1 Chapter One

Powerful winds blew through the trees, assailing Layla and Henry with a barrage of red and orange leaves. She tried to brush them off her hair but only succeeded in tangling the strands further. Henry sat quietly, checking his watch.

"How much longer?" Layla asked.

"Any minute now."

"I'm cold. I wish she'd hurry up."

"You get used to it." He flicked a leaf off his school uniform.

"Has she always been late?"

Shrugging, he checked his watch again.

"You excited to start high school this year?"

Another shrug.

"I like it, at least, I think it's pretty awesome. I've only been there a year, though."

"Cool."

And that was the end of it. Try as she might, Layla couldn't seem to hold a conversation with the boy next to her. Instead, she watched the leaves build up against the gym doors before someone threw them open and scattered the foliage.

After a few random people, the person Layla had wanted burst through the doors. Clad in a skin-hugging leotard and a bag slung over her back, the girl raced towards them.

"Rachel! Why'd it take you so long?" Layla enveloped her in a tight hug and didn't let go. "You're so warm."

"Stop stealing all my warmth," Rachel playfully pushed her away. "It's so chilly." She dug a hoodie and some sweatpants from out of her bag.

Layla pulled out her phone. "Your guys' mom texted me and said we all need to be at your house by seven. What do you want me to tell her, Rachel?"

"Say we'll be at your house."

"My brother has friends over and only one of my siblings and I can have a friend over at a time so—"

"Oh, we're not actually going to your house. I have a better place."

"Where?" I tucked my phone back into my pocket.

"It's a surprise."

"Cool," Henry said.

Layla glanced at the setting sun and a churning feeling erupted in her gut. She couldn't go back to her house or Rachel and Henry's without outing the lies they've both told, which would only get them all in trouble. Only Rachel's mom could've driven them home since Layla's mom worked night shifts, and her brother would never waste his gas money on her. The smart thing to do was to just stay and follow Rachel...right?

In the end, it wouldn't have mattered if she had spoken up or not, since the howling wind would have just drowned her out anyway.

She glanced at Henry, but he was already following Rachel. There was no choice besides to comply.

As they traveled down the roads, Layla witnessed the gray sky become darker and darker until only Rachel's flashlight and the flickering street lights illuminated their path.

"Old archery supply store," Henry nodded to the dilapidated wood structure on their left. "Legend has it that the 1700s' Clandestine killer had bought his supplies there. It had been a real case, but there was doubt that whoever actually killed the townspeople used this store. It was probably just invented by the shopowner."

"And on your left, you'll see a flock of vultures fighting over roadkill," Rachel shined her light on the road.

"God," Layla gagged. "Don't show that again."

They both laughed at her and soon they were walking in silence again. The group had long passed the old archery shop, but the eerie tale still weighed on Layla's delicate courage. Taking out her phone, it wouldn't turn on. Must've finally ran out of battery. Layla already twiddled her thumbs at the prospect of being out in some foreign place when no one knew where they were. But now, even if something happened, she couldn't text someone. Henry didn't have a phone. Rachel didn't ever bring hers to gymnastics. They were completely cut off from the world. The thought was enough to make Layla gag.

She opened her mouth to say something, but then she remembered how last time she had put a damper on their adventures by pointing out the danger, Henry had given her a sideways glance.

To redirect her mind, she focused on the way Rachel sped and skipped at times as if she couldn't get to their destination fast enough.

Layla thought back to a camp they had both attended years ago at Rachel's gym. Among the other weird activities it had for an indoor gym, the members would do team building exercises. One of these was having a team member lead the other, blindfolded, around a cone and back. Layla had donned the blindfold, but instead of leading her on the predetermined path, Rachel had led her into a foam pit. It had been quite a shock but the young supervisors hadn't cared.

Quickening her step to match the others' pace, Layla couldn't help but feel like she was blindly following Rachel into another dark pit.