Chapter 4: Hop On In

I looked over at Zachary, as I was kind of annoyed by his presence, not just at this very moment, due to the fact that he had scared both me and Alexander, but also due to the fact that I was never much of a fan of the guy in the first place, as he was more just one of Alexander's pals, as we were simply just mutual friends.

It was not that he was a bad guy or any thing, by any means, as my group, or rather, Alexander's group of friends were not ones to go around bullying people, besides the times where Alexander went to go mess around with some of the nerds, which was a bit of a different story, because of how many times they had snitched on us, when we had done things in class.

I just really did not like Zachary that much, due to the fact that me and him had a bit of a different sense of humor, and we were in to things that were a lot different than the things that he tended to like to do. The guy seemed to be a bit cool, but he was not a guy that I felt like I wanted to spend my free time hanging out with him.

I shook off all of those thoughts how ever, at the exact same time too, on the fact that it was more important as to the current situation that was on our hands right now. I looked over at Alexander, waiting for him to punch on the side of Zachary, like he always did when he did stupid shit like that, but to my surprise, for some odd reason or another too, I saw Alexander had his head to the ground, as if he had some different type of thoughts in his brain at the current moment.

It was a bit of a surprise to me, as to the fact that he had some thing in his head, due to the fact that Zachary had jumped out to scare the both of us, as he rarely if ever, let any thing scare him like he was right now. Much less a simple jump scare like that, which had me at a bit of a stump in the trail.

I was a bit worried for my friend, as I could in fact tell that some thing was not quite right with him at this very moment, and I was not so sure as to what it was that I should say about it, as I could still hear Zachary laughing as loud as he possibly could, as if he was purposely trying to get every one's attention on him in the parking lot right now.

He did a fairly good job at it too, as I saw a lot of people turn their heads over to us, but quickly look away from us at the exact same time too, as they then realized just who it was that was laughing in the first place. I was glad for it too, as I did not want any one to notice that my friend was weak at this very moment in time, as he usually prided him self in being strong.

I looked at my friend for a bit longer, as I was not too sure as to what it was that I should do at first, but at the same time as well, I also knew that I had to do some thing, before some one actually did notice that some thing was not quite right with him, and they began to spread a whole bunch of rumors, which was another thing that I hated.

I shook my head, as I shook off all of those thoughts all at once, as I got closer to my friend at the same time too, ignoring the fact that Zachary was still laughing obnoxiously loud, as if he had not got over the fact yet, on him letting out, 'a funny joke', as I was sure that was how he viewed it, as it was like I said, we had a much different sense of humor.

I tried my best to not let in bother me, as I got up close to my friend, seeing he had his head down low to the ground, as it was clear that he had some thing in his head all at once too. I let out a bit of a soft sigh to my self, as I then began to speak up to my friend at the same time too, making sure that Zachary could hear it too, that way he knew that this was serious, and that it was not some thing that he needed to simply be joking about right now.

"What's going on man? You haven't been the same since we left that ISS room dude..." I said to him, as I looked at him right in to his eyes at the exact same time too. I was not sure if it was fear that was in his eyes or not, as I did not ever see him afraid, but this very well could be one of those instances how ever, for all that I knew.

Perhaps it had been a chain of events that had led up to this moment, as I was sure that the jump scare that Zachary had pulled on us, was not the reason as to why he was acting in a way such as he was at this very moment in time. Zachary might have just triggered some thing a bit, but I doubt as to him being the sole reason that he was the way that he was right now.

I shook off all of those thoughts all at once, as I was in fact quite a bit worried for my friend, as it was not normal for him to act in such a way as he was doing at this very moment in time, as I shivered, as it had to be some thing that spooked him out quite a bit. Had Zachary known that he was freaked out, and that was why he was laughing so much?

It would make a fair bit of sense, as it was rare when Zachary got a win, so I knew that he was going to brag about it when he did as well. I still could not help but to be a bit worried as to what it was still how ever, as it was not at all normal for him to be like that, and I knew that the both of them had been speaking to each other about our plan for Winter Break.

I put my hand to the shoulder of Alexander, which I did not usually like to do, as I knew that Alexander did not like that, but he knew that I did that when I was speaking to him in a serious tone. I wanted him to know that I was being serious about this, and I was not in on the joke with Zachary for what ever reason it might be.

Alexander how ever, did not seem to respond, nor did he react to a word as to what it was that I had just asked of him a few moments ago, which did in fact have me very worried, as this was not normal at all for him, and it was now starting to scare me a bit, not to the fact as to what Zachary had done, but what was going on with my best friend.

If they actually did have some sort of spooky plan, and it some how freaked freaked out Alexander this much, than I was fairly certain that I was going to be the same way as him, as I was now about ready to say no to this plan, with out even finding out what it could be in the very first place either.

I looked over to Zachary, and I squinted my eyes at him at the exact same time as well, which did not seem to bother him all that much at all sadly, as I was wanting him to know that this was in fact quite a serious situation, and if for once, Alexander thought that it was a bad idea, than I was going to have to join him on that too, even if Zachary would be upset with it, he would have to get over it.

Zachary noticed me looking right at him after a few more seconds, as he took his focus away from Alexander for once, and he then put his eyes on me, as he was a bit lost for just a few moments as I could tell, but he then squinted his eyes at me, as it was kind of what he did when he wanted to try to tell me that he was superior over me.

To be fair, if we were to get in to a fight as well, I was fairly certain that he would in fact beat me, and I really was not trying to get in a fight with him for one thing, as we were still kind of friends I could suppose, and we had not ever got in to any sort of fights, nor any disagreements either.

I was a little bit upset at him for this how ever, though I still did not have a clue as to what it was that Alexander had told him before. At first it seemed to be that Alexander had been excited about it, whilst we had been in the ISS room, so I was not too sure if there had been some thing that Zachary had texted him or not.

I shook off all of those thoughts, as I felt like they did not matter at all right now, as I was more just worried about my friend, as I squinted my eyes right back at Zachary, and after a little bit more of some time as well, I finally did in fact decide that I was going to speak up to the guy too.

"What the hell did you tell him Zachary?" I asked him, with a real serious tone of voice, and a very serious look on my face too. Zachary stood there for a few moments, and he continued to laugh on, as if this was some kind of joke to him. When he saw that I was not laughing with him how ever, that was when he realized that it was not a joke at all.

He blinked his eyes at me, as he then looked at Alexander at the exact same time as well, as he could see that our friend had his head quite a bit low to the ground at the exact same time as well. It was clear that Alexander, just like me, did not view any part of this situation as funny at all.

I was still a bit lost as to why Alexander was acting this way, as it was not normal for him at all, but I knew at the very least how ever, that I needed to back my best friend up. It was like he had said to me once, 'we are bros, man, we got each other through thick and thin... We got each other's back...' he had said to me.

I believed it as well, as there had been plenty of times where I had been the kid that had been bullied, and he had stepped in for me. I also had been his tutor in middle school, so that had a lot to do with it too, as I was the one that was doing his home work for him, and I was doing it for free as well.

No one had ever caught us on it either, as I had not made it obvious, as I made sure that he was the one that was writing on the paper, and I was simply just giving him the answers. That was how we had gotten so close to one another, and we had in fact been at each other's side when shit hit the fan for the both of us.

I was lucky to have a friend as great as him, as I kept my eyes on Zachary at the same time too, as I could tell that this was all of the sudden some thing that he really should not be joking about at all right now, as this time, just as Alexander was doing, Zachary dipped his head quite a bit low to the ground.

I kept my eyes on him for quite a bit of some time too, just to let him know that I did not view any of this as funny. It was clear that he had realized his mistake how ever, which I was at least grateful for. There was by no means, a reason to call Zachary a bad guy, but he would mess up any one that came his way, I knew that for sure.

Zachary I could tell kind of felt a bit bad for it now, as he did not have the same grin on his face that he had not too long ago, as he lifted his head up after a little while longer, as he paid no sort of any attention to Alexander, as he knew just as well as I did, that our friend was quite a bit out of it right now.

Zachary stared at me for a bit of some time, as I saw a bit of a regretful look on his face, as he nodded to me after a little bit longer as well. I was not too sure as to what it was that I should do my self, but after a few more seconds, I let out a bit of a soft sigh, and I did in fact nod back to him.

Zachary looked back over to Alexander, as if he expected him to have noticed, and have lifted up his head at the both of us, but it was clear that Alexander was far too out of it at this very moment in time, as Zachary then shook his head, and he turned his head back over to me, and he began to speak up to me at the exact same time too. I blinked my eyes a few times, but I did in fact listen as to what it was that he had to say back over to me.

"I'm sorry man... I didn't think it would be that serious... He seemed to be excited of it at first..." He said, as I still did not have a clue as to what it was that he was even getting at in the first place, as neither of them had yet to tell me as to what it was that he had been planning on doing in the first place any ways. I stared at Zachary for quite a bit of some time, as I kept my eyes squinted at him as well. After a few more seconds too, as I saw quite a bit of a look of confusion on his face, I let out a bit of a soft sigh, and I then tilted my head at him, to let him know for a fact, that I was confused. I knew that Zachary was a some what smart guy too, so it did not take all that long to get the jest on what it was that I was getting at in the first place, as he nodded to me one more time, and I nodded back to him too, and I then listened as to what it was that he had to say to me, as he began to speak up once again. "Well... Sorry... I forgot... We were going to go up to those mountains across the border... Go check out that scary story that people used to tell us when we were a lot younger..."

I looked at him for a few moments, as I was quite a bit confused by it at the same time too. I thought that perhaps there was some thing that he was not telling me, but by the guilty look that I saw on his face, I could tell that he had been telling me the full truth on all of it, which did in fact kind of confuse me quite a bit too.

It was the story about the spooky old man that lived out in the woods in the mountain, and all of the stories that he told the kids that were in there too. I had been told that most of the kids went missing when they went out there, and were never found, or heard from again. I also heard the there had been some survivors from that at the exact same time too.

They were all dead now of course, as I had been told, which kind of made the story sound a bit stupid to me, as I felt like it was just some story that they told kids, perhaps to make sure that they did not ever try to cross the border illegally when they got older, as it was quite a bit of a good point, as I knew that could get you locked up in a Canadian prison at the same time too.

I was a bit confused as to why it had Alexander a bit off, as he was never like this ever. I had noticed that when we had been told that story, that he had seemed to be a bit off on his toes, as it seemed to spook him a bit, but I was fairly certain that it would not scare him such as it was right now.

Plus, if it were in fact true, than why had he been so excited about all of that in the first place, whilst we had been in the ISS room. I had a lot of thoughts going on through my head all at once, and I felt like I just wanted to shake all of them off, as I felt like I was making my self go crazy, such as it seemed like Alexander already was at this very moment in time.

I stared at Zachary, with a bit of a blank look on my face for quite a bit of some time, as it was clear that I did not have all that much emotion in my right now, as I was just lost in my head, as to what it was that was going on with my best friend at this very moment, as I shook off any thoughts of Zachary all at the same time too.

Zachary was a bit like me at this very moment in time, as it was clear that he was a bit lost in his own head, as to what he was thinking, and why also as to why it seemed to spook out Alexander so much at the exact same time too, as like I had told my self earlier, I knew that Zachary was in fact a fairly smart guy.

I shivered a little bit, as I really was not all too sure as to what it was that I should be thinking right now, as I felt like I was going to go crazy for one thing, just sitting in this same spot on the sidewalk of the parking lot, as I was sure that the teachers that were still here right now, just wanted us to leave the school.

To be fair too, I did not blame them, as this place was a shit hole, and I just wanted to get out of here too, as I let out quite a bit of a loud sigh to my self, which I knew that Zachary had heard, but he had not said a word about it at all how ever. I was about to look for Zachary's car, as I was ready to just go back home, and think of some new plans.

That was of course, until I finally heard the voice of Alexander, as he began to step up to speak to the both of us at the exact same time too. It had me a bit in shock, as he seemed far too out of it, to do a single thing not too long ago, but I now noticed that he was wide awake, as I then began to listen as to what it was that he had to say to me and Zachary at the exact same time too.

"My uncle went up there, and he was never found ever again... He had a few friends with him too... Those stories are real man... I think there might actually be some ghost up there or some shit dude... I don't want to fuck with evil spirits at all... It just ain't worth it..." He said to the both of us, as I was a little bit shocked by it at the same time too. For one thing, I would have thought that he would have told me the story of his uncle if that were in fact true, but also there was the other point, that I have thought that he much as I, did not believe in a God, which meant that there were no such thing as ghosts... It seemed like he all of the sudden could not make up his mind. I squinted my eyes at his friend, as if I was all of the sudden the tough one. I could tell that he had noticed it too, as I saw him dip his head a little bit low to the ground at the exact same time too. After a little while longer, he let out a loud sigh, and he did in fact continue to speak, as I listened as to what it was that he had to say as well. "If you guys wan't to go, than I will not stop you, but I still think it is not stuff for us to mess with at all if I am going to be perfectly honest with the both of you."

I was still a bit shocked to hear this come from him, as I tilted my head at him. It was clear that he was not worried about the fact that his uncle had gone missing out there many years ago, as much as it seemed like he was about the ghosts, as I had seem him have chills go down his spine and his body when he had said that word.

I blinked a few times all at once, as I was still a bit shocked on the fact that he would be scared over some thing such as that. Surely those stories could not be true at all, and it could just be a meer coincidence all at the same time too, as perhaps they had ran out of gas out there, and had frozen to death, or maybe even the fact that a bear might have attacked them.

It was a bit strange as I was not going to lie about it, as I felt like I could not blame my friend for being so afraid, but at the same time too, I felt like I was not afraid of any of that at all, as now that I knew all of that, I was actually kind of excited on all of it. There was no such thing as ghosts, so I felt like it would crack a smile on my face, to see Alexander be so afraid with us, if we were out there.

There was still the problem with crossing the border, but I felt like we could cross it with out ease, as I had heard that there were plenty of roads out there that one could sneak on, to get across the border, as there were not patrols every which way that you went down, I was fairly certain of, at the very least.

If it was in fact true, the stories that had been told at the very least, about all of the people that had gone there to never be seen, or heard from again, than it had to have meant that the had some how found a way to cross the border at the very least. I sighed, as I did my best to shake off all of those thoughts all at once as well.

The way that Alexander had spoken to us at the end how ever, seemed like he was saying that he did not want to go with us, which was a bit of a disappointment to me for one thing, as I for sure did not want to go on a trip where it was just me and Zachary, as we were not exactly best friends, and I felt like he would just mess with me the whole time we were there.

Now was my chance to mess with Alexander though, and I felt like I could not blow a once in a life time opportunity, such as this one, for all of the times that Alexander had snuck up on me to scare me. I grinned just a little bit to my self all at once as well, as I had all of those thoughts come through my head all at the same time too.

I was actually starting to get a little bit excited about this, if I was not going to lie, and I hoped that I could some how convince my very scared friend to come with the both of us, as there was no way that I was doing this with out him either, as I looked at him right in to his eyes all at once too.

Alexander did not seem to notice, as it was clear that he had his eyes on some thing that was much different than all of that, at this very moment in time, as I was a bit lost as to what it was, as it was different than the fact that he had his head down to the ground right now, as this time, it just seemed like he was just lost completely at the very moment in time.

I shook off all of those thoughts how ever, as I turned my head over to what it was that he was looking at in the very first place too, as I saw that it was just simply Zachary, as he had a bit of a strange look on his face, as he nodded to my friend all of the sudden, for some odd reason or another, as I had not a clue as to what was going on at this very moment.

I blinked a few times, as I noticed that he had nodded over to Alexander, and I turned my head over to Alexander, to be able to see what his reaction was going to be in all of this, as I felt like he was going to be the one that was going to make the end all say all final decision on all of this in the very first place as well.

I saw Alexander have a bit of a blank look on his face, as it was clear to me, that he was not going to nod back to Zachary at all, which I could tell had got in to the head of Zachary, as Zachary dipped his head a little bit low to the ground, as he let out a very loud sigh at the same time too, that I was able to hear from probably a very long distance away.

I was still quite a bit lost, as I had not a clue as to what it was that was going on at this very moment in time, as I saw that they both had their heads down low at this very moment. Zachary did in fact begin to speak how ever, after the long period of silence, as I let out a bit of a softer sigh of relief, as it felt like a lot of tension had been building up, up to that point, and I was glad for it too, as I then listened as to what it was that he had to say in the first place.

"Well... We don't have to go if you do not want to do so... I just thought it would be a cool idea to do... I'm sorry man, I did not know about your uncle and all of that." He said back to Alexander, as I could tell that he did in fact feel quite a bit bad for saying all that he had said, and making up this plan in the first place.

I also knew too, that he felt a bit bad for scaring the both of us so much, as it was clear that it had triggered a bit of a flash in Alexander's head, as it had in fact scared him quite a bit, as he had been a bit afraid already, as it was in the first place, so I felt kind of bad for Zachary, rather than I felt bad for my best friend for some odd reason or another.

I was usually on his side, even if he was in the wrong, but for some odd reason, I felt like this was the perfect opportunity to mess with him, and I could not blow a once in a life time chance such as this one, as he always did things, and took my to places that he knew I was afraid of being at places such as those.

There was this one time that we had been in a haunted house, and he had hopped up more than once, in a much more scary jump scare than the one that Zachary had just pulled on us, as Zachary had been with us that night, as it had just been a couple of months before all of this in the first place, so I felt like this was the perfect chance to get him back on it.

It was a joke, surely right? If he was worried about some thing that simply did not exist in the first place. I rolled my eyes a bit, as I shook off all of those thoughts all at once at the exact same time too, as I squinted my eyes at Alexander, as he was a big guy, but he for sure was acting like quite a big pussy right now.

I saw that he had his head to the ground still, as it was clear that he was not paying me any sort of attention at all, as I was kind of annoyed by it, but at the same time too, I felt like I should not get all too upset by it, as I was sure that his grand parents might have told him the story of how their son had gone missing more than once.

I had never even known that he had an uncle until up to this point, but then again, at the same time too, it was rare when ever Alexander brought up his family, as I knew that he was a bit hurt by them, as his family, just like my family did to me, viewed me as quite a bit of a disappointment, and a failure to all of them.

I did not feel that way how ever, as I felt like I was living my life to the best of my possibility too, as I had quite the grin on my face, which I could tell had Zachary quite a bit confused as to what was going on with me. This would be the perfect story for me to tell every one back at school, and to brag to all of Alexander's friends about, to I felt like this had to be done.

Zachary had his head tilted at me, as I could tell that he was a little bit lost on what it was that I was doing still, as I looked back over at Alexander all at the same time as well, as I let out quite a heavy sigh to my self. I did not want to do some thing that my friend was a bit afraid of, but at the same time as well, I felt like it was time for the fact that I needed to be living a little, to get a little bit of an upgrade.

I then turned my head back over to Zachary, and I then nodded to him at the exact same time too, which I could tell had him even more lost, as well as it had him quite a bit shocked too. I shook off all of the other thoughts that were going through my head all at once at the same time too how ever, as I then began to speak up to Zachary all at once as well.

"Alexander told us that we needed to live our lives... Imagine the story that we can have back at school if we come back alive and fine... Hell... We can make up what ever we want... But of course... I am only okay with it if Alexander is coming with us..." I said to Zachary, as I could still tell that he was a bit surprised by it at first, but once he realized as to what it was that I was getting at, he then nodded to me, as the both of us suddenly turned our heads over to Alexander at the same time too. I looked at my friend with a bit of a sad puppy dog look on my face, as it was clear that I was trying to guilt trip in to him agreeing to come with us on this trip up to the mountains. Alexander noticed it from the corner of his eye, even if he had his head down to the ground, as he lifted his head up to me at the same time as well. I saw him look at me for some time, as he had his eyes squinted at me. Eventually how ever, he then rolled his eyes at me, as he finally then did in fact nod to us, as it was clear that it was his go ahead sign, to tell us that he was in on it. I felt like it was more the fact that he did not want to be looked at like a pussy if we came back and we were fine, more than any thing, but it did not matter to me, so long as he was in on it. I nodded a bit to my self, as I then all of the sudden, looked back over at Zachary, and I nodded back over to him. I saw that he had quite the grin on his face, as he nodded right back over to me as well, as it told me that it was now safe for me to speak up to him, which I did in fact do as such at the exact same time as well, too. "Well... I suppose that it is settled then..."

Zachary had a big grin on his face, as I could tell that he was happy that I was the one that had stepped up and spoken for once, as he came up close to me, and he then put his hands on my shoulder, a little bit awkwardly if I was not going to lie, as if he was acting to be some sort of child predator or some thing else along those lines.

I moved back a little bit, as I kind of pushed him off of me at the exact same time too, as he was certainly acting quite a bit weird, if I was not going to lie, at this very moment in time. I shook off all of those thoughts all at once at the exact same time too, as I looked back at my friend one last time, to see that he still had his head quite a bit low to the ground.

It did not matter how ever, as the decision how now been made, and there was no going back on it at this point, as I was excited to see the place that we were going to go, as I had in fact been told the story about the place many times in the past, as I had a big smile on my face now, such as Zachary did.

We stood there for quite a bit of some time as well, as none of us said a single word to one another at all. That was of course, until all of the sudden, I heard some one begin to speak up loudly from right behind all of us. Luckily it did not scare me at all, but I had seen it seem to scare Alexander quite a bit, as I was tempted to laugh at that fact, as it felt like he was now getting what it was that he had coming at him.

I shook off all of those thoughts how ever, as I turned my head around, to see just who it was that was speaking up to us, as at first I had thought that it might be a teacher trying to tell us to go to our car on the other side of the parking lot, but it was not the case at all how ever, as I then saw just who it was that was behind us.

It was Alexander's girl friend, Rosalinda that was on the right side, and my own girl friend, Marion, was in the middle of all of it. How ever, it was neither of them that were speaking at this very moment in time, as it was instead the girl friend of Zachary's, who had the name as Sharise, who was by far the best looking out of all of ours.

I shook off all of those thoughts how ever, as it did not matter at all, as they were all good friends, and they did not view us at all, in that way, so I felt like I should not do the same to them. I let out a bit of a soft sigh to my self, as I then began to listen as to what it was that Sharise had to say to all 3 of us in the first place too.

"So what do you guys have in mind for the night? We perhaps getting some food, or some thing else cool like that?" She said to us, mainly pointing at Zachary, as that was her boy friend of course. I saw that she had a lot of hope in not just her voice, but also her face, as it was clear that she was hoping, as well as the fact that she was excited as to what it was that we had planned.

Of course, we always had some thing planned when it came to some time off of school, but I felt like, when they heard what exactly our plan was in the first place too, I was sure that they were not going to be all too excited about it either, as I knew that all of the girls did in fact get scared quite a bit easily, which made it feel like it would be even more fun.

I felt like this was the time that I had to be causing all the the trouble, and I was the one that felt like I was the most excited out of all of them, even if the girls had some sort of hope that they were about to have some sort of cool date night planned for them, which was not the case at all.

I had a bit of a grin on my face all at once, as I looked at Zachary, to see what his reaction was to what they had said. I could tell that he was a bit embarrassed, which I felt like I could not blame him for either, as I knew that the girls had expected there to be some thing special at the same time too.

That was not the case at all how ever, as I all of the sudden saw Zachary lift his head up to the girls, as he had no sort of emotion on his face at all, as I saw him shake his head to all of the girls all at once, which I knew confused them as well. He then began to speak up to them finally, as I listened as to what it was that he had to say in the first place.

"We're going to get some food first... Then we will tell you... Hop on in..."