“We’ll bed down here,” Raife called out.

The group sighed in relief as they’d been walking for a day at least. No one talked except during the close call a few hours back that ended up being a bird flying from a bush and screeching as a wolf jumped attaching its teeth around the tiny things neck. Darkness surrounded the area, allowing the trees to seem so much taller than normal.

Spencer breathed in the crisp air into her lungs. Rubbing her neck she dropped her backpack on the ground beside her feet, her eyes grew heavy and she felt like she was going to pass out. All the emotions running in her mind added to the stress and she felt like throwing up every time Ashley glanced away from her.

“Put your tent up sweetie but be ready to go at any time,” Arthur groaned as he cracked his neck and walked away.

Sighing she let her tired eyes scan the area. The group was all getting things ready, fires, tents up, perimeter wired and ready to be patrolled. Swallowing to get her dry throat wet she squinted into the night and saw Ashley pitching her own tent, tears threatened to spill but she held them back, seems she’d be sleeping alone tonight. All her fears started coming back, Ashley hated her so what did it matter about her pointless fear of the dark or that any moment her mother would swoop in and strangle her or slap her to death. She’d actually had a dream where her mom slapped her to death and to this day doesn’t know why she dreamt it or how anyone could die of slaps across the face.

Leaning down she undid the straps, unfolding the cloth that made up her tent, hands shaking as the moon light hit them, all of a sudden she wasn’t kneeling over her tent but Ashley, who had a terrified expression, glancing down at her hands she saw blood dripping from the knife she was holding.

Ashley’s pale skin glistened with sweat and blood, dull brown eyes glazing over, “Why Spence, why?” the image asked in a hallowed whisper.

Jumping back Spencer gazed upward, Constance was peering down at her half bent from placing her hand on the young teens shoulder, “You okay?”