Interactive Story: The Wicked Among Us [Part Three]
War of Suspicion
[Part One] Six friends assembled at mysterious Loch Kaille for a 25th birthday celebration. When one of them was found dead after a violent storm, accusations began to fly.
[Part Two] Was there something sinister in the trees? Was it responsible for what happened to Mona?
After finding Mona's body we returned to the campsite to find Max waiting for us on a log bench.
Max: “Took you long enough. Did you find the mopey bitch?”
Coll stepped up to Max and punched him square in the face.
Max stumbled backwards but he didn't go down. Instead, he steadied himself and looked at Coll like he was about to rip his head off. I stepped in.
Me: “Mona's dead.”
Max was subdued by my words.
Max: “How?”
Coll: “She killed herself so keep your stupid remarks to yourself.”
For a short moment Max ran his eyes over Coll. Then he spat bloody saliva to the ground.
Max: “I'll let you off this time. But if you ever touch me again I'll pulverise your face until there's nothing left but mush and teeth.”
Coll shook his head and moved off towards the pines.
Coll: “I'm going to the loch. I want to be on my own.”
Once Coll was gone, I addressed Max again.
Me: “That mouth isn't helping.”
Max: “Well I still don't trust the little shit. He's hiding something.”
Leon and I glanced at each other, remembering what we'd found in the woods.
Max: “You both think so as well.”
We didn't exactly deny it.
Max: “Look, I don't know whether there's someone else up here with us, or whether Coll and Mona were doing this alone but—”
Leon: “Mona killed herself.”
Max: “Yes, but we don't know why she killed herself. Maybe it was guilt over what she did when Aaron rejected her, or guilt because of what she helped Coll to do.”
Max looked us both in the eye, one after the other.
Max: “We need to watch each other's backs until we get out of here. This is foreign soil to us, we're at a disadvantage without Aaron.”
Me: “What we need to do is check the river to see if it's crossable. I'm going to go and get changed and so should you.”
I headed for my tent and was glad to see Leon and then Max do the same.
Inside my tent I changed out of my pyjamas and took a few minutes to breathe deeply and compose myself. Then I crawled through my tent flap to find Leon and Max sitting on a log bench in the centre of the campsite talking quietly. Once they noticed me, they fell silent.
Me: “I'm going to go and tell Coll that we're heading to the river crossing.”
I walked across the campsite and towards the trees. Leon was up in a flash, moving to keep pace with me.
Leon: “I'll come with you.”
I stopped at the edge of the clearing and turned to face Leon.
Me: “I'm going alone.”
Leon: “Kate, you can't.”
Me: “Do you trust me?”
Leon: “Of course.”
Me: “Then stay here. I won't be long.”
I continued on my way, leaving Leon at a loss.
I made my way through the pines and onto the lochshore. As I'd hoped Coll was still there. He was sitting on the beach, staring out across the water. He didn't speak until I was standing right next to him.
Coll: “I said I wanted to be left alone.”
Me: “I'm sorry. But I need you to explain something to me.”
I pulled the feather doll from my pocket and dropped it to the ground. Coll turned his head and looked at it.
Coll: “So that's what you and Leon were doing at sunrise.”
Me: “We found it in the woods, on top of a pile of stones. Did you leave it there?”
Coll nodded and looked back over the loch.
Me: “Why did you put it there? What is it?”
Coll: “Aaron never believed in folklore, in what this place used to be. But Mona and I, we were brought up differently.”
Me: “You believe that these hills used to be a refuge for witches?”
Coll: “You don't steal from a witch. Terrible things happen if you do.”
Me: “Terrible things like murder?”
Coll: “Folklore isn't big on specifics. I went and left the doll in the forest so whoever owned it could easily take it back.”
Me: “But they obviously didn't. Do you think that means we're alone up here after all?”
Coll let out a long sigh and then asked a question that caught me off guard.
Coll: “Kate, how much do you trust Leon?”
Me: “He's been my best friend ever since the first week of university. I trust him completely.”
Coll: “Mona told me that, when we went to the north face yesterday, she came out of her tent and Leon wasn't there. He only got back to the campsite a few minutes before we did.”
Me: “I'm sure there's a perfectly good explanation for that. He probably just went to the toilet or something.”
Coll: “Is there any reason why Leon might have had something against Aaron?”
I squirmed and failed to answer.
Coll: “I answered your questions, Kate.”
Me: “Leon and Aaron had a falling out over a girl. That's why Leon wasn't at Aaron's twenty-fourth last year.”
Coll looked at me, his mouth a tight line.
Me: “They got over it, just some stupid macho disagreement. It doesn't have anything to do with what's happened up here.”
Coll said nothing, he simply looked back across the water. It was obvious that he wanted me to leave but I still had questions.
Me: “That first afternoon, when I saw someone by the treeline, I was looking through this.”
I produced my Hag Stone and showed it to Coll.
Coll: “Mona said you had one. I suppose Aaron told you what it does?”
Me: “Yes, witches use them to see hidden truths and look into other worlds. Should I leave it here with the doll?”
Coll: “I'd say it's a little late for that, wouldn't you?”
Suddenly, I grew angry.
Me: “Coll, we need to get off this hill. All of us. Alive. We're going to the river crossing, are you coming with us?”
For a long time Coll didn't respond. Then, at last, he drew a long breath and stood.
Suspicion can be a terrible thing, Reader. But when faced with contrasting information what choice do we really have?
I walked through the pines with Coll by my side and what he had said about Leon running through my head. Could Leon really be keeping something from me?
When we returned to the campsite we found that Leon and Max were still present.
Leon: “Are you guys good to go?”
Looking back I think I took a little bit too long to answer, and was just a little bit too short when I did.
Me: “Yes.”
Leon gave me a pained look as I brushed past him to my tent.
As usual we filled my backpack with supplies and headed down the trail leading to the river crossing. We walked in near silence for about twenty minutes until Leon spoke up.
Leon: “Guys, can we stop for a moment? I need to go.”
Max groaned.
Max: “What are you, eight years old?”
Leon stepped off the trail, into the pines.
Leon: “I'll be quick.”
When Leon was gone I turned to Coll.
Me: “How far is the river?”
Coll: “We're not even halfway down yet.”
Me: “If we can't cross what do you think we should do?”
Coll: “It'll still be two days before anyone misses us. It's either cross or wait it out.”
Me: “With everything that's happening up here I'm not sure we'll survive waiting it out.”
Max: “I bet one of us will.”
The awkward silence that followed was interrupted by a loud crack and the sound of Leon yelling.
Me: “Leon!”
Terrified, I ran in the direction Leon had gone in and was vaguely aware of Coll and Max doing the same behind me.
We found Leon in a stand of broad-leaves peppered with strange polished rocks at ground level. He was lying on the forest floor, groaning, and there was a broken tree branch near his legs.
I knelt by Leon's side.
Me: “Leon, what happened?”
Leon: “My back. Something bash – bashed into me.”
Max: “He's been attacked. With that stick.”
Me: “Is that what happened, Leon? Did someone attack you?”
Leon: “I didn't … see.”
Coll: “It could have been a falling branch. That storm will have weakened a lot of trees.”
Max: “Are you kidding me? Two people dead and you're still trying to pass this off as bad luck?”
Me: “It doesn't matter how it happened, all that matters is that Leon is injured.”
Leon: “I'm fine.”
Leon tried to raise himself but faltered before he could get upright.
Coll: “You need to get him back to camp. I'll go and check the river.”
Max: “We can't send Kate back up the hill alone with an injured man. Not after this. You go with them, I'll check the river.”
Me: “Okay. Coll, let's get him up.”
Coll and I slowly helped Leon to his feet as Max headed back towards the trail.
Getting Leon up the hill was a struggle. He seemed to find it hard to breathe through the exertion and we kept having to stop to let him catch his breath. Somehow though, the three of us made it back to camp.
I helped Leon into his tent and then down onto his sleeping mat.
Me: “You should drink some water.”
I passed Leon a water bottle and he took a hearty swig.
Me: “Can you take off your shirt? I need to see where you were hit.”
Leon: “It was just a little bump. I could have made the crossing.”
I gave Leon a schoolteacher scowl and he took off his shirt, wincing all the while.
I examined his bare back. There didn't appear to be any bruising or swelling. Maybe a slight bit of redness.
Me: “I can't see anything that needs treating, but you still need to lie down. Try and get some rest.”
I turned to leave the tent.
Leon: “Kate, wait.”
I turned back.
Leon: “When you got back from seeing Coll, you gave me a really weird look. And you were off with me all the way down the trail. What's wrong?”
I sighed.
Me: “Coll told me…”
I was ready to question Leon about where he went when he was supposed to be staying with Mona. But I didn't go through with it, it didn't seem like the right time.
Me: “Coll told me that he only left the feather doll out so its owner could take it back. I was just annoyed that it didn't shed any light on what's happening up here.”
Leon: “Oh. But we're okay?”
I smiled.
Me: “Of course. Now get some rest.”
As I left the tent my fake smile faded.
Coll and I moped about the campsite for the next few hours, not really talking, not really eating the biscuits we managed to scrounge from our dwindling food store.
Eventually, Max returned to the clearing. Coll and I stood expectantly, leaving our stale biscuits on the benches.
Me: “Did you make it across?”
Max: “No.”
Me: “But you were gone so long?”
Max: “I tried the river in as many places as I could get to.”
Coll: “And?”
Max: “It's slightly lower, but there's still so much white water.”
Coll: “But it definitely is lower?”
Max: “I'd say so, yeah.”
Coll: “That's good. That means it's starting to recede.”
Me: “So how long until it's back to normal?”
Coll: “If it doesn't rain again it could be crossable by morning.”
Me: “For God's sake. I really don't want to spend another night up here.”
Max: “I've been thinking about that. If there is someone else up here with us, I say we hunt them down.”
Me: “What?”
Max: “I think we should start at that cave you found. Get over there and strike first.”
Leon: “I agree.”
Leon was crawling through his tent flap.
Me: “Leon, how are you feeling?”
Leon: “I was just a bit winded. I'm fine now I've had a nap.”
Me: “Are you… sure?”
Leon: “Yeah.”
Max: “Look, there'd be four of us and probably only one of them. What weapons have we got?”
Me: “Woah, Max, slow down. Looking for a fight isn't a good idea.”
Max: “What do you mean looking for a fight? Two of us are dead. Leon's been attacked. We're already in a fight.”
Leon: “Coll, what do you think?”
Coll: “I suppose it couldn't hurt to check out the cave whilst it's still light.”
Max eyed Coll mistrustfully.
Coll: “What? You're even suspicious when I agree with you?”
Leon: “If we do go, there's a couple of sharp knives in the cutlery bag.”
Max: “Wasn't there a little metal baton thing for killing fish with as well?”
Coll: “It's called a priest.”
Max: “Whatever. It'd hurt pretty bad if we bash someone round the head with it.”
Me: “Guys, I really don't think this is the best move.”
Max: “Well you're outvoted, three to one.”
Within the hour we had made it along the lochshore, back into the pines and we were well on our way to the forest cave. Leon and Max led the way, carrying the priest and a cutlery knife respectively. Coll and I followed, our hands free.
It was Leon that stopped us beneath a huge, solitary broad-leaf.
Leon: “I think the cave is only a couple of minutes ahead. We should decide what we're going to do when we get there.”
Max: “That's easy. We go in and drag whoever's inside out here.”
Me: “Guys…”
Before I could protest again the wind picked up. Gentle at first, but the canopy soon began to flutter.
Then I detected bigger movements in distant branches. Not the violent shaking I'd experienced at the north face, this was slower and more careful. I got the sense of something big trying to creep toward us.
Max: “Can you hear that? I hear a voice.”
Coll: “It's the wind.”
Max: “No, I hear a voice. It's — no it can't be.”
Max charged off into the forest. I was about to follow but Leon put a hand on my shoulder, stopping me.
Leon: “I hear it too, but it's coming from over there.”
Leon pointed in the direction opposite to where Max had just run. Leon started to move that way instead.
Me: “Leon, no.”
Panicked, I looked to Coll.
Me: “Go after Leon.”
Coll hurried after Leon and I chased after Max. I shouted back over my shoulder as I went.
Me: “Meet at the lochshore!”
I caught up with Max in an ankle-deep thicket of undergrowth. Max was stationary, looking around anxiously with his knife still in hand. The wind had died.
Me: “Max.”
Max turned to look at me, his eyes wide.
Max: “I saw Aaron. Just for a moment. And I heard — I heard his voice in the wind.”
Me: “That's impossible, Max. Aaron is dead.”
Max looked up to the sky.
Max: “This is Coll's doing. I know it is. Him and his accomplice up here. Heart conditions and falling branches, it's all lies. It's been lies and more lies from the start.”
Me: “Max, we can't turn on each other.”
Max stormed right up to me, his knife still bared.
Max: “Coll has been against us from the off. He's killed one of us, maybe even Mona as well.”
I put on my best commanding voice.
Me: “Max, take a step back. Right now.”
Max shook his head and stepped away from me. I breathed a sigh of relief.
Me: “Let's head back to the loch. I said we'd all meet up there. Come on.”
Max and I found the lochshore empty so we listened to the gently lapping water and watched the dragonflies as we waited. And waited. And waited…
Max: “How much longer are we going to wait for them?”
Me: “As long as it takes.”
Max grumbled something I didn't quite hear and looked out across the water.
Me: “There.”
Further along the shore from where we were standing, Coll emerged from the treeline. He noticed us and started walking our way. He was limping.
I ran towards Coll, Max in tow.
Me: “Coll, what happened?”
Coll: “I couldn't keep up with Leon, I lost him. I've been trying to find him ever since.”
Max: “What happened to your leg? Why are you limping?”
Coll: “I tripped over a tree root. That's why I gave up looking.”
Me: “Which direction was Leon heading in when you last saw him?”
Coll: “I don't know, he was zigzagging all over the place. Like he was trying to lose me.”
Me: “What? Why would he want to lose you?”
Coll: “Kate, I want you to think really carefully. Could Leon have something to do with what's happening up here?”
Max threw up his hands.
Max: “Always trying to shift the blame onto someone else. Any chance you're the reason Leon hasn't turned up yet? I bet you got that gammy leg hunting him down.”
Me: “Max, shut up. Coll, is it possible that Leon went back to the campsite?”
Coll: “Maybe. I suppose he could have doubled back and slipped past me.”
Me: “Then we should go and see if he's there. Come on.”
I led the boys along the beach, through the pines and back to our campsite.
Me: “What the…”
Our tents were slashed open. Rubbish, food and clothes were strewn across the ground, and ashes from the campfire had been scuffed or kicked about the place.
My tent had half-collapsed in on itself and was barely standing.
Someone had ransacked the place.
Our story approaches its climax. Before the Final Part you may wish to reflect on all that you have witnessed and influenced. Ask yourself, have you seen what really is or have you simply seen what you wanted to see? Speaking of which…
[Part Four] — Follow the link to read the Final Part.
Absolutely brilliant. I am so enjoying this.