4 1.4

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I had been distracted by my emotions and the notification, which put me in the worst position possible. I was stranded alone.

Now that I had no one with me, I had become an easy target for Ross and the rock, and I had no doubt that if they wanted to, they could end me with ease.

I was never strong, nor had I ever really fought someone. On the other hand, Ross was capable of crushing a woman's skull with his bare head, turning his wife's head into mush in the movie.

Even if it was Chris, I'm not sure he could survive a fight with Ross on his own, so someone weak like myself did not have a chance.

Hell, I was weaker than most girls I knew in high school and college!

This was bad, very bad. I needed to do something, or I would die.

I started running in the grass, urgently searching for anything that could help me. I remembered the bowling place, there was a way out of the field there.

I still suspected the road to be under the rock's influence, but it was a better shot than staying here.

So despite the space-altering effects of the field, and the fact I was running blindly, I still ran, for I was truly in a race against time.

Unfortunately, my stamina was really bad, so I was quickly forced to slow down to regain my breath, but I refused to ever stop.

I had no idea whether it really changed anything, but in my desperation, the thought of me running making it harder for Ross to reach me comforted me.

I was sure he knew exactly where I was at all times with the power of the rock, but a part of me hoped that me running made it annoying enough for him to first go for other targets.

Yes, it was selfish of me, and probably hypocritical when I had wanted to defend others so strongly before, but I was several minutes past caring.

I don't want to fucking die!

And as I struggled through the field, several cuts on my arms and my face from the grass, Lady Luck finally decided to smile at me, as I found something.

I almost missed it, but I stopped when I noticed a patch of dirt that looked unusual. Hope filled my heart, I didn't just dig it, I clawed at it like a mad man, and burst into laughter when I found the corpse of a raven.

Yes!

One element that is stressed several times in the movie is that the field doesn't move dead things. As a result, the only way to get any sense of direction in this field is to stand next to something dead.

It was strange, but the field seemed to lose some of its powers around dead things, as it not only stopped the field and rock from teleporting me away, but I could also draw other people to myself.

And since Ross definitely knew where I was…

"Hey! Anyone?! Can anyone hear me!"

I shouted to the top of my lungs, hoping to catch someone's attention, for the moment I did, the field's power would stop exercising itself over them, and they would be able to join me.

The rock's powers were rather strange in that way, but one shouldn't look at the supernatural in Stephen King's novels in a scientific way.

Ironically enough, I had studied the bastard's works in college, and one thing I had learned was that he took inspiration from folklore and urban legends.

With this movie, I remember the rock used to be worshiped by Native Americans, and the idea was probably created with native legends in mind.

So I shouldn't expect the rock's powers to work linearly, nor should I hope to understand it. All I had for me was the loophole found in the movie, and I would gladly use it to save myself.

"Hello?"

I was brought out of my thoughts when I heard someone answer me. The voice came from afar, but it didn't matter. As long as we heard each other, the rock's powers were turned useless.

I cried out, "Here! Follow my voice!"

The other person's voice became a little clearer as they replied, "It's useless, I already tried that! But this field is strange."

Shaking my head, I continued screaming, "This time it will work! Follow my voice. My name is Alex, by the way, and I'm not going to stop speaking until you find me because I honestly don't want to be alone in this accursed field. I mean look at this grass, this shit cut me open! And my mom always nagged me about eating the green stuff on my plate, but I sure as hell won't from now on-"

I finally stopped speaking as I heard the nearby grass move, and from between several strands appeared a woman. She looked tired, dirty, and very, very pregnant.

She was not my teammate, however.

She looked at me with an exasperated look as she patted her belly, groaning, "I'm not sure I'll have him eat any veggies either."

I chuckled dryly at the joke, my throat hurting from the continuous screaming. Clearing my throat in discomfort, I took a deep breath before saying, "Thank god you heard me."

The woman, whom I recognized as Becky, the pregnant girl in the movie, looked around in confusion, before her eyes settled on me as she asked, "How come it worked this time?"

My throat still hurting, I replied with a hoarse voice, "The field doesn't move dead things."

Only after I said it did I realize it may have been a spoiler, but thankfully I did not lose any points.

Becky nodded, saying, "Yeah, I heard a boy say the same to me."

As she said that, she tried to sit down next to me, struggling to do so because of her condition, so I helped her.

"Thanks", she exhaled.

I smiled politely, and asked, "You okay?"

She sighed in response, "I've been in this field for god knows how long, so no, I'm not okay, although you look worse than I do."

Scratching my cuts with a smile, I said, "I'm fine, just a little exhausted."

The two of us remained silent, and feeling a little awkward, I said, "My name's Alex, by the way."

Becky extended her hand, groaning, "Becky. Unfortunate to meet in these circumstances."

I chuckled, before asking, "Would you happen to know someone called Travis?"

She looked at me in shock, so I quickly explained, "I came in here with him, said he was searching for his pregnant girlfriend?"

Hearing me, she scoffed, "Girlfriend he said? He certainly didn't treat me like one."

I remembered their relationship from the movie, so I didn't ask her about it, and instead said, "Well, he did come into this hell-hole to save you, knowing there was something supernatural about it, so I guess it could be worse?"

Becky caressed her belly, sighing once again, "I guess it could."

"Well, it's better than to be a loner like me. My last girlfriend was in middle school you know."

Becky smiled, saying, "Trust me, you are better off alone than with the wrong person. Less heartaches. Besides, I'm sure you will find someone once we get out."

I smiled back, although I wasn't so sure about that. Leaving this field did not mean a free life for me, it only meant another mission.

Getting back on my feet, I said, "Well, we should probably move out, there are dangerous people around here, and we don't want to cross them."

Becky nodded as I reached out to her, helping her on her feet, when I heard a man's voice.

"You're right about that, my little screamer."

I froze, before turning around. There stood a man, who looked like he was in his forties but in decent shape. He was a head taller than me, and probably twice as large.

This was Ross, the man who touched the rock and fell under its influence. Also the biggest menace I desperately wanted to avoid.

Still grabbing Becky, I stepped back, and it seemed she was wary of Ross too as she did not resist, following me as she stepped back.

And as we did, I finally remembered something I had forgotten about the movie.

I thought being alone was the most dangerous situation I could be in, but now that Ross stood in front of me, I remembered the first death of the movie. Becky.

Only now did I realize Lady's Luck smile had been malicious.