Trenton

I’m sitting in my tent writing a letter to Kylie for after I die, when Eric comes in for bed. He doesn’t make eye contact with me, and I know he’s trying to avoid eye contact.  I quickly fold up the paper and stuff it in my backpack, along with my pencil. Eric lays down, back to me and I lay on my back. I begin to think he fell asleep before he says something.

“You must really care about her,” he says quietly.

“Who?” I ask, although I already know the answer.

“Your… girlfriend.”

“Oh… yeah…” is all I can say.

"But you promised…”

“Eric. I never made that choice. That was just slender messing with your head. If I was ever faced with that choice, I would save both of you.”

“But what if you couldn’t?”

“I can’t afford to think like that… I have enough to deal with right now. Kylie’s getting mad over a vision that’s fake, we still need two more notes, and I don’t even know how to get out of her, let alone where to go next! That along with my vision, I don’t feel fit to do this anymore! I can’t lead you guys anymore!” At this point my voice is rising, but not in anger. Not completely. I feel broken, shattered, feeling like all of this is for nothing, that the outcome is the same either way, that I’m going to die. Tears take me by surprise and roll down my face. “I’m going to lose Kylie, everyone in this group… who cares if that vision was real! I could be dead before then!” I curl up into a ball and sob freely. I hear footsteps outside and calm down, but as soon as they continue, I keep sobbing. I feel a hand on my shoulder and look up. Eric is right there next to me, eyes red.

“I know you would do everything in your power to save all of us, and I know that vision can’t have been real. But what was yours? Letting it out might help.” I shake my head furiously and bury my head. Eric lies back down and I sit up. I feel restless and nervous, unable to feel safe. I feel suspicious, and I get up and leave the tent. I put on a jacket and run towards the forest. What for? To see more visions of me dying? I knew the one I saw was real. It was going to happen. I somehow knew that slender wasn’t just messing with my head. He wanted to scare me, so he did that the only way he knew how. Show me my own death. I run and run into the forest and come to a clearing. Fog surrounds me once again and I keep running. I find a big meadow, and I see Kylie and me sitting on a small hill. We seem to be deep in conversation. But as I watch, Kylie slowly vanishes, and a bouquet of roses replaces her. I see me still talking to no one. A small willow tree grows and grows until it is a full sized tree. I see me slowly vanishing just as Kylie did, and then I’m alone. I walk towards it, but a wall of fog obscures my vision, and when it clears, there’s nothing but trees. I keep walking and feel a presence besides me. I look to see Kylie. I stop, shock written across my face and she turns to look at me. I hold her hands as tears come to my eyes once again. She starts shimmering and drifting upwards and away from me. I try to hold her, but my grip is slipping. I hear her saying something over and over again.

“You didn’t protect me. You didn’t protect me. You didn’t protect me.” I just look on with tears pouring down my face. I turn and run. I run and run and run until I find the beach near our camp. I find a tall and sturdy palm tree and climb it. I sit on top and stare out into the ocean, trying to process what I just saw. I stay on the tree until it gets too cold. I climb down and walk back slowly to camp. I sit by the fire and warm up. I don’t feel like talking to Eric, who is undoubtedly awake, so I stay outside and lay on the ground, looking at the stars. I finally doze off for an hour or so before shouting wakes me up.

Apparently, Eric and Kylie had been going to the bathroom at the same time, and they had seen each other. Kylie had gotten mad at every little thing Eric was doing, which couldn’t have been much, but it was enough to start and argument. Everyone had woken up, and Kathryn was restraining Kylie while Dawson and Nathaniel have Eric. I feel to unemotional to do anything. Serena comes out of her tent and glances at me. I shrug and she yells at them to grow up and stop fighting and to go back to their tents. I lie back down and close my eyes for hopefully a few more hours of sleep.

I wake up an hour later with the sun in my eyes. I sit up and feel groggy. Last night was not a good night. I go down to the water and dive in to wake up. I climb out and sit in the sun to dry off. I still feel groggy, but suddenly something clicks. In my vision, Serena and Kylie were there. If I’m not near them, then it can’t come true. I pull out a page of paper and write a quick note for them:

         Dear group:

                  I have made some realizations recently and I know where another note is. I need to go after it alone, for the safety of the whole group. Do not worry about me. DO NOT TRY TO FIND ME! It’s better for us this way. Rendezvous with me in Miami in four days. I’m sending a boat to help you get back. I’m sorry, but I have to do this.

         With love,

                  Trenton

I left the note in the oyster basket, lying on top. I then jumped in the water, and swam for the mainland.