My Darling Doll (ON HOLD)

Fear of the unknown

The group walk for two hours before they start to see anything. They realized quickly that instead of this being quick and easy, it was going to be hell on earth for them.

"Man, I think they lied to us! We haven't see anything for hours now!" Jake yells out.

A few seconds after Jake's tiny breakdown, the men hear a twig snap in the mass of trees next to them. Growls were heard coming from the same place. The group huddle together, holding one another tightly.

"Remember, this isn't real." Colby reassures the group.

The men jump back when a man that looks just like Sam falls out of the same spot the growls and snaps came from. Not understanding what is happening, Sam steps forward, talking to the almost animal like Sam.

"Hey... it's okay." Sam steps forward only two steps.

Colby pulls Sam back to their huddle when the animal like Sam lunges forward, trying to bite at the outstretched hand that his best friend was holding out.

"I'm guessing. . . This is your fear? Going crazy?" Colby suggested next to Sam.

There was a long silence before Sam spoke up, "uh, yeah."

The other men hold a shaking Sam as he struggles to stay up right. The realization that that thing could be him right now was all too much for him. He was on the verge of passing out when the animal like Sam just disappeared.

"One fear down, three more to go." Jake says, trying to be optimistic, but failing.

•••

"Guys, can we take a small break?" Jake asks from the back of the line.

"Yeah, I think that's a good idea." Sam replies, stopping at fallen log to sit down.

The men pull out water and small snacks that the other men gave them. They were eating their cereal bars when a scream is heard in the distance. Corey jumps up, his heart beating faster than it normally is when things like this happens to their group.

"Was that. . . ?" Sam starts, worry in his voice.

"Devyn!" Corey yells, running toward the screams.

The other three men follow Corey as they go deeper and deeper into the forest. When they enter a clearing, they are shocked to see a bloody Devyn standing in the middle. A look of pure terror on her face as she falls to the ground, her screams turn into pleads, pleads for help, pleads for Corey. The other men have to hold a sobbing Corey back as they watch their friend scream and plead as if she is being tortured.

"D-Dev! I'm here, Dev!" Corey yells, struggling to get out of the grip of his best friends.

"Please! Please stop!" Corey sobs, his legs give out on him and he falls to the ground.

"It's not real, Corey. Listen to me, man." Sam whispers into Corey's ear.

Corey's sobs only intensify as Devyn's screams turn into whimpers. Soon, those whimpers turn into silence.

"Corey. . . dude, look." Colby pleads.

Corey shifts his head up and looks to where Devyn once was. Now, there is only green grass.

"W-What?" Corey stutters our as he wobbly makes his way to his feet.

"It wasn't real. It was just a fear." Colby reassures his friend.

"It looked so real." Corey sobs out.

"I know." Colby says as him and the other two men hold their friend tightly.

The walk back to the path wasn't the same as their earlier walk. This one was filled with sorrow and thoughts. The other three men now knew what their friend looked like when he was truly, and totally broken. They couldn't get the sobs out of their heads, or the way their friend pleaded for his love's pain to go away. This one fear, this one singular fear is what changed the mindset of all the men. They knew after that, that they weren't coming out of this forest the same. They knew they would be different by the end of their journey.

•••

"I don't think I can do this." Corey speaks up for the first time in the last hour.

"We know how you feel, dude, but we're doing this together." Colby replies, trying to calm his friends worry.

"I k-" Corey starts, but is cut off by Jake falling to the ground with a thump.

"Jake!" Colby yells, running to his friend.

     Jake is laying on the ground with a look of pain and fear on his face. The others try to talk to him but he doesn't even acknowledge them. Finally, the younger man starts to talk.

"They hate me." Jake whispers.

"Who?" Colby asks.

"Everyone. My family, the fans, you guys. Everyone hates me." Jake whispers again, tears falling down his face.

     Before the others can say anything Jake continues, "I'm such a disappointment. My parents always told me that I need to become a doctor, or a lawyer. Do something that matters, but I never did, no, I became a YouTuber. A youtuber who's fans hate him because his content sucks, a youtuber who's roommates hate him because he is too hyper. I'm too annoying, aren't I."

     It wasn't a question, it was more of a statement. This Jake is far from the one they know, this Jake is leaking with insecurity. The others are shocked at Jake's speech, but soon realize something.

"Your fear is feeling worthless." Sam whispers.

     Jake doesn't say anything, only turns to his friends for comfort as he sobs his insecurities out.

     It took a few minutes, but Jake soon turned back to his normal self. His hyper self. The other men were glad to have him back, but were worried that their normally happy friend could turn into such a sad, and depressing person. The worry never left them as they started to walk, again, in total silence.

•••
What is Colby's fear? And what about the other group? What could they be up to? Find out in the next chapter <3