Not anymore

The next morning.

"You know what I find weird?" asked Maddie as she looked at Matt and Annie as they took down their tents.

"What?" asked Annie.

"The fact that Curtis always seems to disappear and go to who knows where so early in the morning, I mean I find it suspicious" said Maddie as she shook her head.

Everything was fine, Annie and Matt finally made up, she was forced to be nice to Ollie, everything was alright, but the only odd factor here was Curtis, he was just so secretive that It was alarming,

"I have to agree with you Maddie, I don't know where he went to" said Ollie.

"I woke up this morning, and he was gone" said Ollie as he was also suspicious of Curtis, there was just something off, something that he was not telling them.

"I don't know what it is, but Curtis is hiding something" said Matt as he just had to say it, that was how he felt.

"I know right?" asked Maddie.

"How come he always likes to disappear? Going to who knows where?" asked Maddie.

"I don't know, but there is something that he's not telling us, that is clear, it makes no sense why he is always so secretive" said Maddie as this was past her distrust for Curtis, this was something more, they did not know what exactly Curtis was up to.

Ollie looked at Annie, as if asking her with his eyes if she knew what was up with Curtis, but Annie just sighed, she knew nothing at all.

"I am just as clueless as you all are, he doesn't tell me anything, not anymore, and honestly, I am just worried for him, what if there is something dangerous that he is not telling us?" asked Annie.

"Well if that really was the case, it would be best for him to tell us, instead of purposely waking up early to leave, so none of us will see him or stop him, and we don't even know where he goes" said Maddie.

"I don't know… he's been… distant lately" said Annie as she could not help but feel that It was her fault in some way that Curtis was like this.

"You know what I say, I say that we follow him next time… to see where he actually goes" said Ollie as he really wanted to know what Curtis was truly up to.

"I agree with you, we should follow him the next time" said Matt as he nodded his head, Ollie was right, they should follow Curtis, so they could erase all their doubt and suspicion of him.

"I agree, we should follow him" said Maddie as she looked at Annie, after all, it all rested on her, if she trusted Curtis and she did not want them to follow him, then they would stay behind, but if not, they would all go together then.

"I agree, I am curious, and also I am worried that there is something dangerous that Curtis is not telling us… I don't know why, but I feel like that is the case" said Annie as she shook her head, that was how she felt, she felt like that deep in her bones.

She did not know why, but she thought that maybe it was because Curtis was her guardian and they were connected, but she felt some pain… although she did not feel it directly, but sometimes she just got dizzy and she felt like she should have been feeling pain, but she did not.

"Why do you think so Annie?" asked Maddie.

"I don't know why exactly but… I don't know, I feel like I should be feeling pain, but I don't" said Annie.

"I don't know, I can't explain it… but… worried about Curtis" said Annie as she knew that they must all think that she was speaking weirdly, but she knew what she felt, and it made her feel even more uneasy.

"You don't have to explain it Annie, we believe you" said Matt as he smiled.

"Thank you" said Annie as she smiled at Matt, she just loved that they were back to being good friends, just like normal.

"Well so that settles it, the next time Curtis wakes up early, we follow him" said Maddie as she was ready to catch Curtis in the act of whatever he was doing.

"Yes, but in order to do that, he must know the exact time he wakes up, and we all have to wake up at that time" said Ollie.

"I suggest that we watch his pattern for the next few days, and once we are sure of his pattern, we follow after him, that way, we will have an accurate result" said Ollie.

"That is a good idea, I think that we should do that" said Matt as he had tot give it to Ollie, he really thought everything through before he spoke, he might have been annoying, but he was intelligent as well.

"I agree, that is a good idea Prince Oliver" said Annie as she smiled.

"Ollie" said Ollie as he corrected her once again.

"Sorry Ollie" said Annie as she laughed sheepishly, she did not know why she always called him Prince Oliver, even though he had corrected her not to do so, so many times, she guessed that she was just used to it.

"But yes, thank you" said Ollie as he smiled, at least someone appreciated his genius.

"But if we are going to do that, we can't make is obvious that we are watching Curtis, and believe me that will be hard, because Curtis is always very careful and watchful, if he senses that we are all acting weird, he probably will clear his tracks" said Matt.

"Yeah that's true" said Annie as she knew that Curtis was way too observant, and that was a bad thing in this case.

"Then, don't make is obvious then" said Maddie as they all turned to look at her.

"Just act like everything is fine and alright, as long as don't act suspicious, Curtis won't suspect a thing" said Maddie.

"Of course that is easy for you to say Maddie, you are a good actor" said Annie as she laughed.

"She is?" asked Ollie as he was surprised at this new piece of information about Maddie, he really did not know a lot about her.

"Yes she is, she can pretend really well" said Matt as he laughed.

"Oh thank you for the flattery guys, keep them coming, I do admit that I am a good actor, I do try" said Maddie as she smiled and Ollie just looked at her, there was more to Maddie that he did not know.

"Of course Maddie, of course" said Annie as she laughed.

"Alright, but on a serious note, just act like everything is normal, and well, Curtis will not change his behaviour at all" said Maddie.

"Alright then" said Annie.

"So it's settled, we will watch Curtis for a few days, we will act like nothing is wrong" said Ollie.

"Sounds easy enough" said Matt.

"What sounds easy enough?" asked Curtis as Annie, Maddie, Matt and Ollie all turned to look at him, just where did he come from? And when did he walk that they did not hear him?

"We were talking about how untying the knot on this tent sounds easy enough" said Maddie as she looked at Curtis and she stepped in, seeing as the rest of them looked very surprised by how Curtis just arrived so quickly.

"Yes Curtis, we were talking about the knot" said Ollie as Maddie looked at him and she shot him a glare, why did it sound like he was a robot being given script directions, so much for being stealthy.

Ollie just shot Maddie a sorry look, he was not a good actor, and also he did not like lying, he was a bad liar, which was why he did not lie in the first place.

"I see" said Curtis as he felt like there was something weird going on, but of course Maddie and Ollie were arguing as usual, which was very normal.

"Yes, so where did you go Curtis?" asked Annie as she looked at Curtis.

"I went to scout the area" said Curtis.

"Ahh… I see" said Annie as that was Curtis's answer for everything, it was just plain annoying at this point, how many times would he use that same lame excuse?

"Yes" said Curtis.

"Anyway, Maddie come and help me with breakfast" said Curtis as he just figured that maybe he was overreacting.

"Okay Curtis" said Maddie as she smiled and she followed after Curtis and she turned around as she shook her head at Ollie, this guy was bad, he was a bad actor, he was better off not on their team.

"Sorry" said Ollie as he laughed sheepishly as Annie just laughed, there was nothing for him to be sorry about.