Broken and Fearless // C.B.

Chapter 15 (Part I)

Thankfully, there was no answer. Elton heard something that was clearly on ground level and Brennen and I heard a sound, and seconds later, Jules heard the same sound. A bug flew around me and scared me. Jules, Brennen, and I heard a scary sound and started running.

We ran off the path and lost the ribbons. Four of us wanted to head back to the car, despite the rain. Elton said we weren't allowed to leave yet. We started heading off, so Elton offered a compromise. We'd head back to the car at 4:15. He wanted to explore the tent before we left.

We stood still as we debated what to do. Elton said it was a bad idea to stay still. Brennen shook his bag of coins and accidentally dropped some. Jay helped him pick them up. After they did so, the lights started dying.

Three o'clock rolled around, and Elton decided to head back to the tent. None of us wanted to, but Elton told us we wouldn't go further than the tent.

One of us noticed a green ribbon and Brennen connected the dots. It was possible we might see another ribbon in 30 feet. If the lights died, we would be reduced to our phone lights.

Brennen chose to take the lead and his light died almost instantly. My flashlight was dying, and Siri went off in Brennen's pocket, causing us to freak out.

My light shut off and then Juliet's did. Elton had apparently spent $22 on shitty flashlights that we were supposed to use for tomorrow's hike. I think the worst part is that we had no more batteries.

Jay's light was next to die, which meant we only had Elton's light. He walked forward and looked around for the tent. Then, he started feeling sick and said he felt like expelling most of his bodily fluid.

We walked further and Elton gave Brennen his camera. He walked over a tree to pee and told us that he was feeling crappy. Jay suggested he drink some water.

He slid off his backpack and did so. Jules turned her head towards the forest behind her as though she heard something and when she turned back, something seemed different. Elton was gagging and I walked over to Jules. "You look pale. Are you okay?"

She shook her head and said, "I feel like I'm gonna throw up."

"Then do it, Jules. I'll be right here."

She walked over to a tree opposite Elton and threw up. It was like water. I rubbed her back gently. Jay handed me a bottle of water and I waterfalled it into her mouth. "How you feeling?"

She whined softly and rested her head against my chest a moment. "Like I want to die, but we need to continue on."

"There's my brave girl." I whispered, so the camera couldn't pick up my voice.

Elton shot her a small smile and nodded. I kept her close to me, periodically glancing at her. I was worried about her; especially with what had just occurred.

Elton's light died and Jay was hearing strange sounds. My light turned on, and was bright, but was a strobe light.

We debated what we were going to do. Elton decided that when our phones reached 30%, they would be put away. Jules glanced at hers and I saw that it was at 52%. She had charged her phone earlier. Elton told us to link arms, so we did so, and I took Juliet's hand.

My flashlight started blinking faster and Elton told us to look at where it was pointing. Then, it died, and Elton's and Jay's turned on. We had a small argument as to which light was better; the strobe light or the dim lights.

Brennen's suddenly turned on, and was bright. Then, Elton's died. Brennen saw the tent and took the lead. Jules coughed and let out a deep sigh. "I don't feel so good."

"We'll be out soon, Jules, okay?"

She nodded and switched her grip on my hand so that her fingers intertwined with mine.

We anonymously decided to walk another five feet before we would leave. Jay saw three ribbons and Elton told us in a serious tone that we would see something.

Elton had flashlights pan from right to left. Jules and I were standing a few feet away from the others. She fought with her light a moment before it turned on. She let out a squeak as she saw something that I didn't see. I saw a guy sitting about 20 feet from us.

We left the same way we came and Jay was ahead of us. I took Juliet's hand. Jay and Jules were worried they'd see a corpse and I noticed a fearful look in my girlfriend's eyes, and I wondered what she'd seen to freak her out so badly.

Jay wondered if we were on the right path. Elton told us he didn't see a ribbon. We decided we should keep moving forward, and Brennen saw a ribbon, causing Jules to sigh. Jay and Jules kept coughing. I'm not sure why Jay kept coughing, but Jules was sick, like I was. We debated, once again, what we should do while we were searching for ribbons.

Elton told us that the sun rose at 4:43, but that we wouldn't see sun until 6:30. There was a noise that caught our attention, and we started calling out trying to figure out what the noise was. It probably wasn't our smartest idea. There were three flashlights to the side and two facing forward.

We reached the deer skull and Jules let out a loud sigh. "I am so excited to see that skull. Never did I think I'd ever say that."

I wondered what happened to all the ribbons we'd tied earlier and Juliet's hand tightened around mine.

Brennen said people could get lost in here and die. I took it a step further by saying, "Someone, or something?"

Jules glared at me. "Cole, I am already freaking out. I don't need to scare me even further!"

We reached the forest entrance and noticed that the white van was still there, meaning no one had come out to move it all night.

Jules instantly jumped on me and wrapped her arms around my waist. I held her by her legs and avoided her ass for the camera. Elton told us that if the viewers got 250,000 likes, Elton, Jules, and I would do a trip to explore the most haunted places. Brennen and Jay could join if they wanted to, but didn't have to.