3

I should have done my homework before heading into the woods, but Sammy listened to the CD she took from Jasper. Realizing that if she heard these songs in a store or any other place, she would not even pay attention, Samantha played the disc at least three times. Because Jas loves this music...

At a quarter to eleven, Sammy finally started to get ready. She decided to leave the phone at home so as not to risk losing it, and Leah promised to take the flashlight.

Convinced that her parents were in her bedroom, she silently slipped to the door. Her conscience pricked her belatedly - her mother would be so worried if she found out where her daughter was going ... But everything will go well, what can happen to them? Unless, Leah will drink too much for joy, having completed the “task”. Sammy had no doubt that her friend would be able to get alcohol, despite her minority - Leah always goes ahead.

A friend was waiting for her in a car two blocks from her house, as they agreed.

Glad you managed to sneak out! Leah exclaimed as she started the engine. - To be honest, I was afraid that you would throw me, you are so obedient.

Samantha rolled her eyes as she slammed the door.

- And this is your gratitude? No respect.

"Soon we'll both be in a different capacity," Leah winked.

Sammy glanced at her and sighed - as always, I see the goal - I see no obstacles.

- How are you? Leah asked, glancing at her. Dark trees whizzed by on the highway, and Samantha shivered.

- Fine... If you want to talk about Jasper and my attitude towards him, you'd better take me back home right away.

- No, no, what else! We've got something more interesting here. In general, you would think about someone else. I'm serious, Sam!

- You might think there are options.

- Maybe there is, - Leah smiled mysteriously, but Sammy did not develop the topic.

Soon they pulled off the highway onto a small road.

- Now, somewhere here ... Ah, here is an old road sign. Chris talked about him.

Leah stopped the car and she and Sammy climbed out, then wandered off in the direction Abby's boyfriend had given them earlier that day.

It was getting noticeably colder, and Sammy's mood was falling more and more. But she obediently followed her friend, further and further deep into the forest. It seemed that Leah knew very well what she was doing, but it soon became clear that this was not so.

“Damn, well, it’s dark ...” Leah muttered, stumbling over a root sticking out of the ground. Even with a small flashlight, walking through the forest at night was difficult.

- Where is your next landmark? Sammy tried her best to hide her annoyance. Their idea seemed to her more and more delusional every minute, especially the reason for which it was happening. But once you volunteered to help a friend, you have to go to the end.

- Must be around here somewhere. Fifty paces from two oak trees to the north.

Sammy whirled around.           

- What?? On North? Lee, you said west!

- Or the west... I don't remember.

- If you don't remember, how will we find the way?

- Don't be hysterical. - Leah pretended that everything was in order. - Now I'll see what is written in the message ... Oh, shit! The battery is dead.

- Are you kidding? Samantha stopped, her hand on a nearby tree. The bark was hard and scratched the skin, but she did not notice. - Leah, you went to the quest at night and didn't charge your phone?

- Well, you clucked like an old grandmother! she said irritably. “I corresponded… with someone. And then there was no time to charge.

"Just a shine..." Sammy sat down on the cold ground. She herself was no better - she left her smartphone at home, afraid that she might lose it in the forest.

Leah sat down next to her. She constantly scanned the dark undergrowth with her flashlight beam, and Sammy realized that her friend was frightened. And if self-confident Leah is nervous, why talk about her.

- Listen, let's think. Sammy shivered, telling herself it was from the cold. You said north. It seems that moss grows on the trees from the north side ... We must have a look. At least we'll figure out which way to go.

- So the skills of the Boy Scout came in handy, - Leah grinned. - I always knew that you were a storehouse of knowledge, Sam.

Wait a minute, this is just a theory. Sammy jumped to her feet just as Leah's flashlight went out.

The friend gasped and clicked the button, but the light did not turn on. The girls were in total darkness.

- Now it's like an ass, - Leah's voice trembled. - Sammy, I don't know what the hell... It's his father's flashlight, he always takes it on night fishing trips.

"Maybe the battery is dead," Samantha suggested, but it didn't really matter in the grand scheme of things. The fact remained a fact - they were in the forest, in the dark, and now it was not only possible to complete this stupid task - it was not possible to get out of the forest.

- Let's try to find the moss by touch? Leah giggled nervously.

"Good idea," Sammy quipped. - So, listen - can someone from Abi's company be here to monitor the progress of the quest? Or are we on our own?

Judging by the rustle, Leah jumped to her feet.

Of course, how did I not think of that! she chattered excitedly. -. Of course, a couple of guys around here somewhere! Sammy, you are a genius!

"If I were a genius, I wouldn't have run into the woods at night," Samantha grumbled. - Then another question - how do we find them? Shall we shout?

“Well, you can scream,” Leah answered uncertainly, and Sammy realized what she had not finished talking about.

For some reason, I didn't feel like screaming in the night forest.

- Yes, and in general, you know ... Imagine that they will talk about us at school ... We went on a quest and got lost.

- Where better to spend the night in the forest and catch pneumonia? Sammy saw the prospect clearly, and she wasn't happy with it. “Not to mention the parents.

Both of them are now silent. House arrest is the most innocent thing that girls could get for spending the night away from home.

- Then we should try to get out, - Leah was clearly trembling, from cold or fear. It's just damn dark...

At that moment, as if in response to the girl's words, the moon came out from behind the clouds. Full and surprisingly bright. Sammy's breath caught at the beauty of the heavenly body, especially at a moment like this.

“Wow…” Leah said. The full moon seemed to impress even her. - Like a natural spotlight?

- And in fact, it became a little lighter. Sammy looked down and found she could see her hands. Let's try to go back to...

She did not have time to finish - the night silence was suddenly broken by a howl. Real wolf howl!

Samantha's legs were stiff with fear. She leaned against the trunk of a tree, trembling all over.

- What is it, your mother? Leah groaned beside him. Sammy met her huge, frightened eyes. “What the hell are wolves here, Sam?!

- Quiet! Sammy looked around. It doesn't seem to be close...

- But where are the wolves from? ... They are not here!

- How do I know, Leah? Maybe now there is! We need to get out of here as soon as possible, and report to the sheriff in the morning.

- So he arrested them? Leah giggled hysterically, and her friend grabbed her by the arm and dragged her deep into the forest:

- Come on, hurry up...

But it was more difficult to do than to say - despite the moonlight, visibility was not added at all significantly, and the girls moved much more slowly than they would like. In addition, there was no certainty that they were going in the right direction.

Both Sammy and Leah were silent, trying to walk faster. Damp foliage under their sneakers champed with dampness, and sticking out branches and roots now and then strove to grab their feet. Samantha hoped desperately that they were heading in the right direction... She was very scared, even though she didn't want to give in to her emotions.

Ahead, in the thicket, a light flickered, there was a distant sound of a passing car, and Leah cried out:

- Sam, we made it to the highway! Let's go, a little more!...

But before Sammy had taken a step, a noise was heard very close, a little to the side. A branch snapped, followed by a rustle. Someone was next to the girls. And headed straight for them.

Chilling horror ran down her spine, but in the next moment Samantha almost fainted from horror - Leah screamed. Loud, heart-rending and piercing.

Turning around, Sammy barely had time to make out a strange silhouette in the moonlight, like a wolf, when her friend yanked her arm with all her might and shouted hysterically:

- Let's run!

And Leah really took off running, only Sammy's hand slipped out of her wet, cold fingers. In surprise, Samantha lost her balance and fell to her knees in the wet, dirty foliage. Her head was spinning, her heart was beating unevenly, and only a receding noise was heard ahead - Leah was running away, forgetting about everything in the world.

Leaning on trembling hands, Sammy closed her eyes for a moment, and when she opened her eyes, she saw the wolf again. The moon shone behind him, and the girl saw only a dark silhouette. The beast froze a few steps away from her, only for some reason did not attack. His strange large figure seemed to be frozen in space, and only bright yellow eyes, burning in the darkness of the night, forced to believe in his reality.

Nearly losing consciousness from horror, Sammy tried to stand up. She could not run after Leah - the wolf was exactly in her path. It seemed to her that all this was a bad dream ... Now she will wake up at home, in her bed ...

A guttural growl was heard, and Samantha's numbness instantly flew off. Out of her wits, she sprang to her feet and ran away. Sammy did not think where she was running, only one thing beat in her head - to escape!

Branches whipped her in the face, and her legs fell into the pits, but the animal fear of a wild beast urged the girl on with a whip. It seemed to her that the wolf was catching up with her, she could almost feel his hot breath on her neck ...