I tried to sleep, but just then, the memory of June's death flooded my mind like a vivid nightmare. All those horrible memories started coming back to me, and I couldn't shake them off and I started remembering it all again.
(THIRD POV)
As promised, the next day arrived, and as night fell, the group of 12 friends, excluding Alice, gathered together to fulfill their promise of meeting the ghost Dylan. June and Alex had planned to visit the ruins yesterday, but unfortunately, they were unable to do so. They began their journey towards the ruins in the heart of the forest. As they approached near the ruins, resembling an old house, they all stood in silence, exchanging nervous glances. Meanwhile, Alvin chose to distance himself from the group, finding solace on a nearby stone, observing their every move.
Alex, concerned, called out to Alvin, "Alvin, aren't you coming?"
Alvin replied calmly, "I have no intention of going in there."
Kimmy, exclaimed, "Woah! You're acting like a coward."
Alvin, responded, "Yes, I am a coward. I'm only brave when things get heated, alright?"
Dwayne, attempting to persuade Alvin, urged, "Come on, Alvin, let's go."
Ava added, "Yeah, Alvin, let's go! Why are you so afraid?"
Alvin sighed, "Look, guys. If you want to go, then go. Just don't drag me into this, alright? Do whatever you want."
Andy, sensing Alvin's unease, interjected, "He's acting weird. Let's leave him alone. Let's go."
But Sofia came near Alvin and sat next to him on the stone, nervously saying, "I am not going either."
Dwayne questioned, "Come on, Sofia, you too?"
Sofia replied, "I am not going there, and I think you shouldn't either. Mrs. Smith said we aren't allowed to go that deep into the forest, even though we did. Kids aren't allowed to wander here and there, you know that Mrs. Smith only sent us to play because of Alvin, as she trusts him."
June exclaimed, "Oh, shut up! Alvin this, Alvin that, everything is about Alvin."
Noah added, "But it's true that Alvin is the strongest here and not to mention he knows what's inside the ruins."
June's frustration grew, "You too, Noah? Seriously?"
Noah frowned "I am just stating the fact, we are really weak without him."
Leo intervened, "Guys, please, everyone calm down. Let's think about this."
Sofia reminded June, "We barely made it out from there last time. I don't want to go again."
The group fell into a contemplative silence, As they deliberated, the night grew darker, casting an eerie atmosphere over the forest.
June stomped her foot in frustration, her face flushed with anger. "I am going in, I don't care if you guys follow me or not."
Andy pleaded, "Alvin, come on, "That time you were only four. Now there are twelve of us, except for Sofia who's not coming inside with us right now. We are together in this."
Alvin crossed his arms defiantly, his eyes fixed on the ground. "No, means no. You guys go ahead, I will sit here."
Kimmy folded her arms and glared at Alvin "Fine let's go guys."
Ava, approached him with a sympathetic smile. "If you're not going to come, at least stay here until we come out, okay?"
Alvin scoffed, "You don't have to order me."
June, rolling her eyes, chimed in. "Ava, don't waste your time on him. It's useless."
Alvin nodded in agreement, surprising everyone with his compliance. "June's right, Ava. Don't waste your time on me, follow your master like a dog."
With that, everyone except Sofia and Alvin began walking towards the ruins. Alex, approached him cautiously. "Hey, I'm sorry about this, but we are going in."
Alvin's face hardened, his eyes filled with a mix of disappointment and anger. "Yeah, go on. I don't care. I thought you might listen to me Alex, but you don't, huh? You know what happened when we went inside these ruins last time, but you guys still want to go in. I learned my lesson that day when that ghost, Dylan, tried to grab us. I know that the ghost stopped, but I can't trust it. So go on, you guys aren't going to listen to me anyway."
Alex stood frozen, his mind racing with conflicting emotions. Just then, June's voice broke through the tension, calling out to the group who were already prepared to enter the ruins of the old house. They stood at the front, their anticipation palpable. June approached near Alex, her eyes pleading. "Come on, Alex."
Alex looked around, feeling a sense of unease. He turned to Alvin and said, "I'm going in, okay?" He took a deep breath and started walking towards his friends who were standing near the front of ruins.
Alvin said "Alex, wait" Alex turned around and looked at Alvin.
Alvin's tone was calm, but there was a warning in his voice that sent shivers down Alex's spine. "If anything bad happens in there, you'll all be responsible for it. That means even if you die inside."
Alex, Sofia, and June all felt their bodies start to shake. They knew that Alvin wasn't joking around. He was serious, and they could tell that he meant every word. June tried to brush it off, saying that nothing would happen to them, but Alvin's words had already planted a seed of doubt in their minds.
June then turned to Alvin and snapped, "Shut up, Alvin. And don't forget, we're a team here. We'll work together and make sure that nothing bad happens."
June took Alex's hand and started walking towards the ruins, where the rest of their friends were waiting.
Alvin watched them go, his eyes following their every move. Sofia, who was sitting beside him on a stone, watching the scene unfold. Alvin said "Teamwork, huh? They all dying together could also be considered as teamwork."
Sofia didn't have an answer for him. She hugged her knees to her chest, feeling a sense of unease settle in her stomach. She knew that they were all taking a risk by entering the ruins, but she couldn't shake off the feeling that something was off.
Sofia asked, "What do you think will happen inside?"
Alvin paused for a moment, his gaze never leaving the ruins. "I can't tell you that. You can't tell and change what's going to happen inside, just like you can't tell and change the future. But you can change your habits, and if you do that, surely your habits will change the future. That's what will happen to June."
Sofia furrowed her brow, confusion evident on her face, she inquired "What do you mean? Is June a bad person?"
Alvin sighed, his eyes reflecting a mixture of frustration and understanding. "She is stubborn and she often has the impression that everything will go as she says, but it won't always happen. I am not trying to be anyone's savior; I am just trying to think about the future."
Sofia said, "But as long as we have each other, we have everything, right?"
Alvin replied calmly, "Yeah, but that also includes fear, pain, and sorrow. Don't forget about that."
You are scaring me," she admitted, her voice trembling slightly.
Alvin's expression softened and he smiled, realizing the impact of his words, he apologized, "Uh? Sorry, I said a bit too much, please forget I said anything.
Sofia nervously nodded, her body curling into itself as she hugged her knees to her chest. The weight of the unknown hung heavily in the air, and she couldn't shake off the unease that had settled within her.
As Alvin's smile faded, he turned his attention back to the ruins, his eyes fixated on the crumbling structure. Thoughts swirled in his mind, echoing with a sense of melancholy. Time changes everything some things can never go back to how they used to be.
The group stood outside the ancient ruins, their hearts pounding with a mix of excitement and trepidation. The dilapidated structure loomed before them, its crumbling walls covered in thick layers of ivy and moss. The air was heavy with an eerie silence, broken only by the faint rustling of leaves in the wind.
"Okay. So who's going first?" Leo asked, his voice echoing in the stillness. All eyes turned towards Ava, who pointed at herself.
Me?" she questioned, her voice was firm.
Lily, nervously said "Um yeah, I think you should go first, Ava. You've got this!"
Dwayne, the daredevil, interjected with a mischievous grin. "Hey, I want to go first. I'm not scared of anything!"
Andy, sighed. "Well, have it your way, Dwayne. But let's stick together, okay?"
Ava, smirked "Let's go together, Dwayne. Let's be the ghost hunters!"
Dwayne's eyes lit up with excitement. "Yeah, let's do it!" he exclaimed, rallying the group. "We're all in this together, guys!"
With renewed determination, Dwayne and Ava led the group into the crumbling ruins. The air inside was thick with dust and the musty scent of decay. Spiders scurried across the walls, their webs stretching like ethereal tapestries. Undeterred, they pressed on, their footsteps echoing through the desolate halls.
As they ventured deeper into the ruins, they stumbled upon a narrow staircase leading downwards. The group paused, uncertainty etched on their faces. Dwayne broke the silence, his voice filled with curiosity, "Should we check it out?"
Alex, spoke up. "Yeah, last time Dylan grabbed us from here. We didn't go downstairs last time, not that deep. Maybe there's something interesting down there."
Ava nodded in agreement. "Okay, guys, let's not waste any time. Stick together, and we'll be fine."
With cautious steps, they began their descent into the unknown. The staircase creaked beneath their weight, adding an eerie soundtrack to their journey. Leo, struggling to see in the dim light, voiced his concern. "I can barely see a thing here," he muttered, his voice barely audible.
Dan, quickly called out to June, who was descending the stairs ahead of the group. "June, wait up! Let's stick together, remember?"
Ignoring Dan's warning, June continued her rapid descent, causing the others to quicken their pace to keep up with her. Finally, they reached the bottom, only to be greeted by a surprising sight. A lamp sat on a table, flickering ominously before suddenly illuminating the room. To their astonishment, they found themselves in a clean and tidy space, adorned with small chairs, tables, and lamps. The air grew colder, and a sense of foreboding settled over them like a heavy blanket.
The room before them was bathed in an ethereal glow, emanating from an ancient artifact resting on a pedestal. The artifact seemed to pulsate with an otherworldly energy, captivating their attention.
Just as they were taking in their surroundings, a shadowy figure emerged from the darkness, floating in the air. With a soft voice, it greeted them, "Hello, children." June, smiled and said, "Is that you Dylan"
Dylan said "Yeesss."
Dwayne kept watching Dyaln in awe. Dylan responded, "Hello? New friends."
The group gasped and whispered amongst themselves, unable to believe they were encountering a talking ghost. Ava exclaimed, "Woah, a flotating and talking ghost!" Andy chimed in, "Yeah, I couldn't believe it either."
Noah, slightly skeptical, asked, "Friends already?"
Dylan reassured them, saying, "Yesss... friends."
June, eager to dispel any fear, encouraged her friends, "Look, guys, there's no need to be afraid of him. He's already our friend." Following June's lead, everyone greeted Dylan with a warm hello. Dylan gracefully settled into one of the chairs and gestured to the others, saying, "Chair for you."
Kimmy, exclaimed, "Woah! So these chairs are for us?"
Dylan nodded and replied, "Yessssss, for youuuuu. Sitttt."
Each of them took their seats, feeling a sense of comfort and warmth in the presence of their newfound friend.
Dan said, "He won't hurt us, right? Like he did to you last time?"
June said, "Mr. Dylan, please don't hurt us like you did last time."
Dylan said, "I.... won't.... hurttt.... friendssss."
Dwayne said, "That's a relief."
Leo, breaking the silence, spoke up, "You are nice, Mr. Dylan."
Andy agreed, saying, "Yeah, he definitely is nice. It's so cute that he made chairs for us."
Ava, feeling vindicated, turned to the others and said, "See, I told ya coming down here at night would be awesome."
Kimmy, shivering slightly, remarked, "It's freezing down here."
Dwayne, eager to move forward, asked, "So, what do we do now?"
Lily, suggested, "Should we play some games?"
Dwayne, replied, "Okay, but what kind of game should we play?"
Dylan, spoke "Are...you...scared?"