Campfires & Rainbows

Chapter 6

Page led us up the hill, unaware of our plans later tonight. The rest of the girls were quiet, anxious about sneaking into the woods at midnight. We're all city kids, so we're not used to wandering into wild places, especially late at night. Personally, this is more nerve wracking than walking down a dark alley. I've done it multiple times. Usually, it's wild cats and stinky trash. But in the wild, you don't know what to expect. I've heard countless stories of teenagers and adults disappearing into the woods.

"Okay, girls, if you want to stay up a litt-"

"No, it's fine!" Eva quickly interrupted a half awake Page.

"Really?" the tone in Page's voice sounded surprised but grateful, "You sure?"

"Yeah and of course, we're all pretty tired either way." I forced a fake yawn as the rest of the girls followed my lead by nodding and faking tired looks.

"Okay then," Page half smiled, crawling up the stairs with us behind her.

She walked into her room and at the moment she closed the door, we all raced to charge our phones, find snacks, get flashlights, and take showers in mosquito repellent. We had 45 minutes until 12 and if we wanted to get there in time, we would have to leave in ten minutes.

"Tiffany, why did you not want to go?"

"I went here last summer for camp, no one mentioned a traditional cave meeting."

"Well, maybe no one wanted to invite you." Brittney butted into our conversation.

"Shut up, Brittney," Asmaa spoke up.

"Asmaa, don't bother it's physically impossible for her to do that," Riley sighed, giving a reassuring smile at the her.

"OKAY!"

"Shhhhh!" We all hissed at Eva.

Her face turning red, she pointed at the clock, saying "We have to go," In what I think was supposed to be a whisper.

I led the way to our door. I slowly opened it, careful not to make a noise. Stepping out of the room, I peered into the hallway where the cabin proved to be clear and deserted without any signs of light. I placed one foot in front of the other careful not to make a noise.

"Can you go any faster?" Britney hissed in my ear, too close for comfort.

"Shhh," everyone behind me hissed in unison.

I noticed a light under Page's door turned on. We all froze, holding our breath, horrified of being caught. None of us daring to move an inch. After what seemed like forever, the lights finally turned off. I released the breath I was holding and continued on. I took one, two, three, steps to the edge of the stairs. Anxiously placing my foot on the first step I awaited a loud creak sound... which didn't come. Relieved I took the next step, then the next step then the next, then the next CRRREEEEAAAK!!!! I could feel everyone behind me flinch at the loud sound disturbing the silence. Reluctantly, I continued, taking the last two steps I was on the first floor. Ten feet away was the door that would take us outside and free us from having to be silent. I decided to just wing it and made a run for the door. CREAK! CREAK! CREAK! GREAK! CREAK! CREAK! I wasn't the only one who wung it; Natalie, Nicole, Tiny, Tiffany, and Riley did as I did which produced a lot more creaks and groans. While the rest of the girls took their time, especially Megan and Asmaa. In what felt like forever most of us were in arms reach of the door, except Brittney.

"We could just leave her," I heard Nicole mutter.

"No, if we do, she'll rat us out," Riley responded a little to loudly.

I kept myself from shushing her, learning my lesson from last time. I wasn't the only one, no one shushed her. At the rate Brittney was going, we would get outside by 5am. To make her hurry I let her think we were leaving her by opening the door, imidietly we all heard

CREEK GR. GR CREEEEEEK CREKEKEK, I smiled as I heard the floor moan under Brittney's weight. When she got to the door, they all turned their heads to me waiting for me to open the door wider. When opened, all of us anxious to get out of the house scurried if the porch onto the glorious dirt road. Releasing the breath we didn't know we were holding. I looked on into the wood and it was pitch black, "Ladies, lights on."