Chapter 5

~Holden~

       I was getting really tired of walking through the forest as we tried finding our way back to Spruceworth. None of us had any idea how we got into the forest. The last thing we remembered was going to sleep in our own houses but all of a sudden, we wake up in the forest.

       The worst part, none of our family members were nearby. We had no idea where our spouses and kids now.

       Well, I thought that was the worst part. Until the whining came and wouldn't leave at all. 

       It almost got up to the point where I was tempted to continue this journey on my own so I could have peace and quiet.

       "Okay, we get it, you're hungry," Destiny said. "But do you know what would help even more? If you stop whining and help us push our way through all these bushes and vines, we could get back to Spruceworth faster."

       "You know how we could get to Spruceworth faster?" Gerard asked. "If I had food in my stomach. I'm starving and I can't concentrate properly."

       "And we can't concentrate with your constant whining," I said.

       Gerard looked at me and glared. "I don't know you so you stay out of this."

       "Well, I know him so he can stay in it all he wants," Destiny said.

       "How exactly do you know each other?" Gerard asked. "Because I'm best friends with your husband and this is new information to me."

       "I'm Destiny's baby daddy's cousin," I said.

       "Which baby daddy? She has too."

       "Well, I'm pretty sure you would know if I was Dan's cousin so I'm going to have to go with Calvin."

       Gerard looked back at Destiny. "I don't like his attitude."

       "And we don't like your whining, so we're pretty much even," Destiny said. 

       "Can't we just take a break?" Gerard asked.

       I faked a wince. "Ooh, you messed up by asking that."

       Gerard furrowed his eyebrows. "What? There's nothing wrong with asking if we could take a break."

       "Nothing wrong?" Destiny repeated. "I woke up in a forest, far away from my home and I don't even know if we're going to right away back to Spruceworth. I have no idea where my kids or my husband are. They could be on their own for all I know and I can't let that happen so we are going to get to Spruceworth and find my family."

       I patted Gerard's back. "See? Never get in the way with a mother or a father and their love for their kids. Even I was tempted to punch you for asking if we could take a break because I'm in the same boat as Destiny. I have three step-kids and a toddler. I don't know where they are or even if they're with my husband. If the three of us woke up here, who's to say other people haven't woken up in other places."

       Gerard sighed. "I didn't even think of that. I'm married too but we don't have kids yet so the only person I'm worried about is my wife, but she's probably doing better than I am right now."

       "That's because Priya doesn't complain as much as you," Destiny said.

       "You know how I also said I like you more than I've ever liked Courtney?" Gerard asked. "Yeah, well, I'm changing my mind. You're being so mean to me now."

       "Yeah, whatever," Destiny said.

       We continued walked through the forest and I was really hoping this was the forest on the outskirts of Spruceworth. Even though I had been here many times, I couldn't tell because of my memory problems and because all trees looked the same to me.

       Gerard was still whining about how hungry he was and I didn't even think he was going to stop until he finally had some food in him.

       After what felt like hours of still walking, even though it clearly wasn't, we finally got to a place I actually recognized.

       "Wait, I know where we are now," I said. "We're actually close to Spruceworth."

       "How can you tell?" Gerard asked.

       "Because of this shack," I said, patting the side of the abandoned shack that I hate ever so dearly. "Let's just say I've been here way too many times. Well, I've been kidnapped and brought here too many times."

       "Dang, that must suck," Gerard said. "But it's good news for now since you know how to get back to Spruceworth from here. You do know how to get back to Spruceworth from here, right?"

       "Surprisingly, yes, I do," I said. "I'm really glad this isn't one of the times my memory is failing me."

       I led Destiny and Gerard the rest of the way to Spruceworth which thankfully didn't take long. However, it didn't even feel like Spruceworth when we got there. Or looked like it for that matter.

      "Holy..." Gerard said when the three of us stopped at the entrance of Spruceworth. "What in the world happened here?"

       "It looks like a ghost town," I said. "And like nobody lives here."

       "No, that can't be possible," Destiny said. "It was perfectly fine last night and this isn't some kind of damage a storm can do."

       "Well, whatever caused this, we'll find out," Gerard said. "Let's go see if we could find someone. Or get food. Whichever comes first."

       We started walking through the Spruceworth, looking around for even the smallest sign that other people were here. But there wasn't anyone.

       Gerard suddenly stopped in his tracks and looked around. "Did you hear that?"

       Destiny and I stopped too, none of us saying a word as he listened for the sound Gerard heard. Moments later, we heard growling from behind us so the three of us turned around to look behind us. Three creatures that were in the shape of a human but looked nothing like one were standing nearby. They had burnt-like skin but absolutely no face.

       And despite no mouth on their face, their growled then screeched loudly before making their way towards us with a clear limp. But their limp didn't stop them from being really fast.

       So we ran as fast as we could to the closest building, which was a car shop. Gerard was the last one in and he quickly closed and locked the door behind him, holding it shut since those creatures were trying to open it.

       "Quick, get something to put in front of the door!" Gerard said.

       There weren't many things in the car shop but there was a shelf with wheels, so Destiny and I pushed it in front of the door. It was heavy enough to keep those creatures from knocking the door down.

       Eventually, they just gave up and left the shop alone.

       "Okay, I would very much like to understand what's going on," I said. "And what those things are."

       "Do you think there's more of them?" Destiny asked.

       "Probably," I said. "I won't be surprised if the whole village is filled with them. So that just leaves another question. What happened to the village?"

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plot twist: i actually destroyed the village and summoned those creatures, which is why i'm not part of any of the groups.

speaking of the groups, i hate to inform you that no couples are together :( I wouldn't separate ollie/grant and shaw/holden just to keep all the other couples together.

and apart from ollie and shaw, the other duo is probably my favourite group. i'm not saying who it was but i will say that they'll annoy the living crap out of each other ahahaha.