A new hobby

// THIS IS AN OLD CHAPTER. THE NEW CHAPTERS ARE IN VOLUME 2. YOU CAN READ THESE CHAPTERS IF YOU WANT SOME INSIGHT ON WHAT IS GOING TO HAPPEN LATER BUT SOME EVENTS CAN BE DIFFERENT BETWEEN THE OLD AND NEW CHAPTERS.

We are still seated at the table. Susan is just starting to emerge and is now responding with other things than growls.

"So, what are you going to do today kids?" My mom is sitting in front of me drinking a cup of orange tea.

"Um I don't know yet, I would like to find something new to do while on vacation."

"Something new? How about a walk in the forest, There are several hiking trails that go through the woods."

"Um yes, why not."

"I'm going to pack lunch for you so you can take it in your backpack. You should take the opportunity to invite a few friends to come with you."

Why not? Even if I'm just going for a walk, I might as well take one or two people with me. But who should I take with me?

I might as well start with our closest neighbors apart from grandmother, the Gilbert family.

I knock on the door and wait. After a while, I am afraid that they are still sleeping but finally it is Miranda Gilbert who opens the door for me.

"Oh Sean, I almost didn't recognize you, it's crazy how much you've changed in just two years."

"Hello, Mrs. Gilbert. I am going for a walk in the woods and I wanted to know if Elena or Jeremy would be interested in accompanying me."

"Oh, that's a really good idea, I was afraid that Jeremy would spend all day playing video games. I'll tell them to get ready and send them to you, okay?"

"Okay, have a nice day." I move away from their house.

As I walk down the street, I see a group of Native Americans, they hold a kind of crystal in their hands, strange.

I go home to get ready; I fill a backpack with the meal my mother prepared for me and various useful things like a first aid kit, a compass and a map of the area.

I await the arrival of the Gilbert children in the living room with Susan who has finally decided to come for a walk with us.

When we hear someone knocking on the door, we take our backpacks and leave the house. To my surprise, the little quiet walk has just turned into an expedition with the arrival of six young people on my doorstep. Elena and Jeremy had come as planned but I guess they either warned their friends or Miranda took care of it for them. It is therefore with Caroline, Bonnie, Matt and Vicky in addition that we leave with enthusiasm to explore the woods.

We all head together to Mystic Falls cemetery; the start of the hiking trail begins next to it. Susan seems to fit in well with the group, she talks without problems with the other girls.

The forests that surround the city are truly beautiful and the sound of nature is very pleasant at the end of the morning. If I believe my map, we should pass a river in a few hundred meters. The ideal place to stop for a break and why not, have a little picnic.

I help the boys to spread a sheet on the floor while the girls take out the sandwiches and other drinks from the backpacks and once, we all get settled in, we start eating. We were quite starving while trudging through the woods.

"So, how's your school? It still must be classier than a small-town school. They make you wear uniforms like rich kids?" Vicky is already very direct but when you know her mother, there is nothing to be surprised about.

"Classier like an old castle from the Middle Ages. It even seems that it is haunted by lots of ghosts." Susan looks at me calling me to stop. She must be afraid that I will reveal the secret of the wizarding world. But she hasn't been in contact with Muggles enough to know that they know about ghosts.

"They say one of them is a lord who died beheaded with an ax but his clumsy executioner didn't chop off his entire head. On clear nights he can be seen walking the halls trying to put his drooping head back in place, howling at the moon, GRYFFINDOR. "

"HAAAAAAAAAA" Elena yells, I didn't think telling a ghost story in the middle of the day was going to scare her so.

"Rho, that's smart. She's going to keep us awake all night now."

"Jeremy! We said we weren't talking about this!" Oh, it's so cute. Elena is still afraid of the big bad monsters in the dark. Lucky for her, she doesn't know yet that most of them exist.

"Hahaha, that is really cute." I put my hand on her head and ruffle her hair to comfort her. She turns red like a tomato.

"Elena is in love!" And of course, nothing can escape Caroline.

"Caroline stop, it's not funny." Elena turns even redder.

"ELENA PLUS SEAN EQUAL HEART!"

Suddenly I notice that there is no more noise in the forest. All the birds fell silent while a minute ago I still heard their song. The only things that disturb the silence of the forest is the sound of streams right next to us and the laughter of children.

I was about to think that I'm just being paranoid when suddenly I hear a twig crack in the thickets.

"Susan pull out your wand now!" Susan looks at me like I've gone mad.

"What? I left it at home. Sean, what's going on?"

"We have a surprise guest and I think he hasn't eaten yet."

The others gather in a circle and look around them to see what is happening. I try to scan the surroundings to see what we're up to when I stumble upon the creature's eyes. I panic a little when I feel his mind trying to force mine.

"LOOK AT THE GROUND AND DON'T RAISE YOUR HEAD!"

As I shout my instructions, I can see emerging from the bushes what could look like a big puma. A Wampus Cat.