Cub left. Stress waited until she heard a door slam, which wasn't long.
Sleep? Ha, no way. Although, that sounded pretty good. It's bizzare how she contemplated going to sleep, even trying to convince herself the whole thing was just a bad dream. But deep down inside, she knew it wasn't.
Well, what to do now?
The fact that she didn't know when Bdubs would wake up for his first kill didn't settle well with Stress. Maybe he wasn't even asleep? That would be weird for him, though. Also killing off half the hermits was pretty weird for him too.
Stress wasn't about to let him do that. She wouldn't let him take that role.
Well, Stress was beginning to doubt, as the morning was approaching and there was no sign of Bdubs waking up. Maybe he was innocent all along, and maybe it was just a nightmare after all.
No.
No it wasn't. Bdubs was going and that's that! Stress was not putting those weeks of worrying to waste. Plan A, B, or whichever one was going to use and that was decided.
Stress was certain that if she didn't simply end Bdubs once and for all, she'd regret it. Severely. The hermits would be gone forever, and who's fault would be? That's right, hers. She'd been warned yet did nothing about it but overthink and worry.
She didn't want Bdubs to do that.
And if she did fire the bullet?
Well, Bdubs would be the one gone, whether the dream was a warning or not. Whether he had the plan to destroy the server or just to have fun on the vacation, he'd be dead. Forever.
So what?
Stress had realized her hatred towards him was getting a bit.. personal. The dream and it's events were getting to her, it's almost like they had actually happened. They seemed so vivid, so clear that she had trouble perceiving what was real and what wasn't. But alas, it was just a dream, wasn't it?
Even if Bdubs wasn't about to do what Stress thought he would, she couldn't see him as the same person after her awakening. A friendly, yet moody social butterfly who snaps at the slightest of things, or a deceiving villain with the plans to cause some bloody chaos?
Besides, if Stress decides not to kill Bdubs once and for all, and history ends up repeating itself, Stress would be the one to blame. It wouldn't just be her who'd have to suffer with the guilt of choosing the wrong choice in a dilemma. Her friends wouldn't carry nearly as much guilt, but they'd have other problems to deal with, like finding the one responsible for the murders, or even something as simple as clearing their name.
Too bad for them.
All their problems, and hers too, depended on a little push of a button.
Too bad for Bdubs, because Stress had already made up her mind. She returned to the picnic table to retrieve the pistol. It was on the grass under the table.
Stress had already formed a plan, it was similar to her previous one but with a few changes. She was going to wait until either Bdubs woke up, or until she's certain Cub was dead. At least he was getting sacrificed for the greater good.
It wouldn't really matter though, as he'd die either way.
She later decided to take hideout behind a tent, just in case Bdubs were to wake up. She wanted to take him by surprise, because who doesn't like a little fun?
As the rain poured down, Stress stood still, mentally preparing herself for what was to come. She equipped the gun and released a nervous, yet excited sigh she didn't know she was holding.
A few minutes passed.
Stress tried her best to ignore the freezing weather, but her soaked clothes were getting to her. Maybe she should just call it a day.
That's when she heard it.
A scream, sounding like an inconsistent shrill, a yelp of sorts.
Stress couldn't believe she had already zoned out, ignoring the door of the shed Bdubs was sleeping in open. Just because of the mistake she thought she made, Cub was officially gone for good.
It was too late to go save him. She had to wait until Bdubs was, well, finished. Her next chance was until he went back to sleep.
Well, time passed with no sign of him leaving. Could he still be in there, cleaning the mess or something? Oddly enough, Stress could've sworn she didn't hear his shed door opening, footsteps, or literally anything. Even Cub's scream didn't sound like one of a cry for help. Was Cub even dead? The fact that he could still be alive was a bit of a relief, because that would've meant Bdubs was still asleep, giving Stress plenty of time to rethink her decisions about murdering him, or actually doing it without being caught.
She then heard a creaking sound nearby, most likely from the bathroom.
"Those darn raccoons..."
Stress froze at the voice.
"They won't ever leave me alone."
Heart thumping, Stress gripped the weapon and waited until the footsteps faded away. A door creaked and the campsite returned to silence, aside from the rain.
It was a perfect time for murder.