Ethan turned away from the vile sight and vomited. There was nothing he could do to prevent it happening as it erupted from his mouth unexpectedly. It burnt and left a tangy taste in his mouth. He turned to face the others, wiping his face.
‘Can somebody please explain what the hell is going on here?’
Nervously, Dominic looked at Mrs Mae who seemed very relaxed with the whole situation, and said, ‘Don't worry, it's probably the local gamekeepers trying to scare off poachers. I've seen it before.’
Alex stepped forwards and went to locate his rucksack. After rummaging round in the back of the camper van he reappeared with a Swiss Army knife in his hand, the tiny two-inch blade already opened up.
‘I don't care what you think. It’s sick. Nobody in their right mind would do that.’
Without waiting for any confirmation, he began to cut the animals free. The small animals he flung into the woods like he had done with Zoe's offending rabbit. He just let the fox and lamb fall to the ground with a thump; there was no way he was touching them. All the animals were disposed of in a matter of minutes and the wood once again resembled normality.
Grabbing their rucksacks and a few of the lighter items from the camper van, the group continued through the woods with a sense of urgency. Zoe was still in mild shock and was yet to speak since the incident. Mrs Mae held her hand softly, and gently urged her onwards.
Positioned in the middle of the group, where she felt safest, Zoe cast tentative looks into the dim tree line, secretly praying that she would never encounter such a gruesome vision again.
After a few minutes they stepped out from the woods into an opening. The boys were sweating and panting slightly as they had carried the heaviest of the kit. They all stopped and let their belongings drop to the floor.
A natural firebreak in the woods was to be their campsite. It ran the whole length of the woodland and measured about fifty metres wide. It was relatively flat with isolated trees and bushes scattered around. From where they were stood, they could see a stone-built fireplace in the middle of the opening that looked like it had been used many times over the years. A single large oak tree was stood five metres away from the fireplace, offering the only available protection against the elements.
Dominic arched his back, which cracked slightly, before placing his hands proudly on his hips.
‘This is it, our home for the next day or so. It doesn't look much, but me and Sophie have spent many a wonderful night here under the stars. Once we get our tents set up and the camp shipshape it will look a lot better, I promise.’
No one replied. Ethan, Alex and Zoe were all regretting having signed up to the trip. This was not their idea of fun.
Receiving no response, Dominic and Mrs Mae turned around and made their way back to where the camper van was parked to retrieve the rest of the equipment.
Alex lit a cigarette and said nothing, Zoe checked her phone for a signal and Ethan simply wandered about the clearing, sniffing the air and kicking away at the ground.
When the tents arrived, they were quickly assembled. They were old fashioned and well used, requiring poles to be driven into the ground. After taking a while to work out the best way to erect the tents, the group finally clicked and worked well together as a team. Soon, two tents, one for the males and one for the females, were erected. The material of the tents looked wafer-thin but the poles hammered at least six inches into the ground made them very sturdy. Inside was basic with no individual compartments to offer any privacy, just a single space with a threadbare groundsheet protecting them from the cold ground below.
Ethan's mood darkened. He did not relish the idea of sleeping in such close proximity to others. The thought of two people who he barely knew sleeping inches from his face, belching and farting all night repulsed him. He entered the tent first with his sleeping bag tucked under his arm and triumphantly selected the rear of the tent. This was a slight victory. At least now he would not be disturbed throughout the night when someone wanted to take a leak and had to clamber around in the darkness.
Outside, Zoe seemed herself once more, She and Mrs Mae chatted together. Dominic addressed the group and Ethan noted that he had unofficially taken over the role as camp leader, which strictly speaking, should have been the responsibility of Mrs Mae.
‘Right, me and Sophie are going to finish off getting the camp organised and then get some food on the go. Why don't you lot explore the woods? Tomorrow we will be looking at the burial site so we will be making an early start.’
The three students headed off into the wood and Zoe warned the boys, ‘Don't you two mess around in there. I've had enough shocks already today to last a lifetime.’
Alex walked over to her and put his arm playfully around her shoulder.
‘Don't worry, if you're scared, I can always protect you.’
‘In your dreams, dickhead,’ Zoe replied, laughing at Alex's bravado.
Ethan was pleased that she was OK, but noted with sadness that he did not share the same bond as Alex and Zoe. To them, and in all probability for the remainder of the weekend, he was still going to be judged as the outsider.
Inside the wood, light struggled to penetrate through the treetops and the air was stagnant. The minimal light that had succeeded to filter through cast unnatural shadows into the undergrowth. This only intensified as they stepped deeper inside. Soon they were encased in semi-darkness. They paused as a group and listened. No birds sang from the treetops and no insects buzzed around their heads. It was if they were alone in the wood with only dead and decaying trees for company.
Zoe was the first to speak. Saying exactly what they were all thinking.
‘I've had enough of this. This is spooky and not my idea of fun. I'm heading back to camp.’
‘Too right,’ replied Ethan, surprised that he had spoken out so confidently. ‘I can see this weekend being a total write off to be honest.’
Much to his surprise, Zoe smiled at him and said, ‘We are going to have to make our own fun, I think.’
On form, Alex butted in, ‘Oh aye, and what do you mean by that, then, Zoe?’
Zoe jokingly winked at the boys and they all laughed together, pleased to be forming a bond with each other but afraid to admit to each other the fears they held.
Returning to the camp following their exploration, they were pleasantly surprised to find that Mrs Mae had assembled a BBQ and already had it lit. The flames were glowing as they attacked the charcoal, and the smoke rose rapidly into the sky. In front of the BBQ was a small picnic table with delicious looking steaks laid out on a plate in preparation for cooking.
'How do you lot want your steaks cooked?’
Ethan, not trusting the BBQ or Mrs Mae's cooking skills, requested well done, while Alex and Zoe both opted for medium.
Dominic appeared from the inside of his tent and was asked the same question.
'Rare please, darling. You know me. The bloodier the better,’ he responded.
Chapter 7
Soon the air was filled with the smell of fresh steaks sizzling away on the BBQ. Everyone was hungry, the mood in camp lifted as they all looked forward to their steak and freshly prepared salad. Mrs Mae had done OK under the circumstances. Perhaps things might not be so bad after all, Ethan thought.
She fed the students first. They had pulled out folding seats and made themselves comfortable around the yet unlit fireplace. A variety of soft drinks were on offer. They were just finishing their drinks after their meal when Mrs Mae and Dominic joined them.
The group opened up to allow them a place. Mrs Mae sat next to Zoe while Dominic placed himself in between Ethan and Alex. Ethan’s stomach knotted when he saw the condition of Dominic's steak. It would have been lucky if both sides had touched the BBQ for more than a minute. Apart from faint grill marks, the steak was barely cooked. The moment Dominic cut into it, blood oozed freely from the meat forming a puddle on his plate. Ethan caught Alex's eyes, and the
y both raised their eyebrows in disgust. Oblivious to this, Dominic attacked his steak with vigour, using his hands to tear at the almost raw meat. He resembled a cannibal as the juices ran down his chin. When his plate was empty, he lifted it to his mouth and greedily drank the juices.
In unison, Ethan and Alex got up and left Dominic alone. They had seen enough and needed to move out of his way. They made the lame excuse of needing to stretch their legs.
Upon returning, Ethan noticed that Mrs Mae had removed her high heels and was sat on her chair barefoot, with her legs outstretched in front of her. His eyes traced the contour and he felt himself becoming aroused. Her toenails were painted black, very goth, just the way he liked it.
‘So, Mrs Mae, what's the plan for tomorrow?’
She looked a little caught off guard and glanced at Dominic, who simply shrugged before replying, ‘The site is a one-hour easy hike from here. We are meeting our friend there who will provide us with all the necessary tools and equipment we need. You only need to take your note pads and cameras along with you if you wish.’
Zoe chirped, ‘Is there any more news on the site? Do you really think it could be a burial ground?’
‘No, not yet but I'm really hoping it is a pagan burial ground. It’s going to be fun.’
‘Fun?' Alex queried. ‘And what about tonight? It's not exactly going to be a party here, is it?’
‘Alex Earle, how old and boring do you think I am? Of course, there will be fun. We have a campfire, we can play some music, and we have brought a few drinks along, as long as you promise not to tell your parents or Mr Charles.’
As one, the students responded, ‘Of course not. What drink have you got?'
‘Plenty for us all to have a good time,’ replied Mrs Mae and went to her tent. She returned moments later with a wireless speaker.
‘Let's make a fire while Dominic gets our drinks sorted.’
Dominic made off to where the camper van was parked up while the rest of the group gathered wood and kindling from around the edges of the wood. They each placed their offering at the side of the fireplace and stood back, unsure of what to do next.
‘You are joking?’ asked Ethan ‘Surely one of you can make a fire.’
Alex looked away, embarrassed, Mrs Mae said nothing and Zoe replied, ‘It's not something I’ve ever had to do, Ethan. OK, bushtucker man, you show us how to do it then if you think you know any better.’
Ethan rose to the challenge and smiled. Bending down, he arranged the kindling loosely in the centre.
He stretched his arm out backwards towards Alex.
‘Lighter.’
He cupped Alex's lighter in his hand and lit the edges of the kindling with care. It was bone dry and ignited immediately, spreading rapidly. Ethan selected thin twigs from the stockpile and slowly added them to the fire. This did the trick and the fire grew. Soon the flames were large enough for bigger sticks and branches to be added. By the time Dominic returned carrying an icebox and a supermarket carrier bag, the fire was truly ablaze.
Pleased with himself, Ethan sat back down in his chair, his spirits lifted from the looks of respect he had finally received from the others.
Dominic opened up the coolbox and handed around cans of lager from the packed container. Everyone opened their cans and drank thirstily. It was Mrs Mae, who broke the silence.
‘Why don't we each play a song from our phones for us all to listen to? I bet we have lots of different tastes in this group.’
It was agreed to let Dominic play his song first as he had done the majority of the hard work. Grinning like a child, he picked a dreadful folk song that was backed up by Northumbrian pipes in the background. It sounded like an animal being slaughtered. After protests from the group the dreadful song was quickly turned off.
It was Zoe’s turn next and she chose a recent song from Little Mix. Ethan and Alex were not impressed, but Mrs Mae seemed to like it and sang along to the words with Zoe. Alex chose an American rap song that appeared to abuse every ethnicity on the planet and this was also halted prematurely.
More drinks were passed around and then it was Mrs Mae's turn. She chose a song from the Irish singer, Enya. The music was enticing and sensual; none of the students had heard it before. Zoe looked uncomfortable, while the boys looked bemused. The song played out erotically, and Mrs Mae, caught up in the mood, stood up, closed her eyes and slowly gyrated her body to the rhythm. It was mystical. Ethan could not tear his eyes away from Mrs Mae as she danced seductively in front of them all, free from her inhibitions.
The song ended. Ethan grinned as he noticed Alex readjust the front of his jeans. He must have also enjoyed the solo show.
Finally, it was Ethan's turn. After much deliberation, he selected Rammstein, the German goth metal band. He saw everyone exchange curious looks as the hard metal began to play out but he was happy moments later when he noticed that the entire group had taken to it. Zoe and Mrs Mae were shaking their heads to the beat and Dominic was pretending to the play the drums.
The drinks and the good humour continued for another hour and the light was just beginning to fade when Mrs Mae opened up the carrier bag and pulled out two bottles of Lindisfarne Mead, an extremely potent drink made from fermented honey and grapes with links dating back to the monks of Holy Island who believed it promoted impurity. Ethan had never tasted this before and accepted the bottle for him and the other students to share with some hesitation.
Mrs Mae sat closer to Dominic and opened up the bottle they were going to share. She drank straight from the bottle, taking large gulps before handing it over to Dominic.
Following suit, Ethan unscrewed his bottle and pressed it to his lips. He only managed two gulps before the burning fluid attacked the back of his throat, causing him to madly cough and splutter. He quickly passed the bottle on to Zoe who nearly gagged after one mouthful. Zoe passed the remainder of the bottle to Alex who bravely managed three gulps before almost falling off his chair.
Everyone was laughing and giggling away at silly jokes. Ethan felt light-headed and slightly drunk. He corrected himself and tried to regain his composure. He felt a tingling under his skin and everything started to become hazy as his vision started spinning out of control. Faster and faster. Everything around him a blur. The energy zapped from his body and he sank deep into his chair and placed his hands protectively around his eyes.
He had no idea how long he remained in this position. When he removed his hands from his eyes, darkness had fully set in. The light from the still-burning fire was the only thing to offer any illumination. His hearing was muffled as if he had cotton wool rammed into his ears.
Looking around, he first saw Zoe, two metres away from him sitting on her haunches, blindly rocking back and forwards as tears ran down her beautiful face. Behind her, close to the woods, he could see Alex laughing away hysterically at a tree, his arms gesticulating as if he were in deep conversation.
Ethan felt his spirts sink even further in despair as he realised that they had all been drugged. Before he could question why, he tumbled backwards onto his chair which toppled over, causing him to land awkwardly on his back. Looking up at the dark sky he watched as clouds floated by under the moonlight. As he lay, unable to move or think rationally, the clouds formed together into the shape of a horned devil.
Ethan finally passed out, unconscious.
Chapter 8
Ethan opened his eyes momentarily, perhaps for three to four seconds, then his eyelids became heavy and they crashed shut again. He drifted back into darkness and cherished the escape from reality.
He was unaware of how long he had been unconscious for, but the second time he awakened it was slightly easier to keep his eyes open. It took a while for them to focus and everything swayed in front of him for a moment or two as wave upon wave of nausea swept over him. A vice-like grip crushed his skull, and his dry mouth tasted like a sewer. He opened his mouth and drank in gulps of the fresh night air,
his rapid breaths slowly subsiding as he started to recover.
The fear came back to him when, with sudden realisation, he remembered what had happened and where he was. He went to sit forwards, but thick ropes bit into his chest and ankles and prevented him from moving. Deflated, he sat back in his chair. The simple act had wiped him out. God knows what he had been drugged with, he thought.
He was still in the clearing, but now he had been repositioned away from the vicinity of the fire. He was only metres away from the single oak tree, sat close to the protection of the branches above. He was seated ninety degrees from his original position and facing back towards the break in the woods where they had initially entered earlier that day, full of excitement and camaraderie, which now seemed like a distant memory.
In front of Ethan, under the oak tree, stood a table which had been arranged into an altar. A pure white tablecloth had been carefully laid upon the flat surface. Two giant silver candleholders stood at each end. The light flickered from both candles and danced in the remarkably still night air. A silver bowl and two shiny goblets stood side by side like a masterpiece in the centre of the altar and a thin sheath with a highly decorated handle was laid next to them. From his position Ethan could not make out what it was but he guessed that whatever it was, it wasn't going to be pleasant.
Looking up from his seat Ethan feared he was going to have a heart attack. He was unsure if what he was witnessing now at the edge of the woods was the real deal or if he was hallucinating. A mist had appeared next to the trees and in the distance, Dominic appeared through the it as he stepped out from nowhere and began to saunter towards Ethan. His hands were tucked behind his back as if he was preparing to deliver a sermon. The mist curled up around his feet, giving the appearance that he was walking on air. Dominic was dressed in a dark black robe similar to that which a monk would wear. It was tied loosely around his waist by rope and the hood was flung back. His ponytail was still tied back in place but his face had been painted white. It illuminated in the darkness and enhanced his crazed eyes. Ambling towards Ethan he kept his gaze firmly locked. Ethan felt hypnotised, unable to pull his eyes away. Not even when Dominic grinned like a madman and brought his hands into view, where Ethan could see a white rabbit clutched in his fist, gripped firmly by a clump of fur around the back of its neck.
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