Fiona was the one who spoke up. "Maybe...maybe Rachel is right. There's definitely something moving out there." Rachel nodded eagerly, feeling a chance to convince the others. "Please, please. I will do whatever you want for the rest of the year we just need to move fast." Before Erica or Jill could say something Caroline cut it. "Rachel is right. We can't get a fire going and I keep seeing stuff moving out in the woods. I think we have to gather up all our stuff and follow the tracks back to the highway, even if it takes all night."
"Fuck!" Jill said, "We just got everything set up and-" Alexandria cut her off there, "No Jill. We didn't we built one tent. Grab your shit and lets go."
"Let's run, please." Rachel said, already grabbing her backpack and walking up towards the narrow trail they'd driven the van down. "It's important." Alexandria glanced from Rachel, who was very fit, to Caroline and Fiona. Neither of them was in the best shape, with Caroline being rather plush. "We'll get a jog on, and see what we can do." Alexandria said, firmly.
With significant grumbling and complaining the girls got a move on, bags on their back. Rachel started to pull ahead from the pack, but each time Alexandria called out, even as the light started to fade, the sun sinking beneath the trees. After a good twenty minutes Caroline and Fiona were panting, stumbling over thick roots and sliding on gravel slopes. Rachel was a just barely visible silhouette up the track and Alexandria caught up to Jill.
"What's gotten into her, do you think?" Alexandria asked. She was having no problems with this pace, and neither was the skinny and lanky Jill. "Dunno. But something is out there. Look." She jerked her head towards the side of the path where a thick blackberry bramble shook and quivered. "I think-" Before she could finish her comment a scream rang out - quivering through the forest. Alexandria and Jill jerked to a stop, looking around. In the mere moments they had spoken the other four girls - Rachel and Erica up ahead, Caroline and Fiona falling behind, seemed to have vanished from the narrow roadway.
"Shit, shit, fuck." Alexandria said, eyes wide, backing up and standing back to back with Jill.
"Fucking something is up." Jill said, "We are so gonna get murdered by a hillbilly. God I deserve a better quality of true crime than this."
"Would you shut up!" Alexandria said, pivoting and looking out at the rustling bushes. "We've got to find the others quick and get out of her. The jokes are not fucking helping Jill. Let's drop back and find Caroline and Fiona, okay?"
There was no response to Alexandria. Nothing from Jill. Just the growing twilight darkness and the faint light of the full moon beginning to rise. Alexandria reached back, felt nothing, and turned. No Jill. She was alone. In the dark. And there were things out there. A feeling was throbbing in her stomach. Fear certainly, but something else as well.
This is not just Alexandria's story, but the story of the the Lunar Realm, and all six young women who arrived and became something unexpected by all. For now, we will let our story follow...