This was just great. James sat on the side of the road, peering at the screen of his phone in the setting sun. Not even one bar of signal. So much for Chris' shortcut. Just a couple hours going through this forest road instead of around it on the highway seemed like a good idea to get to the beach that much faster, until you broke down on the road and realized almost no one used it. And where was Chris? Asleep in the back seat of the car without a care in the world.
But worrying had always been James thing anyway. Chris, Mark, and James had been unlikely friends from Freshman year when they all rushed for the same frat. Three very different guys, but James was pretty sure that's why they got along so well. What a way to end college though, spring break of Senior year and they were stuck in the woods. James had almost not bothered rushing for the frat but his father had insisted. It was his father's frat after all, and James was more than certain his dad pulled strings to make sure he was accepted. James was not the frat boy type. Skinny, and definitely a bit nerdy, he wore thick glasses and left his blond hair a mess. He'd rather play D&D than go to a kegger, but still ended up in the frat anyway. The only thing he had going for him really was that he was tall, at 6'2" he was the tallest of the trio, but his slim build made him look like a beanstalk.
"I think it's the transmission." Mark chimed in from where he had his head stuck under the hood of the car. "We're not going anywhere without a tow." He wiped his hands on his jeans with a frown. He was probably the most frat boy looking of the trio. Mark rarely missed a day at the gym, and as such he had a nicely muscled physique, he took care of himself, and could spend an hour in the bathroom grooming himself to perfection. He could also get almost any girl he wanted, real ladies' man type. He looked like he would be a douche, but was actually one of the friendliest guys James knew. His black hair was spiked up in front, and he would frequently experiment with different styles of facial hair. At the moment a full, but short trimmed beard. Though if James knew Mark, and he did, the rest of him was shaved smooth, especially with their upcoming trip to the beach. James didn't have to bother shaving himself.
The last of their group was Chris, still snoring away in the back of the car. Chris was known as a slacker and layabout. He wouldn't have gotten through college if James and Mark hadn't pushed him. While Mark looked the frat boy part, Chris acted it. If there was a party on campus he was there. He spent more time drunk or high than he did sober, or so it seemed, and everyone on campus loved to see him for a party, but hated him for a group project. He was also a bit on the chubby side, having put on the freshman fifteen and then a little more besides, though he did try to maintain his appearance, keeping his brown hair combed and his faces shaved.. most of the time, but he was also a bit on the hairy side and would have a five o'clock shadow by three. But there was something adorable about him, like a teddy bear. While everyone liked him James and Mark were his only real friends, they were the ones there when the party ended. They were also were the only ones in the frat that knew he was gay. James was the only one that knew he had a massive crush on Mark.
"We're going to have to hoof it. If I remember the GPS before we lost signal, there should be a gas station about ten miles on." Mark was looking down the road then up to the sky, then looked at James. They both knew there was no chance of making it before dark. With a sigh Mark reached in through the back window and shook Chris awake. "Wake up, man, we gotta make a decision."
James stood up and walked over to the car to join the other two. We was the brainy one, but Mark was the leader and started laying out their options. "Well, we can walk to the gas station, but it'll be dark by the time we get there and might be closed or we can camp in the car tonight and head there first thing in the morning."
"No other choices?" Chris said almost piteously, thinking of the long walk ahead of him either way. "Can't I stay with the car and you guys go get help?"
"Better if we don't separate, then someone would have to be alone, and I don't like that idea." James chimed in. Even as they talked the last bit of sunlight seemed to be fading away leaving them in ever looming darkness. James looked to Mark, "I think we should wait till.." James trailed off as he noticed the look on Mark's face. Mark who was now staring off into the woods looking stunned or maybe surprised.
James turned to look and saw the creatures Mark saw coming out of the woods..