The Lake house

AFTERMATH

The storm slowly gave way to a serene weather which softly flowed around the dark bushes in very early hours of the morning, swirling around the dark forest trees and fondling their wet leaves with its calm movements which dribble down small quantities of water on the wet ground after the violent storm had ravage through the valley sweeping away frail trees and dry leaves into the dark open field leaving quite a a good number of wet grasses who were strong enough to withstand the cataclysmic effect of the violent storm while the tall grasses that formed a maze with dried roses stood unshaken by the storm but couldn't evade the heavy down pour of rain which the dark clouds released down on earth. The lake beside the stonehouse wasn't quite calm during the raging storm which stir its waters towards the bank slamming the sandy ground with hard water that obeys the unstable direction of wind while unleashing scary bolts of lightening on the misty sky as well as on surface area of the earth including the hard barks of huge trees at the eastern valley of the landmass beside the ocean. Even the large ocean has a fair share of its violence as it kept ebbing hard on the sandy beach with its harsh tidal movements which propell fair amount of water against some rocks at the seashore where Stacy and Ruth had spent the hot afternoon in their swimming suit leaving the beach completely wet with salt water especially the area where the beach party was held which was now sheerly deserted by the remaining guest and had gone to the camp after completing arrangements of prominent equipments used for the party especially the large freezer that Max used to keep the drinks, in order to take refuge from the imminent storm that was about to pour down heavy rainfall in the region. Although the frame tents in the camp wasn't sufficient enough to cater for the female guests, they still managed to keep themselves warm and cozy despite the harsh rain which wasn't friendly with the tents as it kept pouring down hard throbs of water on the plastic roof of each frame tents. The ghastly cataclysm effect left by the violent storm had left many fragile trees around the campsite severely damaged leaving a huge pile of wet logs lying on damp surface of the soil beneath the wet shrubs and bushes which obscured the pathway to the beach and had left the side mirrors of Michael's van severely broken apart after being violently slammed with a huge windforce , against the front part of the vehicle due to its nuts that wasn't strong enough to hold it firmly in place under the raging storm

Before the storm began, Rose had already made necessary arrangements for the shelter of both campers and the female guests inside the tents available for them to take refuge from the harsh storm. They had shared themselves into six groups in accordance with the total number of frame tent available in the camp and had placed six guests inside Stanley's empty tent as the first group, while three other empty tents belonging to the campers, sheltered four guests each leaving Rose and Leo who was actually sleep in Jake's tent to shelter four more guests each including themselves, making five individuals in both tents. Stanley had invited twenty six females to the party excluding the males who had gone in search of the others and were actually forty in total which greatly outnumbered the six campers which made the six Frame tents to be present in camp, which were used to shelter twenty six female teenagers from the storm. By chance, Rose had placed Amanda in Jake's tent to spend the night with Leo and three other female teenagers whom she barely knew. Although the three female guests including found it very cozy inside Jake's tent, they were still irritated by Leo's constant snoring which prevented them from having a good sleepover as they lay beside each other away from Leo. At far end of the eastern valley, a group of male teenagers led by Michael, plodded through the dark forest under the cover of darkness after taking inadequate shelter under the storm and had suffered a few casualties incurred on his team because of some queer encounter with an unknown savage tribe in that had their encampment a bit farther inland away from the sea situated in the northeastern region of the landmass. Michael had led his detached team towards the eastern direction as agreed upon by all the males including the other team leaders and decided to search for the missing campers through the beach path but couldn't find them. As they continue to tread on the pathway farther into the eastern region, some of them had became weary of the continued search and tried to return back to the camp but failed to do so since Michael had too then to wait for his call before they could change their direction.

"I give up!.., I totally feel exhausted", one of guys name Julian, said breaking the long silence as his feet that was laced with red rubber shoes and sank his feet on the sandy beach which the team had been treading for some time in search of the missing campers.

"Yeah, me too. I feel so fatigued", a guy beside him rejoined and peered at the farthest distance away from the beach into some dark forest. Some of his teammates were also feeling very weary because of the long walk but didn't tell anyone else of how they truly felt.

"Hey Max, do have any Idea where we are heading to?his", his

"No, I don't but I think you should go tell ask your leader about it", Max suggest gazing angrily at Michael who wasn't paying attention to him. Before Julian could utter a word, Michael beckoned to Max including everyone's else to stop and rest for a while before continue again. The others including Michael instantly fell down tired with broad smile as they swiftly obeyed and said that they was should rest for a while until they get new order to change their direction to the northeastern forest where they would check out the area for the missing campers which they did after resting for several minutes. Unknown to them, Julian and four others have snuck out the resting team and obliviously headed towards the territory of the Nazimba tribe where they were almost killed by savage warriors who had spotted them trespassing into their territory..

Julian had noticed a weirdo dressed in savage clothes that was trying to keep an eye on them behind the dark trees with aid of moon which enabled him to make out the shadow of the tribesman behind and had warned the other four who also spotted him and came to conclusion that they must have ventured into their domain by mistake which made change their direction away from their territory facing the western direction way behind from their team which had gone ahead leaving them to continue the task assigned to them after noticing their absence from the team.

"Let's go back to our team. We won't last another day if we decide to stay here", a black fellow named Teddy whispered softly puffing out cold air from his lungs and walked on trying to catch up with the trios in front of him as they were heading back to catch up with the team that has left them behind after luckily evade being followed by the tribesman who they thought had lost their trail back to the team who were searching for the missing campers.

"That's where we're going Teddy. Didn't you heard anything I said earlier?", Julian inquired taking quick glances back at him as he kept moving forward.

"Nah, I was just distracted by......", Teddy was about to complete his statement when a flying arrow pierce through his right arm from behind leaving the others totally horrified by swift arrows flying over their heads.

"Aargh! I've been hit pretty bad", Teddy groaned loudly in pain as he stumbled forward towards a nearby tree while Julian and two others hastily ran off into the dark bushes in fear of being struck by an arrow leaving behind Bernard totally lifeless on the ground who struck by another arrow on his throat which throttled hin to his demise while Teddy ran towards another direction after noticing the lifeless body on the black ground but four tribesman followed him behind. The other tribesman began to track the trail of the escapades which they unknowningly left behind until they traced the them to the Michael's squad who had rescued the escapades and had decided to return back to the camp after finding no trace of the missing campers. The tribesman watched them hidden in the shadows waiting for the order from their leader to strike and a perfect chance attack them who was oblivious to fact that some of them might be lurking in shadows watching them as they form a procession back to camp trampling forward on the soft grass under the cover of darkness until someone from their group, who had a problem with his flashlight gently hit it with his hands in order to restore the fading light and accidentally shone it into the dark bushes behind them, into the bony faces of their leader who was quite shocked by the sudden light which shone into his eyes and shrieked loudly in pain as he tried to regain his sight which made some of the tribesmen to come out their hiding place to rescue their leader.

Michael swiftly shouted to his crew to escape immediately after noticing that the tribesmen were fully armed with combat weapons especially bows and arrows which were mostly carried by the tribesmen.

"Everyone! Quickly run forward away from them! Now!", Michael screamed on top of his voice and broke out into a wild run away into the dark bushes after ordering his eighteen teen crew to depart immediately away into the dark forest to safety by taking any direction that could lead them away from being killed by the tribesmen. The procession scattered into a desperate run for survival as more teens successfully capitalized on the lucky distraction to escape away into the dark forest, running non-stop into any safe haven they could find. Most of them scattered into different angles and bush corners in a desperate run to get away from the tribesmen who were totally confused at the occuring scene where different bodies swiftly escape into the outer darkness leaving them aghast and unable to fire a single arrow at them.

The approaching storm had begun gathering mild but dark clouds stretching over the whole area concealing moon including the dark forest which shrouded the dark forest completely leaving the whole area in total darkness. An irregular hurrying footsteps trot through the dark bushes trampling hard on the soft grass towards an unknown destination, running against leaves beneath the tall trees on the forest floor as the figure headed towards the dark path in hope of escaping away from the hands savage hunters who seek their life. Michael trot forward non-stop until he came to a huge tree which stretches upwards spreading it branches to cover a dense layer of shrubs beneath it's root. He sat on its roots panting heavily, trying to relax his tired breathe that seems to create an irregular tide on his chest, puffing out strong wind as he struggled to regain his regular rhythm of his breath. After a while, his lungs suddenly regain its former rhythmic respiration that creates a calmness over his chest allowing him to respire freely with the cold air and then he placed his head on top of his thigh with his weary legs on the tree root. He had succeeded in escaping from the tribesmen who seems not intrigued by their presence in the forest and wondered what happened to rest of his crew he was chosen to lead after he had abandoned them behind to the mercy of the tribesmen in order to save himself from the clutches of demise. A thought came to him into his unstable mind about the unknown fate of the missing campers and what might have befell them when they were at the party having fun oblivious to a possible attack maybe carried out by the savage tribesmen and were taken prisoners to their hideout. He was still in deep thought when he heard a slight movement of leaves behind the huge tree which brought him back to the present reality which was a bit too far scary for him but he silently turned his head backwards to see what shook the leaves and was surprised to see a guy resting his back on the tree with his black eyes totally shut.

"Max......is that you?", He mumbled out using his croaked voice which resounded outside and within his dry throat and prod his shoulder which woke him up allowing his white eyes to gleam in the darkness. He stared at Michael blankly for a while unable to decipher his face because of the darkness and looked away from him to see four teens emerging from the shadows plodding towards them as they trampled hard on the dry soil and made their way to the tree, sitting down on its branches. Michael gently sat down beside Max who seems to have figured out that it was him after all and peered at the weary teens who looked wretched with part of clothes turn out.

"It's gonna rain soon, Shouldn't we go back to the camp?", Max asked peering blankly into the dark bushes that sway gently to the wind while he sat there beside Michael who didn't seem to hear since he was in deep thought.

"We.... have to wait for the others to come first before we can leave", Michael replied caressing his flashlight with his right hand.

"What if... those bushmen come again?", Max asked again trying to calm down his fears and sniffed loudly

"I... don't care. I can't forsake the others again to save my life", Michael replied placing his flashlight under the root which rested on soft grasses and beckoned on the four teens to come nearer which they did.

"Alright but what about the rain? Will the shade be sufficient enough to shelter us from the storm?", Max asked again feeling anxious about the weather which has gotten very terrible and black.

"I don't know man... but I think it will do. It won't be enough to keep our bodies from getting wet but we can't go forward since we have to wait for the others", Michael said picking up a twig from the ground and twisting it slightly in order to keep his troubled mind busy. They became quiet for a while waiting for the heavy down pour of rain to descend on the earth and kept looking at the dark bushes from where the other teens came from. Few minutes pass and the clouds finally unleashed its gathered rain on the earth surface pouring down hard rain together with the storm wind that bends every branches of every tree including the gigantic tree that sheltered Michael and the others who were finding it difficult to withstand the heavy storm but they remained undaunted by the rain.

"Do you have faith that the others may come?!", Max asked aloud breaking the long silence which envelopes them completely despite the harsh rain fall which almost deafened their ear with its heavy fall on the entire tree.

"I don't know either ...I just wanna be here waiting for them!", Michael screamed out loudly trying to make his voice heard under the harsh sounds of the rain. The rain kept on pouring hard descending heavily on every hidden corner of forest which drove out some teens who were desperate in need of a shelter and swept them out of their hiding places to the huge tree which partially protected them underneath. Six more teens came dashing forward to take cover under the tree from the terrible storm which added to the rest four behind making it ten lucky escapades who survived among the eighteen teen crew while eight other survivors had luckily found their way to the rocky beach which stretches way farther west towards the bare beach where the party was organized but were severe drenched by the rain even when they looked for a good spot to shelter themselves from the harsh wind. Michael waited for a while hoping the remaining eight might appear from the dark forest but no one else came until the storm had used up its energy allowing the rain to subside which gave way to a tranquil night with an afterwave of chilly cold breeze that tortured the bare flesh of the frail bodies underneath the tree which forced Michael to lead the ten survivors with Max towards the western area of the valley, venturing towards the main camp leaving behind eight luckily survivors who unknown to them were still alive. The eight survivors came out of their hiding places with their clothes all wet and soaked completely but they remained unshaken even by the chilly cold that followed suit after the cataclysmic storm had cease its rampage over many branches and venture into the dark beach were the sand had caked up making muddy to walk on.

"Whereee.... do we go next?", One of eight asked a figdety question to Julian who seems to focus on getting to the camp in order to get warmth rather than to give a suitable response to the question he heard behind him.

"To.... the..cammp... moron", Julian responded in the same way trying hard fight his shivering nerves that sends chills all over his wet body. He was walking hastily in front beside two others while the rest five plodded forward due to the intense cold they felt engulfing their whole body.

"Ryan....arre you...ssure this' the wayy to the campp?", Another guy asked from behind trying to keep his lips still from stuttering uncontrollably.

"I...dddon't know. Maybe...we are on... thhhe right track", Ryan replied squeezing both his triceps under his short sleeve with all his might as he walked hastily on the beach trying to ensure he doesn't freeze to death before reaching the camp. They continue treading on wet beach heading to the campsite as they trampled on the wet soil, carry muddy sand under their footwear which printed their tracks on the beach but lucky for them, the harsh storm had chase away the savage tribesmen back to their hideout giving them free chance to escape unscathed. Meanwhile, a strange figure pushed its way into out of the woods into steep and high rocky plain which reach far down into the ocean depth, the figure had been chased by four savages who lost track of him because of the terrible storm which drove them back to their hideout. Teddy had escape out of their clutches but one of his hands sustained a minor blow to his arm and looked at the arrow which luckily evaded the vital artery. He looked around seeing no one, he got up from the ground with his wet clothes and stumbled backwards venturing into the dark bushes again in order for him to return safely to the camp.

Back at the camp, Rose had gotten out of her thick blanket iwithout arousing any noise and went outside after fully dressed in a thick overall leaving four female teenagers behind to continue to their enless sleep into the very early hours of the chilly night. She took out a flashlight from the store house using the keys Jake had given to her and walked past two tents striding forward to the entrance of the camp in order to ascertain the queer source of a noise she had heard coming out of the bushes since her frame tent was a bit closer to dark shrubs beside the perimeter of the camp but found nothing. Trudging slowly on the wet ground outside the entrance in order to fully observe the origin of the queer noise using her large red flashlight, she walked closer to the a huge pile of damaged logs which obscured the usual pathway to the beach but left out a tight space for her to squeeze through the logs to the dark bushes where she tread slowly on the wet grass to the beach where she also saw nothing except a broken piece Michael's broken side mirror together with two broken tables that lay close to ocean that rolled its calm tidal wave over it. She gaze at the lifeless van which stood there lifeless with two broken side mirror swaying gently dancing to the chilly tunes of the wind which exposes part of its loose wires of red and blue color that ran from the inside where its held fasten along with the rusted nuts which was lying on the beside the front tires. She stood observing the insides of the van including the drivers seat but saw no one except the fixed components part of steering in front of the driver's seat while a bronze statue stood on its dash board and after checking inside, she stood beside the first side mirror wrenched it away from the van which remain silent and toss it away into the bush. The other side mirror wasn't severely damaged so she left it alone walking on the party ground where she remained quiet for some time in order to listen to calm ocean. then She headed towards the broken tables and picked it up carrying it away to the camp but stopped abruptly in her tracks immediately after she heard some twigs breaking endlessly inside the dark bushes in the opposite direction coming out from inside. she dropped the broken leg of the plastic and trot without delay towards the entrance after venturing through the pathway which she had come to the beach and arrived at the entrance of the camp waiting to see who emerges from the bush. Although she was desperate to know who might emerge from the forest, she still held her flashlight in trepidation and anxiously faced the direction of the approaching noise and her kept throbbing inside her chest in anticipation of whoever might come out from the bushes while the sound grew louder as it drew closer making her feel more anxious to the encroaching footsteps couple with some noise of broken branches falling helpless on the ground elevating her intense emotions to express extreme curiosity of the approaching figures.

She grasped her flashlight firmly, griping it with all her might in expectancy of the approaching figures who emerged out of dark forest in wild procession of ten teens led by Michael and Max who strode besSheide him peering at Rose with his white eyes that glittered in the darkness while the wet teens fall behind stepping on small twigs with their tired feet. Rose had expected to see her dear friend coming outside of the woods safe and sound, running into her wide open arms but she was disappointed by the weary sight of the search party who had gone in search of her friends from the eastern direction to back to the camp. Michael looked despondent with a feeling of fatigued muscle he led procession to the entrance of camp and stood in front of Rose who stood looking horrified at his wretched appearance while the others including Max encircled them waiting for his last order to get inside the campsite in order to warm up their cold bodies. Rose totally bereft of words when she gaze motionless at him but he wasn't surprised that she would overwhelmed to see him looking like a swamp king with his entourage behind him waiting to be disperse.

"How.... come you and the others look so unkempt?", She asked with a croaked voice due to the obstructions caused by the presence of catarrh inside her nostrils as reaction to the cold breeze and stood peering at the small wet crowd that encircled her. She used her flashlight to scan their soaked bodies that had been fully drenched by the passing rain.

"It's a...huh.. kinda.... of a long story", He stuttered in reply struggling to overcome his cold lips that has laid cracks on it,He look at once more but decided to shelf the long talk for now because of his intense desperation to get his whole body warmed up. He gaze at the others looking surprised at their loyalty to wait for him to enter the camp before they march inside but he was furious with them for waiting under the intense cold that has risen up in the atmosphere after the terrible storm instead of running inside in order to dry up their wet bodies including receiving a hot bath which would reduce their cold temperature. He was about to bark at them to leave when he suddenly remembered that the female guests must have taken shelter inside each frame tents from the previous storm and might still be in bed right now to warm themselves up from the intense cold that followed.

"Is there any..... space for....us.. inside the camp?", He asked shivering slightly and returned his gaze back to her while Max suddenly sneezed out dribbles of catarrh on the wet grass behind his back which attracted their attention.

"Yes, there's only one open space for all of you right now and that's the store house which I believe is the perfect place to get away from the cold and since it's quite small more heat will engulf you guys", She replied raising her flashlight towards the bush Max had discharge his murky liquid from his nostrils.

"And is... shut right... now?", He asked with his beard trying to stay calm as his cold lips and teeth shiver violently because of his nerves trying to help him fight out the cold.

"Yes, it's but don't worry about that, I have the keys to the store house and I think that you guess should wait for me at the store house while I go bring the keys from my tent", She replied and dash through the entrance while the others including himself hurriedly trot passed the gates sailing passed the tents and headed straight for the storehouse which they found totally shut but they gathered there standing close to each other in order to generate any ounce of heat left inside their system while she went straight to her tent in order to retrieve the keys handed over to her by Jake who hasn't returned yet with his team. She silently ransacked her luggage in search of the keys which she had placed beside her former fancy mattress which was occupied by another female who lay asleep beside her while kept on checking to see if she had kept the keys there but couldn't find it. She stood up and thought about where she must have kept it after they were done cleaning up the mess in the storage room but only vague thoughts came into her mind which greatly distress her since she was keeping the others out in the cold waiting to enter storehouse in order to get warmth from the cold. She paced around trying to figure out what to do since she couldn't recall where she had kept or who she gave it to and as kept on thinking of what to do next, a gentle voice behind her preventing her from going back and forth inside the tight space where other female were fast asleep.

Hey, what's wrong? Is there a problem?", The voice whispered in the dark to her which made her turn around to figure out who spoke to her and peered at Emily who lay on her bed with her murky hair scattered on the soft pillow. She looked at her and figured that she must have woken her up with her silent noise which wasn't quiet enough not to attract her attention.

"No.. there isn't, please go back to bed. It's nothing serious for you to worry about", She said coaxingly with a gentle smile across her face trying to persuade her to sleep in order for her to think clearly but Emily won't yield to her sweet demand.

"It's okay, I was already wide awake anyway before you came inside. You should tell me why you were searching your clothes and pacing around just now in order for the problem to the solved quickly without having rack your brains out alone", Emily replied with a nice joke which made Rose giggle silently and looked at her from where she lay her head with ringlets of her hair caressing her shoulders.