason they didn’t finish the job is because when I fell and hit the ground, I slid through the mud.

I rolled down that damn hill towards the lake. That’s when Rodney found me.”

Willie sighed. “Did you see the person who did this, Rodney?” Rodney shook his head. “You didn’t see the plague doctor?”

Rodney sighed and lowered his head. “All I know is one minute Doug was walking up that hill towards the fire pit, and the next he was screaming, bloodied, and falling down into the mud. I mean there was so much blood, Willie. I didn’t know what to do, and he just kept yelling about someone in a mask having an axe.

” Rodney grabbed his head. “I figured the best thing to do was get him to Nurse B.”

“Nurse B isn’t here,” I grumbled. Rodney and Doug both looked at me with wide eyes. “Yeah, she left earlier today, and no one's seen her since.”

Doug’s head fell back, and he groaned, loudly. “Fuck me! What the hell am I supposed to do about this ?” He motioned to his leg while Sol finished wrapping it up with gauze and bandages. “I mean, hello? I was attacked with a fucking axe! I need a hospital!”

Willie grunted. “As you can see, the power is out all over camp. That means we have no electricity, no power, no phones.” Doug whimpered and groaned.

“Thisbe should’ve been back by now, unless she got stuck out in town during the storm.

If you keep your leg wrapped and try not to run on it, you should be okay until she can take a look at it. ”

Sandy gently touched his arm. “But he needs to go to a hospital, Willie. I mean, that wound is deep.”

Willie made a face. “It is, but there’s nothing I can do. The roads in and out of the camp flood every time it storms. You know this.” He slowly glanced over at Doug. “You’re going to have to survive the night and wait out the storm, I’m afraid. We all are.”

Wolfe sat down next to Solomon before he quietly spoke up. “What about the person that did that to him?” Everyone slowly moved their eyes across the room to Wolfe’s blushed face. “I mean, let’s be real. Doug didn’t just whack himself with an axe.” He breathed a cautious smile.

Nobody spoke except for Doug. “Are you serious right now?” He snapped his head around at all of us. “You don’t think I did this to myself, do you?”

“No one’s saying that, Doug,” Willie groaned.

“But, it’s kind of hard to take you seriously about, well, anything.

I mean, obviously something happened.” He motioned to Doug’s bandaged leg.

“I’m just not sure it happened exactly the way you say it did.

” That was a bit harsh. “Even Rodney said he didn’t see anyone! ”

Doug looked pissed. “Fuck you, Willie! I saw who did this! I saw that fucker with my own fucking eyes!” He moved a little too quickly and winced.

“Fuck!” Sol tried to stop him, and Kaila rushed to help him.

She shined her light down at his leg, and we noticed blood was already seeping through the bandages.

“I’m going to die!” He was truly panicked.

“You’re not going to die,” Willie groaned. “But we should probably move to the cafeteria. It’s safer there.”

Kaila scoffed. “How the hell are we supposed to move him all the way to the cafeteria? He shouldn’t be walking!”

Willie stood and adjusted his jacket. “And what do you suggest? Huh? We can’t just leave him here.

This cabin is falling apart as it is. It might be raining, but you’re counselors!

Your job is to take care of the campers.

And right now, they're all packed into that cafeteria with Beatrice, probably scared half to death. We need to do our fucking jobs and stick with them, alright?” It was weird to see him and Kaila butt heads.

I mean, I knew she wasn’t a real fan of him, but to see her challenge him so openly was strange.

“Not all the campers are there.” The tension between Willie and Kaila dropped, and everyone slowly looked over at Rodney.

He had been quiet most of the time, probably from the shock of seeing his friend’s leg so brutally wounded.

“We left our campers with Sabbath in Cabin Six.” He shook his head and rubbed his face. “They’re still out there.”

Solomon stood and grabbed the small lantern. “I’m going to go get them.”

Everyone, except Willie, began to shout and argue.

Kaila and Sandy begged him not to go alone, as did Wolfe, but for his own reasons.

Rodney simply kept repeating that we shouldn’t split up, and Doug wouldn’t stop shouting at how dangerous it was.

Everyone’s voices rose and mashed together until Sol finally snapped and shouted, “Enough!” The cabin fell into silence, aside from the immense storm.

He tilted his head at me. “No offense, Aster, but I don’t trust Sabbath with my own life, let alone the campers.

” If only he knew. “And he probably has no idea what the protocol is at a time like this. You guys get to the cafeteria, and I’ll head out to their cabin and bring the campers back.

Once we get everyone there, we’ll figure out what to do next. ”

Willie shook his head. “We just need to stick together and wait out the storm in the cafeteria.” He smiled and tried to laugh the rest off as if it were nothing.

“I mean, come on, you guys can’t seriously think there’s a masked plague doctor out there just waiting for us to drop our guard.

Guys, come on!” The rest of us remained silent.

Sol stepped around Doug and past Rodney to Willie.

He stood directly in front of the man and raised his lantern.

Despite the decade or so age difference, Solomon was taller and bulkier than Willie.

And at that moment, he looked a lot more intimidating.

“I don’t know what the fuck is going on, but I’m not going to just sit here and pretend everything is fine.

It’s not,” he growled. “Doug has a fucking gash in his leg and both he and Aster saw someone in this camp. Now, you can either help us figure out what the hell is going on, or you can just shut up and get the fuck out of our way.”

Sol’s temper gave me chills.

He glanced back over his shoulder at all of us.

“Kaila, Sandy, you guys grab some extra supplies and try to find a bag. We’re taking everything we can.

Rodney, Wolfe, you two help Doug to his feet.

Aster? I need you to see if you can find some more lanterns or flashlights.

” I nodded and began to search around. Willie remained still and glared back at Sol.

The rest of us all moved with haste to do as Solomon asked.

Kaila and Sandy returned to the front room with a small backpack filled with medical supplies and extra things to help Doug.

I found a second lantern in Willie’s room and lit it with the lighter I kept.

We all gathered around as Sol laid out an old camp map we found, and Kaila aimed her flashlight at the map.

“There.” He tapped along the faded paper and spoke. “This is the trail you guys should take. The normal one will be flooded by now and isn’t safe. Head this way and try to stay away from the trees.”

“Why?” Kaila asked.

Sol looked up at Wolfe, then me, before Wolfe spoke up. “Because that’s where things tend to keep happening.”

“You guys are ridiculous,” Willie groaned.

Sol raised his brows and sighed. “I’ll head this way towards Cabin Six.

And as long as the path from the cabin to the cafeteria is clear, I should be able to meet you guys back there in no time.

” Everyone understood the plan and prepared to head out.

Sol walked back over to Willie and slapped the map against his chest as he handed it to him.

They held a silent exchange before Sol took one last look at Wolfe and smiled.

“Meet you guys at the cafeteria.” He raised the hood of his small jacket and bolted out into the rain.

We all held our breath and watched as his silhouette faded into the darkness.

“How are we supposed to get Doug to the cafeteria?” Rodney asked. “I mean, I’m not strong enough to carry him. Neither is Wolfe.”

Kaila snapped her fingers. “There’s a cot in the nursing station. Maybe we could use it and work together to carry him?”

Doug scoffed at her plan. “A cot? No thanks, I’d rather just bleed out here!”

Willie rolled his eyes. “You’re not going to bleed out, Doug. I’ll carry you.” We all exchanged a similar look between each other. “What? Think I can’t do it?”

More like we don’t trust you.

“Oh, come on, guys. Aside from Sol, I’m the strongest one here!

” He walked over to Doug. “I’ll be as gentle as I can and carry you over to the cafeteria, okay?

Besides, if we take the path Sol suggested, there’s no way you guys are going to be able to bring that cot.

” Doug hesitated before nodding to Willie.

“Alright.” He carefully braced himself and scooped Doug up.

Doug cried out and winced as Willie settled him in his arms. “There.” Willie smiled. “All safe.”

Doug rolled his eyes. “I feel like a fucking damsel in distress.” He noticed Kaila and Sandy smirking. “Hey, knock it off!”

Willie shook his head. “What’s wrong, Doug? Don’t like having a big, strong man saving you?”

Doug’s face burned red. “Knock it off!”

Everyone laughed a little. It was a nice reprieve from the seriousness of our situation. And truthfully, I think we all needed it.

“Alright.” Willie carried Doug towards the broken cabin door.

“Kaila, you lead the way with the flashlight. Rodney, you take the lantern and head up the back. The rest of you? Stay close. We need to stick together and keep an eye open. This storm isn’t letting up anytime soon, and the last thing we need to do is to get lost out there in the dark.

” I raised the hood from the jacket he’d given me and zipped it up tight. “Let’s go!”

As everyone poured from the cabin into the rain, I stuffed my hands into the pockets of his jacket and gasped at what I felt.

Oh my God.