Damned

Chapter Sixteen

"Okay, take exit 54B," Ivelyn told Erik, who raised an eyebrow.

"Are you sure?" Erik took the exit but looked at Ivelyn via the rearview mirror. She double checked her phone and nodded.

"Why do you ask?" The sun was setting, setting the sky an ominous blue. Ivelyn's GPS directed us to turn right once we took the exit. The road wasn't paved and there were trees flanking each side of the road. I heard Addie gulp from all the way in the very back of my car.

Queue the scary music. 

"It's just odd we're going all the way out here. This is over by Wyman Woods." Erik tried to keep his tone level, but I could hear the nervousness. As he continued to drive, it got darker, making my own nerves grow. Where were we headed? The road went from paved to gravel to dirt. The trees completely hid us from seeing the sky, which wasn't comforting. 

Addie tried to help by playing some of her upbeat Korean Pop music, but the wifi cut out about a couple of miles into the thick terrain. This meant that Ivelyn's GPS stopped giving us directions, but before it did she saw that we needed to continue straight for six miles.

Six miles.

Six miles of no wifi.

Six miles of complete isolation beside the people in the car.

My hand slid into my jacket pocket, enclosing around the Lycan-grenade. I didn't take my hand off of it the whole car ride. I had this feeling in the pit of my stomach that someone or something was going to try and attack us in the car. It was an irrational fear, but a fear nonetheless.

"One mile left," Erik told us. No one spoke during that last mile. Those six miles were a straight shot, but with many curves and steep uphill. I was more than thankful Erik was driving. I wasn't the best driver and definitely wasn't used to driving in these hills.

I don't think I took a single breath that last mile. I was too tense. My muscles ached as I held them in a permanent flex. I wasn't taking any chances. 

"Is that it?" Kate asked, pointing an index finger forward. There was a faint outline of a cabin, buried behind thick fir trees. Squinting, I saw the glow of two windows. It was the only cabin for a couple of miles, which was even scarier than knowing we had six miles to drive before our phones works.

This meant Erik couldn't tell Ava we had made it. No one truly knew where we were. I hoped Ivelyn had texted the address to someone, but it hadn't occurred to me before to let someone know where exactly we were. We were so screwed.

"It's gotta be." Ivelyn breathed out. She had maintained her confidence until this exact moment. I saw her face, pale in the glow of the moon that hung above us. It was far too dark for comfort. I checked my phone to see the time, it had taken us a little over an hour to get here.

Ivelyn got out of the car first. Then, Addie and Mir hopped out. Kate was fumbling with her books, but I knew she was scared. She pushed up her glasses with her middle finger, a habit of hers. I heard Erik shut the driver's door.

"Hey, I don't think you'll need your books," I told her sweetly. She swiveled around, panic streaked across her face. She adjusted her blue cardigan. I wonder how many articles of blue clothing she has?

"You never know," she assured me. Her words were hollow against the sharp tone. My arm dropped to my side. Her face softened as she looked to the floor. She grabbed her messenger bag, stuffed with books, and trudged after me. Once she shut the door, Erik locked my car. I gave him a funny look.

"Who's going to break into my car all the way out here?" I covered my mouth with my hand, stifling my laugh. He shook his head at me, trying not to laugh.