Self-Sacrifice

"Banji, Banji. Oh goodness. I am so thankful I found you." Faith said running into Banji's arms. "But where is Keisha?" she asked.

Banji told her that he lost Keisha. Faith drank some water from the pond and filled her bottle. She introduced Zack to Banji and Zack retold his story as the three ate some berries saved by Zack.

"We have to go find Keisha." Faith suggested and so the trio were back on their feet after the rest. As they walked through the forest, they collected fruits in to the two back packs they had. They walked for long shouting Keisha's name and occasionally stopping to rest. The three had no idea how long they had been in the forest. While taking a rest, the three fell asleep.

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Keisha was hungry and angry. She was angry at herself for dragging Banji and Faith with her after the opening ceremony. She was angry that she got them into that situation. She limped due to her injury and called out to her friends with a feeble voice. Her shirt was soaked in her sweat. She felt dizzy and weak. Keisha was in a very unhealthy state. But Keisha did not give up. She kept walking, taking each step with all the strength left in her. Keisha realized the trees looked a little different. She was in a part of the forest she had never been before.

"Oooh we've got a guest." An eerie voice said accompanied by a gust of wind. "Come on, don't be shy. Introduce yourself." A second voice addressed Keisha.

Keisha was scared and she walked backwards in a panic. She wanted to run but her injured knee wouldn't let her. In an attempt to run, she fell. The frustration that had built up within her from the time she got off the bus until then had reached a limit and Keisha started to cry.

"Who...who...are you. Show yourselves." Keisha demanded after collecting herself together. She waited for an answer but didn't get one.

"We are forsaken spirits." The voice came from behind Keisha this time scaring her. Keisha had heard of forsaken spirits.

Forsaken spirits were travellers who committed heinous crimes. They were rid of their physical bodies for the rest of their travel life. They were bound to the area in which they committed the crime. They were turned into forsaken spirits and not killed because the overseeing world could not nullify their contract with a traveller under any circumstances. So instead, the criminals were made to spend the rest of their travel lives as forsaken spirits. However, forsaken spirits could be saved if a traveller with a physical body willingly lets themselves be possessed by the forsaken spirit.

"What crimes did you commit?" Keisha asked with a quivering voice. She did not feel safe knowing that those spirits must have committed a serious crime.

"Well, if you must know, we are twins and we convinced a girl to check this forest out with us and we had a really good time with her, if you know what I mean." One of the spirits said in such an evil voice, Keisha trembled with fear.

"But don't worry. We are spirits now, we can't harm you." The second voice said with an evil laugh.

"How about we make a deal. You can't find your way out any way so why don't you let one of us possess your body and lead you out?"

"No! No! No!" Keisha screamed and tried to run but she could do nothing but limp.

"Take it easy. girl. You're going to hurt yourself." One of the spirits said in a low mocking tone.

"I have to find my friends, I have to find my friends." Keisha said as she continued to limp. 'Faith! Faith! Banji!." She shouted with more might and determination than she ever did.

"Oh you have friends. How about this? If you let us possess you, we will make sure your friends make it out of here." the first spirit said.

Keisha paused and collapsed to the ground. She was considering it. At this rate, the chances of all three friends dying in the forest was high. So, giving herself up sounded like a good deal. She was being eaten up by guilt anyway for bringing the other two into the forest and she thought it would be a way to pay for what she did.

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Faith, Banji and Zack's attention was drawn to a part of the forest where the rustles of the leaves were constant and unusually loud. As they got closer, they noticed that there was a strong wind passing through some trees. They saw a figure of a person on the floor.

"Keisha!" Faith called out. The three ran towards Keisha. They immediately stopped when they saw what was happening.

There was a whirlwind on top of Keisha's body. "What is that?" Banji asked.

"No!" Zack ran and leaped to cover Keisha's body with his. There was a violent wind and a deafening screech then everything went quiet.

Banji and Faith ran towards the two on the ground. Banji rolled Zack away from Keisha's body. Zack's body seemed lifeless.

"Oh no! What happened to him." Banji was worried.

"Don't worry, he would be up soon. Just wouldn't be your friend. My brother possessed his body. Isn't that cute? The knight saving the damsel in distress. It was supposed to be her but I guess he saved her." The second spirit said.

Banji and Faith were confused. They tried to wake Keisha up. "Keisha, Keisha." Faith and Banji shook Keisha's body. Soon, Keisha came around.

Keisha was glad to see Faith and Banji. She was confused about who the boy who saved her was. Faith told her about Zack and Keisha told them about her deal. While they were talking, the spirit possessing Zack woke up.

"Thanks. You guys must be really good friends. You're very willing to sacrifice for each other. I would like one of you guys to give your body up for my brother but we made a promise and breaking that promise would have consequences. Since we agreed to, I will lead you out of here. Follow me.

So they followed him, Banji carrying Keisha on his back. Soon they were at the bus stop from earlier. The spirit-possessed Zack went back to the forest.

"I can't believe we had to depend on a rapist to make it out of there and I am so mad that Zack never got to leave." Faith buried her face in her palms, she could not stop the tears.

Banji suggested that they stand at the opposite bus stop so they could catch a bus going back the way they came. Before long, they were able to catch the bus.

"I wonder what day it is." Banji said after putting Keisha down on a seat.

'"It looks like it is evening." Faith noticed all the street lights and the moon in the sky. Keisha still felt guilty and kept apologizing over and over again. Faith and Banji assured her that they did not blame her for anything.

When they got to the hotel, Banji and Faith escorted Keisha to her room. Faith and Banji went to their respective rooms afterwards.

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"Faith where have you been since Monday!" One of the girls said when Faith entered the hotel room. "The cops have been out looking for you. You and a guy from Pinewood have been reported missing and everybody was worried sick."

"What day is it?" Faith asked.

"It is Friday. We lost our match today because we've all been distracted by your disappearance. We're out of the competition. All that practice for nothing." One other roommate said as she came out of the bathroom.

"I need to see the coach." Faith said and bolted out of the room.