‡ Promise 8: Odd Behavior ‡

-As told by Jody-

hen I didn't find them standing at their lockers, I went looking for Tommy and Lily, stopping by the cafeteria first. I thought maybe they had already gotten a table and were waiting for me. But after scanning the room, I realized they weren't there, not in our usual spot or otherwise. So, I went looking around the halls and finally found them in a vacant corner, talking. But when I approached them, asking them about the last sentence I overheard, they looked nervous and spooked. Lily has came up with an answer that didn't make sense...
"To ask him for help for a math test." she had said. Tommy is very bad at math, his best only being a C, and most of the time he wasn't at his best. And for Tommy to instruct her to call his cell, for math problems, was even more bizarre. They looked nervous and guilty about something, but I let it go, deciding that it didn't matter. And maybe it wouldn't have, if things didn't get more bizarre and suspicious. When I drove Lily home, that afternoon, she made an excuse why I couldn't come in, something about doing chores and her mother nagging her. It just seemed odd that someone like her would worry over chores.
But I drove off, thinking that maybe I was imagining things, and headed for my mother's bookstore to talk with Tommy. I walked into the shop and noticed that the usual computer stall was empty. "What wrong, baby bunny?" my mother asks. "Did Tommy stop by today?" I ask her. "No," she shrugs, "Why?" That's when I could no longer deny it, "Something strange is going on here." Tommy always stops by, searching for imaginary monsters on the net, for the past four years. Why would he just quit? I knew they both were planning something and it involved Keith somehow.
So later that evening, I sat in the window of my bedroom and kept an eye on Tommy's house, which is just across the street from mine. I studied for a upcoming science test, every now and then peeking through the window, for signs of Tommy. But I got way into my studies and forgot to watch for a while, so I didn't notice the time, realizing that it was late and I haven't changed into my night-clothes yet. "Crap." I frown, putting my books away neatly, and taking one last glance outside. That's when I saw him, Tommy was sneaking out the house with a duffle bag.
"What is he doing?" I moan, looking at my alarm clock. It was nearly nine! So, I did something I never done before... I sneak out of the house. I felt as if I was going to be caught at any moment, my heart racing, as I hopped into my car and started it. Tommy has a fifteen minute head start, but I know he was most likely headed for Lily's place, and I was right. I pulled up and parked a ways down from Tommy, with my headlights off so he wouldn't notice me. As soon as I put the car in park, I could see Tommy answering his cell in his car, under the street lamp's glow.
"What are they planning?" I frown, studying the movements in his conversation, "A date?" And then I snickered at the thought. It was hard imagining Lily and Tommy in a deep embrace and kissing under the stars. It seemed highly unnatural on many levels. But before I could laugh more, I spotted Tommy leaving his car, with the duffle, and heading for the backdoor of Lily's house. I waited until he disappeared around the other side of the house, before I left my car and followed. Being careful and keeping my back against the white sliding of the house, I inched my way towards the corner of the house and then leaned slightly for a peek.
Tommy has tossed the bag over the fence, then himself and Lily climbed over after. "What's in the bag?" she had asked. "Things we might need." he answered. At first, this confused me, then I remember Lily telling us about finding Keith in the woods. I became angry, realizing what they were up to, they were going to harass Keith Rolmir! I had to stop them. I climbed the fence, stumbling on the landing and scraping my knee a bit. But I was too angry to care about that pain, running after them. It was dark and I could hardly see, not to mention that I had no idea which direction they went in. I tried to look for footprints, but the ground was too dark.
"Crap." I frown, not sure what to do now. Until I heard movement up ahead. I followed it, thinking of all the choice words I would have for them. I thought about how they both looked me in the eye and said they would stop this madness at lunch; how Lily said she would stop spying on Keith; and all the lies they've told me since this afternoon. I was getting angrier by the second, running through the woods, trying to stop two maniacs for being sued by a famous writer for stalking. They change direction and I follow, now running wild, and catching up fast.
As I turned through some trees, I heard Lily's frighten voice coming from a nearby bush. I pulled apart the foliage of the plant, to reveal two very frighten people, who's paranoid minds were convince I was some type of forest monster. I was so angry, seeing Lily clutching a cross and Tommy a ax, that I forgot my whole angry speech that I had prepared in my mind. I could only shout, "I knew it! I knew you two were up to something!" There was a look of confusion on their faces, then relief, then fear again. "J-Jody?" sputters Tommy, "W-What are you d-doing here?"
"Trying to stop two maniacs," I spat, "From getting themselves arrested! Two people who I thought were my friends, but lied to me, several times! What are you doing here?" Both exchanged guilty and helpless looks with each other. "I know what you're doing," I frown, not giving them a chance to explain, "You guys have decided that Keith Rolmir is some type of forest demon and you're going defeat him and send him back to hell. Right?" "No," frowns Lily, "Well... that's pretty close, but that's not all accurate."
"What?" I said shrilly, pointing to the cross, "He's a vampire now?" Lily looks at her hands, blushes a deep shade of red, and tosses the cross to the side. "We thought we were being chased by him!" yells Tommy, frustrated, "He's an immortal, Jody! Lily went into his house, yesterday, and she got attacked by this weird creature. And she lost a molar!" My head felt like it was going to spin right off my neck. "What? " I hissed, "You went into his house?! Lily! You both have lost it! Seriously, get a hobby, talk to a shrink, do something to help yourselves!"
"No!" roars Tommy, causing me to step back a little, "You don't get to do that! If you want to be closed-minded and don't believe us, fine. But you don't have a right to judge us and insult us! No one invited you here, so just go home, Jody!" I've never seen Tommy get so angry, it surprised me and obvious it surprised Lily too. She gave me a quick shrug and looked in Tommy's direction with worry. "Maybe we should all calm down," I nod, "And go home? Let's talk about it at-" "Forget that!" he yells, "If you want to go home, then go home! Lily and I have business to take care of, despite what you think. We're finding the proof tonight!"
"But it's wrong!" I yell, more worried than anything else now, "You'll get in trouble!" "If you want to narc on us, then do so." he continues, "But don't expect us to be your friend anymore!" "Wait," said Lily, "Isn't that a little harsh?" "No, it's not!" he yells, "I'm going now. Are you still in or not, Lily?" "Y-yeah." she said. "Tag along if you want." Tommy said to me, coldly, "If not, leave us alone." I couldn't leave them alone, so I did tag along, a little hurt by Tommy's attitude.
After a while of walking, we came across a row of trees, which seemed to make an twenty feet long arch with it's branches. Under this arch was a cleared pathway, as if someone had neatly swept the dirt, so that a person may pass. "This is it." nods Tommy, "This is probably where his source is." "Source?" I ask. "For his mortality." explains Lily, as if it was the most normal explanation in the world. I was fearing for the sanity of my friends, but said nothing, fearing another angry burst from Tommy more. "Let's go." says Tommy. "Wait," frowns Lily, "We're going in?"
Thank you!, screams my mind, relieved that at least Lily didn't completely lose it. "Why not?" asks Tommy, a little confused by Lily's hesitation. "Don't you think you should have the ax ready, first." she frowns. "Oh," he blushes, removing it from his duffle once more, "Right. Just in case." I was crushed, my heart racing and my head spinning. "No!" I blurt out, "What if this is private property of Keith? What if he's here? What if he calls the cops on us for trespassing?" Both of them gave me a look; Lily's sympathetic and Tommy's annoyed.
"Look," says Lily, "He's probably not there. We wasted a lot of time arguing and screaming, back there. The ax is for just in case. If it's too much for you to handle, you can wait here and we'll come back for you." "No," I sigh, "Fine. We'll go to jail together." "Jail?" laughs Tommy, "He's not going to call the cops, I'm sure! Don't worry, Jody. Just trust us, please?" I gave a shrug, hoping they would take that mean, "sure, whatever.", when I really meant "I give up, we're all doomed." We walked a few steps under the arch, when something shifted.
We were falling very quickly and hit something hard. It happened so fast, that I'm a little confused about the situation. Did we all trip on something and hit the ground? I look down and notice that my hand is resting in a human femur. I scream, pulling my hand away, only to rest my hand on more human remains! The ground is covered with bones! I look up and the arch of trees are gone, the sky is smokey red, and huge mutated ravens fly overhead. Screams surrounds us, louder than our own, as we huddled together in dizzying fear.