Brother.

Chapter IV

        I've seen enough horror movies to know the girl who walks alone, away from the party, in a secluded location dies first. I also know, that kind of scenario only actually happens on TV. Actually I didn't know, I hoped; especially due to recent trouble in town and with the wolves running around. Since I'd managed to avoid all the Blakes, at their own party - luck must be on my side.

Danny had disappeared about half an hour ago. It was nearly midnight; Rachelle had passed out in our tent at ten and Wendi had enough of the party so was now reading a book on her phone while listening to our friend snore. Neither of them were even remotely interested in finding him, well I just presumed Rachelle wasn’t since she couldn’t even open her eyes on her own and Wendi cared more about her socks matching than she did about my sibling. I had no allies there and rather than draw attention to myself, I decided to just check on him before joining Wendi and calling it a night.

He could have passed out somewhere not safe or be sick and needing help. I couldn’t stop myself from worrying. Anxiety already had my stomach churning with butterflies as I couldn’t shake the feeling that something was wrong. Considering the fact Danny had been taking his role as over protective brother to a whole new level after I had told him about my run in with Michael last Friday, and he had since decided we needed to spend time ‘bonding’, which included him joining me in whatever I had planned for the day; his sudden absence was worrying.

At work, he’d drop in with a coffee or just to say hi. If I went out, he offered to come too. There hadn’t been any all nighters. No more coming home smelling of pot. He’d helped Mum with dinner most nights and did the dishes without any arguments. Even last night he had stayed out the back with Dad, playing darts and talking cars.

He’d changed, but none of us could work out how or why and my parents didn’t want to ask. When I did, he would simply shrug, and change the topic or come up with some line like, ‘what? can’t I be a good brother?’

Danny had also tried to talk me out of coming tonight whenever I’d mention it or he’d hear me and Rachelle talking. He wouldn’t leave me alone for this long, especially here of all places. He’d also made sure Jake had chosen the spot beside our tent to set theirs up. So where was he?

Leaving the bulk of the noise and party behind, I head down behind the shed and see the open gate. I'd last seen him going this way and he had told me he would only be a second as he wanted to get a drink. I hadn't even seen him have the first one, or anything actually, which was strange.

The green and brown covering of the paddock was an eerie mix of silver and shadows as the moon was full overhead. Firebreaks had been freshly placed around the fence line so not wanting to risk tripping in a rabbits hole or anything else, I stick to the uneven sand track as I try and see where Danny could be.

Trees loomed up ahead; a black mass that seemed a hundred times scarier than what they actually were. For a second it was easy to imagine I was the lead female in a horror movie. Who knew what dangers lurked in the dark; vampires, axe wielding masked men, maybe the trio of wolves?

“Oh grow up!” I scold myself, glancing around uneasily as I see something scurry off up ahead.

It’s only  a rabbit.

I should know better, but my brain doesn’t and my skin feels sticky with sweat, despite the cool night. I take a few deep breaths in an effort to try and calm down as all I can think about is serial killers, Michaels jail time and an episode of CSI where they found a young girls body buried in a shallow grave off the side of the highway.  Wendi would come looking for me if I was gone too long, unless she was already asleep. Then what if she did come looking for me and she was killed too and-