Two Route, One Choice

A week later, The Apstristone Forest

It has been a week passed since we had planned to find the Chapter B of The Curse Book. No one was excited for this trip after experiencing the day spent in cemetery. Everyone knew this is not gonna be a peice of cake and this might include getting everyone of us killed.

I was feeling uneasy from the beginning of the day. It was a very sunny and bright morning though it was raining heavily since the last three days. The bright light entering the long coniferous forest was a wonder to look at and trees dripping up little drops of water and feeling up the fresh air in the forest was so refreshing.

"What a photosensitive place" Jason said as he started clicking up pictures with his camera. He was the only one who seems enjoying up the nature, rest all of us had mixed emotions.

We started our journey from home at straight 7 am in the morning. We had quietly stuck to our plan, telling our parents that we are going on school camp but actually going and finding the book and then joining up the camp. We didn't wanted to wait till the dusk and then let the deep dark night haunt us so we just started our journey at the dawn.

We had taken up two cars, one was ours which Tom was driving with Micheal, Shawn, Maria and the second cars was Jared on the driving seat with me, Alan, Jason and Aphrodite.

It was 9' o clock and we had reached the mouth of the forest, a lot more of the journey was left to covered and I was terribly frightened and nervous

Aphrodite holded my hand, "Serena you shaking all okay?"

I nodded

She understood my anxiety and holded my hand tighter, I felt a bit of calm.

Suddenly Tom stopped the car and everyone from their car started coming out. Seeing them we did the same thing too.

"Did we reached to that tree?" Jason asked

"What happened? Why did you both stopped?" Alan asked

"You see there are two routes and we don't know which one of those leads to the tree." Tom said

"Logically speaking if we see, the map shows that it was the left way." Shawn said

"Which map?" Jared asked

"Well, I had went to the central library to find the map that leads to the tree, I had taken a xerox of it too, as much as I remember the map shows that it was the left side." Shawn said

"Do you have that xerox now?" Aphrodite asked

"No actually, I had given it to Micheal and he kinda spilled coffee on it today morning itself when we were running late so we didn't even get time to xerox a new copy of it." Shawn said with straight dissapointment on his face.

"I'm really sorry guys" Micheal said, "I'm a pure idiot."

"Its okay Micheal, don't be harsh to yourself. Mistakes do happen." Tom said

The only person who was super silent was Maria. She was pressing her own head.

"Hey? What happened to you. Are you feeling alright?" I asked

"I don't know serena, I'm really feeling dizzy out there. I can't feel the wrong and the right sense as if someone is trying to block my abilities." She said, she was in so much of stress

"Don't stress much, everything's gonna be alright" I said as I hugged her from sideways

"So what to do now?" Alan asked

"Let's split up" Micheal said

"Huh- uh" Jared was surprised

"Yeah, let's do one thing. Let's everyone from this car go to the left side, n the rest of us to the right side." Micheal said

"I don't think so this is a good idea. What if we got lost and stuff.." Jared objected

"I agree with Jared 'for the first time (that she said with clearly low voice)' Unity has power. I don't think so we should split up where this a complete unknown land to us" Aphrodite said supporting up Jared.

"Yeah and then go in the wrong road and get stuck here till the dusk and get into more problems." Shawn taunted

"I think we should split and then meet over here, we have our phones if anything goes wrong but if the network went and all we all can always meet here. Let's try to be here at 1:15 approximately for lunch." Tom said

"So it's decided then we will split." Jared said annoyed

"It doesn't seems a good plan to me but if you all think that's okay then that's that." Aphrodite said

Maria didn't look well enough to me, I holded her on her shoulder.

"Hey! What did you eat last? I do have tablets and ointment for headache."

"Sandwiches which Tom had brought, that's it, Also I'm fine. Thank you." Maria said. I could clearly see her struggling with her headaches.

"I think I should go with Maria, she isn't that well you see." I said to the squad

"It's fine Serena, I think you should go with Alan and Jason only. We are there for Maria so don't worry." Shawn said

"But-" I was about to object

"It's fine, join the rest dear." Maria said

So as it was decided, everyone started sitting in the car

"🎵Owoooooooowo Just Say My Name Owoooooooooooowo🎵"

I suddenly heard someone singing up that song.I turned back there was no one. I looked everywhere from the sky above me to the ground below me, there was no one.I freaked out.

"Guyssss what was that sound?" I said in shaking voice as I turned pale

"What sound are you talking about?" Jason asked

"A song" I said

"What song are you talking about?" Jared asked

"You all didn't hear anything." I asked, I was as frightened as hell. I was in the verge of tears

"Chill baby girl, everything's fine. You must be exhausted. Chill, everything's gonna be just fine." Aphrodite said calming me down.

Maria was sitting in the car but seeing me this way came down and hug.

"Please be brave okay. I won't be able to much today. This forest seems very enchanting but it's a trap. Every step we need to be really careful. My grandma before leaving said that appearance can be deceiving so be careful dear."

I listened to Maria words carefully and inhaled 'God please protect me and my friends.'

We all sat in the car and went to the separate routes.