Page 9

“Ah, fuck this!” Doug stood. “Cut the bullshit, Sol. There’s no occult people or witches, or monsters, or whatever in these woods!

Only trees and dirt!” He slapped his neck and groaned.

“And goddamn mosquitoes! Now, this is not how I plan to spend my last night of freedom. Those little fuckers arrive tomorrow and I need this! So—” He rubbed his hands together.

“I say we play a little game!” Doug made a sinister face.

“Did someone say game?” Willie stepped through the trees with a giant grin and a case of beer.

Wolfe was with him, wearing his glasses and dressed in his camp uniform, unlike the other guys.

“Doug, what the fuck are you doing?” He pointed to Doug, now standing on the bench.

“Get the hell down before you fall into the fire.”

Doug scoffed and jumped down as he muttered to himself.

“Don’t know why everyone keeps saying that.

I mean, hell, it was one time, and I’m fine.

” He sat down next to Rodney and cracked open a new beer with a snarl.

Wolfe silently sat next to Rodney. Wolfe, like Rodney, was quiet.

He kept to himself and seemed to really enjoy being outdoors.

And like Rodney, he didn’t make sexual jokes or harass the other counselors. He was just… Wolfe.

Willie sat down next to Sandy and flashed her a smile. “So, what are we playing?” She blushed and handed him a cigarette as she straightened her posture. He gave her a cheeky wink and stared at her chest. I heard Kaila groan at them.

Doug shot from the log bench with yet another beer in hand. “Truth or dare!” We all groaned at the childish suggestion. “Hey! You all wanted to tell scary stories about the woods and be some sour pusses! So fuck you and your tree stories!”

“Tree stories? Seriously?” Willie shot a look at Solomon. “Come on. You know all those stories and rumors are bullshit!” He popped a beer and handed it to Sandy.

She bit her lip and gently touched his arm. “Nurse B seems to believe it’s all real.”

Willie made a face. “Yeah, well, Thisbe is an old fashioned widow who thinks chocolate is a drug and TV is a portal for the devil.” He handed a can to Kaila and me. “You can’t trust a word she says about anything. Trust me.”

Willie acted so differently when it came to Thisbe.

It was like he could breathe and speak freely until she was near.

Then, he had to pretend and hold his tongue for her sake.

I guess it made sense with her being the boss, but it just struck me as odd.

If he could disrespect her so calmly around us, what else could he do?

I wasn’t sure what it was, but something in my gut told me there was something off about him.

And knowing that he might be married and fucking around with Sandy, well, that bothered me too.

I drank the beer quietly and watched everyone interact with one another as they played the game.

They took turns asking questions and shouting dares while they laughed.

Even though I wasn’t personally involved in the game, it was still entertaining to watch.

I could see the stability of the relationships between them and noticed who favored who.

It was so intriguing to learn so much about them in such a short amount of time.

Obviously, something was brewing between Willie and Sandy.

Kaila wasn’t a fan, but she loved Sandy too much and simply played along for her friend’s sake.

It was sweet. Doug and Rodney were close, despite their completely opposite personalities.

They had been campers for years prior to becoming counselors themselves.

Out of all of them, Solomon had worked here the longest, aside from Willie, and seemed to look over at Wolfe a lot.

Which was odd, considering Wolfe was quiet and didn’t speak much.

Doug, however, did speak a lot. Enough for all of us.

As I looked around at the group, I noticed movement off in the distant trees. My smile faded as I looked past the bonfire and into the redwoods. I had to squint to see, but I swear I saw something. Something odd staring back at me. But what? Wait.

“Alright, Aster. Your turn.” My body jolted. I snapped my head towards Doug.

Doug smiled as everyone lightly laughed. “It’s your turn. Truth or dare?” I looked back across the bonfire, but whatever I saw was gone.

What the hell was it? Fuck, you’re just letting those old ghost stories get to your head. There’s nothing there.

“Aster?” I turned my focus to the party.

The whole group waited for me to pick. I didn’t want to play this game and would’ve voiced that opinion sooner had I not lost myself in observing them like I did. Fuck, now what do I do? “I-I don’t think?—”

“No, no, no.” Doug stumbled to my side and sat next to me. “We all took our turns.” He motioned around the fire. “And now, it’s your turn.” He poked my arm. “Truth or dare?”

What the hell do I pick? If I pick truth, they can ask me anything. But if I pick dare, well, who knows what ridiculous thing Doug might pick. God, why did we have to play this game?

Doug began to make a ticking sound with his mouth. The group laughed and started to mimic him. The sound was obnoxious and annoying and created an odd anxiety within me. Fuck, what the hell do I choose?

Their ticking became unbearable, and I finally snapped. “Okay!” I shouted. They all stopped and looked at one another. “Okay.” I forced a smile to ease them. “I pick… Truth.” Doug blinked.

Please don’t make me regret this.

Doug rubbed his head. “Umm… Fuck. I—I don’t know what to ask.” He grabbed his head as if to stop it from spinning. “Shit—I—I don’t know.” I felt a bit embarrassed that even Doug couldn’t form a simple question.

“I got one.” I looked up at Solomon. “Doug, just sit down before you hurt yourself, okay?” Doug grumbled to himself and did as he was told. Sol adjusted himself on the log bench and leaned forward. “What’s your last name?” The whole group landed their eyes on me and waited for a reply.

“My–my last name?” I was a bit confused by the question.

Solomon nodded. “Mhm. What’s your last name, Aster?”

Fuck. What the hell do I say? I can’t say Batista… I can’t give him my real last name… Not after everything. But I needed to say something. Fast. Otherwise, it would look suspicious. Oh, what the hell was Aster’s last name in that obituary! Think!

“Aster?” Kaila tilted her head. “Is something wrong?”

“No!” I forced an awkward laugh. “I just—my last name. So weird to ask that!”

She looked at Sandy and then back at me. “Not–not really. We all know each other’s last names. I mean, all but yours.”

“Yeah,” Sandy chimed in.

Fuck. Just say something. Anything!

“My last name is… Sequoya.” I more or less spit the name out. The group exchanged an odd look. “What?”

Kaila touched my thigh gently. “Seqouya? Really? Are you related to Nurse B?”

I scrunched my brows and made a face at the odd question. “What? No. Why?”

Kaila looked at Willie. He sighed and leaned forward. “Because Thisbe’s last name is also Sequoya.”

What?

Willie yawned. “I guess it’s just a coincidence then, huh? Aster Sequoya. What a weird ass name. No offense.”

“None taken.” I quickly took a sip of my beer.

I had no idea Nurse B’s last name was Sequoya. I had only chosen it as it was the first name to pop into my mind. Sabbath’s last name. But, Nurse B? Thisbe Sequoya. What a weird name.

“Did I hear someone say my name?” We all grew stiff and froze at Thisbe’s sudden voice.

She was standing on the path that led through the trees down to the lake with her hands on her hips.

The look she gave us told me she was both disappointed and annoyed.

“Out past curfew, breaking all sorts of rules. And on the eve of the campers' arrival? Shameful, isn’t it?” She shook her head and looked at Willie. “You know better”

Willie shot to his feet and cleared his throat. “Right. Come on, it’s late. Get your shit and head back to your cabins. Quickly.” It was strange how different he acted with her.

We all scattered and grabbed what we could.

Nurse B remained still and watched us closely without speaking a word.

Solomon helped Wolfe, and they headed out while Rodney struggled to help Doug stand.

The two slowly waddled back in the direction of their cabin.

Kaila and Sandy ushered to my side, and the three of us hesitantly passed Nurse B in the direction of our cabin.

As I walked by the older woman, she reached out and grabbed my arm.

Her dark eyes burrowed into mine, and I felt as though I couldn't move. “They can see their disregard for nature. Respect the Redwood, Aster. They see you. And remember, we are all pawns in someone’s games.” She let go of me, and I stood there with fear in my eyes.

“Respect the Redwood,” she repeated. I shook my head and quickly rushed after the others.

What the fuck was that all about? Who’s watching? Who can see us? And what fucking game? I swear, everyone is so fucking obsessed with these damn redwoods! They’re just trees!

Kaila and Sandy walked ahead of me and talked the whole way back to the cabin.

I kept to myself, still trying to process the odd coincidence that Nurse B had the same last name as Sabbath.

It wasn’t like Sequoya was such a common name either.

So odd. My eyes and mind wandered as I walked down the small dirt path.

The redwoods were alive—in a sense. Not in the creepy, horrific way Sol was talking about, but in the more natural sense.

The night was awake and singing. I listened closely to the sweet midnight song of the wildlife.

It was peaceful and alluring, like a bedtime song you’d hear your grandparents hum as you fall asleep.

The cicadas and crickets were loud and hearty with their song as a few birds chirped within the trees.

The ambience melted away the uneasiness from the bonfire and lifted my mood as I smoked the last bit of my cigarette.

Run down or not, this place was beautiful. Peaceful.

I finished my cigarette and tossed the butt down before I pressed the toe of my Converse against it.

My foot rubbed it into the dirt when I heard something move.

My head snapped in the direction of the sound.

I half expected an animal to jump out at me, but it didn’t.

My curiosity piqued, and I expectantly reached out towards the trees.

Almost like some strange force was controlling me and pulling me closer.

“Aster?” I jumped and coiled my arm back.

My heart raced. “Jesus, Kaila!” I turned to look at her. “You scared the shit out of me!” Kaila and Sandy giggled as they waved for me to join them. I looked back at the trees before rushing to catch up.

It’s just in your head.

Sandy nudged my shoulder as I slithered between the two women. “Why so jumpy?” she asked.

I shook my head and wrapped my arms around their shoulders. “I thought I saw something but?—”

Kaila interrupted me. “Oh, don’t go down that rabbit hole! God, I want to kick Sol’s ass for scaring you! We’ve been working here for years and you know what we’ve seen? Sandy?”

“Nothing.”

Kaila raised her arms. “Exactly. Nothing! You know, Aster? Because there’s nothing in these woods.

Just us, those creepy ass trees, and the wildlife.

Don’t let Sol’s and Nurse B’s stories get to you.

It’s just some scary stories they tell to mess with the staff so we don’t go out and party at night.

That’s all.” The idea of Nurse B saying everything to simply scare the counselors into staying indoors kind of made sense.

The last thing she wanted was any of us out drinking, smoking, or fucking around in the woods at night.

“You’re right. It was nothing.” Right?