The four met in the common area, just as planned, and without any real incident. For the first time in recent memory, Jenny was on time, and actually cheery, despite how early it was.
They took two cars; Jenny and Matt rode in Matt's Lexus SUV, while Rowan and Renee rode in Rowan's rather beat-up Honda Civic. Rowan was unusually quiet, apparently paying attention to the road, but Renee could see there was something else going on, and that she was quite worried. As Renee was also getting butterflies, she chose to say nothing to Rowan, rather than risk getting herself even more worried.
They arrived, again without incident, at the Motel 6, approximately 11 am. They were given a single room with two beds, as Renee had arranged. They carried Renee's cameras and tapes up to the room, worried that someone might steal them out of the Honda, but left the camping gear in the Lexus, as they doubted anyone would actually try to steal something as mundane as a tent.
Renee had informed them that she'd wanted to camp out in the woods during the latter half of the week, though she found herself having second thoughts about that as well, especially seeing how warm and friendly the room looked, compared the forboding wilderness they could see in the distance from their motel window.
"Okay, guys," Renee said, getting their attention,"This is the plan: today we go into La Morte Petit and get local color stuff. We're gonna film us asking around about the legend, and perhaps trying to get a town historian or someone like that to comment about it. Jenny's gonna be our interview girl, especially with any men we find. Matt, you'll be our camera man. Rowan...uhh...you...uh...keep me posted if anything doesn't feel right. Actually, now that I think about it, we can use you to play up the supernatural angle of this whole thing. It'll make for great film!"
"None of this feels right, Renee, and we're not even IN the town! You really should reconsider this project of yours," Rowan pleaded to her, "What you're toying with is far greater than you can imagine!"
Matt laughed, "You really believe this shit? What the fuck, were you some kid who got scared by ghost stories too?"
Rowan's eyes flared, and she got nose to nose with Matt. "Little man, I have been seeing ghosts since I was seven! I have been a priestess of Isis for 15 years now! Don't mock me or my warnings!"
Jenny jumped in between them, trying to defuse the situation. "Matt, don't fuck with her, okay? We're all here to help Renee, not fight. Come on, lighten up." Matt calmed down, as did Rowan, though the tension was obvious whenever they made eye contact, even as a glance.
The foursome set about unpacking clothing and such, trying to bury themselves in the mundane tasks to take their minds of the uncomfortable silence. Then suddenly, Rowan whimpered and fell to the floor.
"I see...I see...blood on the forest floor! We should not go there! The promontory rock! The rock is where the blood is shed!" Rowan was shaking, tears rolling down her face. "Death! Death awaits us should we go!"
"Fucking christ!" yelled Matt, "Would you give it a FUCKING REST!"
Rowan stopped crying instantly, a look of anger on her face. "It was YOUR blood I saw, and YOUR death I saw!"
Matt rolled his eyes. "And how exactly, did I die?" He was smirking at her, challenging her to amaze him.
"I won't say by who, but it was one of the three of us in this room," she told him, a graven tone in her voice. There was no joy in her telling him.
Matt's jaw dropped. He struggled for words, but then simply managed, "Fuck you," before storming out of the room.
"Why'd you have to say that, Rowan?" asked Jenny, "Look, your deal is your deal, you know, but try not to shove it on everybody else." Jenny quietly added, "I'm gonna go check on him," leaving the room as well.
Renee sat there on the bed, head in her hands. This was why she'd been reluctant to allow Rowan along. She had a bad tendency to prophesize doom to anyone around her, and usually she was wrong. Even when she was right, it simply brought the mood of everyone down. "Rowan," she sighed, "If we go into the woods, we go into the woods. If this story's half as hot as the internet made it seem, this could really springboard me to a good job. So please, don't freak everyone out with your visions. If you have one, simply tell me alone, okay?"
Rowan nodded. "I'm sorry, Renee," she replied," It was just the strength of the vision...they don't normally come so strongly to me."
"It's okay, Rowan," Renee said, then a bit more uncomfortably, "So who did you see kill him?"
"Jenny. She ripped him apart....and we all watched, not trying to stop her."
"Wow," replied Renee, trying to conceal her shock, "It's probably simply metaphorical, Rowan. He's the only guy in a group of girls. By the end of the week, we'll probably WANT to kill him."
"Let's hope so," replied Rowan.