Stranded

Chapter 4: A Note

Marianne's POV

     I kicked a rock on the ground angrily.

     Stupid Justin.

     Then I kicked another rock.

     Stupid Cassedy.

     And then I kicked a tree.

     "Ow!" I yelped in pain. "Aw, Fu-"

     That's when I heard a twig snap. I hadn't noticed this before, but I noticed it then, and I had walked really deeply into the forest. I spun around in slow circles, attempting to locate the source of the sound.

     "Hello? Anyone there?" I called.

     Another snap.

     "If this is a stupid trick, Justin, it isn't working," I said, a bit louder this time.

     I rarely ever get scared, but I guess the storm really got to me because I was frightened. I don't like being scared because I don't like to show any vulnerability. Let's just say, I didn't grow up in a very friendly family. Sorta like Cinderella's story, just minus the prince, the ball, evil step-sisters and stuff. But yes, my step-mom did force me to work and all that. My dad didn't care because he was never there to see it. Always busy with work. Ugh. At first I always cried whenever my step-mom ordered me to do something right after my dad left. And she always laughed at me. But when I didn't stop crying she'd do something . . . terrible . . . to me. That's why I don't like to be vulnerable. Speaking of which . . .

     A leaf rustled somewhere to my left. Then my right. Left, right, left, right. Suddenly, the noise stopped. I continued to creep forward carefully. There was a circular clearing surrounded by trees. A huge rock sat in the middle. I sighed in relief, maybe what caused those sounds was just an animal or something. But I was proved wrong as soon as that thought made it into my mind. Something whizzed past my ear and impaled the trunk of a palm tree. I jumped in surprise. As I got closer to the object, I realized it was a knife.

     Then I screamed.

Cassedy's POV

     I looked up from my nails. A high-pitched scream came from the direction where what's-her-name went.

     "What was that . . . ?" this artsy guy asked apprehensively.

     "It was obviously a scream," I said.

     The other what's-her-name rolled her eyes at me. How rude.

     "Wait, that scream could only be from Marianne." what's-her-name number two said as her eyes widened. "We have to go look for her. She might be in trouble!"

     I waved a hand, "Whatever. She'll be fine. She's supposed to be tough, right?"

     Everyone looked at me with a frown. They turned away and started walking into the trees. I, on the other hand, stayed. That Marianne girl would be fine on her own. . . Right? I began to follow my classmates, whatever caused Marianne to scream must've been scary. And I did not want to be another victim of this scary thing or whatever.

     I could barely see the sun light as we walked deeper into the forest. It felt like we'd been walking forever but what's-her-name number two claimed that we'd only been walking for a few minutes. I frowned and observed my surroundings. It was dark and green. Lot of leaves and . . . stuff, I guess. Finally Justin pointed ahead.

     "I think there's a clearing over there!" he said, starting to quicken his pace.

Suzie's POV

     Justin lead us to the clearing where we found Marianne unconscious on the ground. I bent down to check her pulse. It was normal, thank goodness. Logan walked past me. His eyes were fixed on a tree. I stood up and saw that he wasn't looking at the tree, but what was in it. A knife.

     "What the heck?" Logan muttered.

     "How would there . . . ? What?" Justin stammered. "I think it's made of stone or rock, but how? Who made it?"

     "Um, hello fellow pupils, you might wanna look at this." said Cassedy. She held a note in her hand.

     She handed it to me and everyone crowded around behind me to read the note. Written with some sort of juice, I assumed, were four words:

Wanna play a game?