Myla, Margaret, and Willow pull up to the driveway. Margaret unbuckles her seatbelt and look to Willow to make sure she is okay. Myla looks at Willow. God. What the fuck did this.
Willow shakes awake, seemingly as if thinking it was all a nightmare, before remembering the reality. Myla gets out of the car, and heads inside, briefing Alex on what happened. Alex is glad to have them stay.
They come out. "I told her it was a bear attack, she doesn't believe in any monster shit or anything, so PLEASE. Don't mention any monsters, ok?"
"Ok. I wont," says Margaret.
Myla looks at Willow, who slowly gets out of the car, leaning gently against the side, despondent. "Willow... please."
Alex is waiting outside for Margaret and Willow to come in, she looks a bit tired, but that's alright, really.
Willow takes a deep breath, walking over to Myla and just hugging her. Myla is frozen for a bit, before hugging Willow back.
Willow whispers, "thank you"
They whisper back, "No problem..."
Willow's sorta staring over at Alex, glancing back at Margaret. Myla gets back in their car and drives off.
Margaret look to Willow as she holds her hand as they make their way to Alex, "Hello, name's Margaret. Pleasure to meet you"
"Hi there, I'm Alexandria. Pleasure to meet you as well."
"Got any room for the two of us I hope?"
"You two can stay in the guest bedroom, aka our parents' bedroom. They're out on vacation."
"I can sleep outside." Willow says.
Margaret glances at Willow, "You are not sleeping outside," Margaret looks back to Alex, "We will gladly take up on that offer... Thank you"
Alex looks at Willow. "No need! Come inside, sleeping outside after a bear attack is dangerous anyways from what I've heard."
Willow whispers to herself, "...they were not bears...thank you."
Alex brings them inside, showing them around the house a bit. "Oh, by the way, mind if I ask where you guys know Myla from?"
"She's cool. I like cool people." Willow says.
"This like group thing. Like a... bonding thing? More like puzzle thing, best way to describe it," Margaret says.
"Oh, so that LARP thing they told me about earlier. Y'know, it's kinda weird, they were never the type of person that would be into that..."
"They're good at it." Willow speaks in fast, short sentences, staring into the ground.
"Can you direct us to the room please?" Margaret asks.
"Oh, of course! Down the hallway, last door to the right."
Willow takes a deep breath, and walks slow
"Thank you so much," Margaret holds Willow's hand as they walk down toward the room as she opens the door and makes their way inside. Margaret sits Willow down on the bed, "Hey... it's going to be ok..."
---
Myla comes back with Cole and Ross. Same schtick goes on, Myle goes in, tells Alex whats going on, and, given that Ross hit his head really hard, they carry him inside.
Cole is behind Myla and waves to Alex, "Sup"
Alex looks at Cole. He seems alright. She waves back. "Hey."
"Yourrrre Alex I presume?"
"Alexandria LaFleur, yes. And you are...?"
"Cole Genesone"
"Huh, interesting last name. Pleasure to meet you."
Ross grabs a juice box from his utility belt and starts slurping on it. really loudly.
"Pleasure to meet yo- Ross I swear to god," Cole eyes the juicebox.
Ross grins. “Sorry I’m really fucking out of it”
Alex stares at Ross. Hah, they remind her of Myla when they were younger. "Nice to meet you too, Ross."
Ross makes a fist for a fist bump. “Sup?”
Alex bumps his fist. "Sup."
"I knew I should have done the fist bump," Cole mutters.
"You both can sleep in the actual guest room, Willow and Margaret are in our parents' room."
"Alright, not that I'm gonna sleep but thanks," Cole says.
"Hah, night owl?" Alex asks.
"No, just horrific nightmares"
“Where is the guest bedroom?” Ross asks.
"Down the hallway, last door to the left."
Ross heads towards the guest bedroom and immediately starts checking for bugging devices. Cole follows Ross and sighs, making sure they don't break anything.
Ross finds a button from like a sweater or whatever on the ground, decides it’s a bug, and throws it out the window. “Good news Cole, I found all the bugs.”
"That was a fucking button but sure"
“That’s how they getcha”
"Sure, sure, just go to sleep, Ross"
Ross lies down on top of the blankets and immediately conks out. Cole leans on a wall and watches them sleep as he turns the light off.
---
"I can't sleep." Willow whines.
"You will sleep Willow, please," Margaret pleads.
"..now Myla.." Willow sobs, "..now mylas hurt."
"It's going to be ok Willow. Please just sleep. You need it"
"..how am I supposed to sleep. They could've died."
"Sleep knowing that they didn't. Please."
---
Myla is still outside, leaning against their car. They gesture for Alex to come and talk to them. Alex heads to Myla, who is very loudly scream crying. Myla's mostly regretting most of what they've done to Alex, how they've treated her like shit, and Alex is trying to comfort them. There's a feeling nobody will really sleep tonight.
"I'll... I'll head inside and check on them. You do whatever, ok?" Myla says.
"Alright, just don't cry, ok?"
"...ok..."
---
"You need to sleep as well.." Willow whispers.
"I will.. just please sleep..." Margaret finds a chair in the room, as she is saving the bed for Willow. She falls alseep in the chair.
Myla knocks on their door. "Hey, you both ok?" Startled, Willow gets up to open the door. Myla is standing there, bloodshot eyes, sobbing a bit. "Uhm... You guys need anything or-"
Willow opens the door fully, "I'm sorry."
"Sorry for what?"
"You saved us. You didn't have to. Now you're sad and scared. It's the same for everyone else. I shouldn't have dragged anyone into my curiosity. There is no excuse."
"No, Willow-"
"I am still curious. But this time I won't make that mistake."
"I was mostly sad because of, well.... family issues."
"...oh. are you ok..?"
"...no, not really."
"Do you want another hug? I can't.. listen properly right now.. but.."
"No need." Myla sighs. "Glad you're ok, though..."
"...yea.." Willow says, "..can I hug you again anyways..?"
"Go ahead."
Willow hugs Myla again, "thanks"
Myla hugs back, "No problem."
Willow lets go, quietly moving past her to walk.. somewhere. She enters their garage, and begins writing, and drawing, and writing, on many, many peices of paper, scattered all over the table. Myla thinks its best to leave Willow alone, if they hear the garage door or front door open, they'll just run there.