Crossed Times

"What story were you thinking of Bitt?"
"Just your average story."
"That's not very informative..."
"It's just a story I was told before coming here."
"Well come on then. What's it about?"
"Fineydoodles. It's the story of Violet Moore."
"Sounds marvy."
"Be quiet Fury."
"Mean."

"Apparently around ten years ago, there was a young girl called Violet Moore. She was a pretty girl but very sensitive. Anything was able to hurt her feelings, thus she didn't have any friends and devoted the majority of her time to her boyfriend. She lived in a house with her mother and an older step brother. Her stepfather had died a year before, leaving the step brother in the care of her mother."

"One day her boyfriend asked her to meet her in their usual place. The park. She skipped gleefully towards him. Almost prancing in delight at seeing his face."

"However when she got there and tried to hug him. He declined. She frowned and then smiled, thinking he was playing a joke. She attempted to hug him again. To no avail."

"Her boyfriend, Sam, began to explain how 'uncomfortable circumstances' had caused him to see a different side to their relationship. He was ending it. There and then."

"He left quickly. Anger rushed through Violet's body. She clenched her fists in frustration yet wishing that he would come back and say it was all a lie. To hug her close and whisper sweet nothings into her ear."

"As the day drew to an end, Violet still hadn't left the park. She had remained by the fountain, swirling the water around her finger. Every so often her tears would disturb the patterns she was making in the water. She didn't notice. However eventually she knew she must leave. Her mother was not home, she was away on a business course, and her step brother was taking care of her. If anything at all, you did not want to make Violet's step brother angry."

"Violet arrived home. Half an hour after her curfew. She nervously walked through the front door. Her throat burned with dryness as her step brother watched her every move. He remained silent. She closed the door behind her. Taking one...single...step at a time. She breathes in deeply as she passes Harry. Suddenly fear clutches at her heart."

"Harry had grabbed her. Securing him to herself. Tears trickled down her face as he stroked the sides of her arms. Throughout that night, no one heard Violet screaming for help."

"I'm sorry, what? What just happened?" Meg's comment pulls everyone out of the trance they were in. "You mean to tell me that he...her stepbrother..."
"Yes."
"That's grossly unpleasant. What sort of story are you telling us Bitten?"
"Erm...an amazing joyful story?"
Meg snorts and rolls her eyes. "I'll let you continue...as long as you promise it gets better."
"It does. Now where was I..."

"Every time her mother was occupied elsewhere, Harry would take advantage of young Violet. He threatened to kill her if she uttered a word to anymore. Violet being the sensitive soul that she was continued doing what he wanted silently. Every time he called for her a part of her heart would be torn away. Eventually her brain began to fade to blackness. Her life overtaken by grief. One day, an exact year later. Violet decided to do something to end her misery."

"And as she felt that something glide into her step brother's chest, she knew that she had succeeded to freedom."

"She watched as Harry's eyes widened in surprise. She listened as he screamed in pain. She smelled his fear leaking from his skin. And well...you get the picture. As she pulled that knife out. She was no longer the same person."

"She pulled Harry's body through the hissing rain. She was lucky that her mother was far away. Harry's blood coated her body. She pulled and pulled. Eventually reaching a pond in a forest by her house. She grinned down at her step brother. He was still alive, barely. She looked towards the sigh and took in a deep breath before pushing his body into the murky depths of the pond. He floated and spluttered for a moment before going still and sinking to the bottom. Never to be seen again."

"After dumping his body in the pond, she panted from the excursion. She looked up towards the stars in the sky and ignored the rain pounding against her eyes. From that night onwards she was changed. People called her pocessed. She went on a rampage, all kindness and good removed from her soul. People called her the 'linker'. She murdered anyone that had a connection to her step brother. Anyone that was related to those people. Eventually she killed her own mother."

"Nice. You listen to some freaky ass stories Bitten."
"Anoright. Ah but that isn't the ending."
"It isn't?"
"No..."

"After killing many people, she was caught. It turns out that Sam was the leader of a group trying to stop her. He tried to convince her to stop but it was too late. She attacked him and caused him severe injuries. However before he died, he stabbed her in the blackness that was her heart and pushed her into the pond that began everything. She was never seen again."

"However some people say they still hear her screams of pain and deceit as the water filled her lungs."
Silence fills the air as this last comment registers in her friends brains.
"You know Bitten, you listen to some pretty morbid shit."
"I know I do Kelle. Isn't it exciting?"
"No. It's fucking freaky."
"Aw Fury, don't be like that."

"But it's weird. And are you finished now?"
"No, there's one more thing."
"What?"

"Apparently, once a year, Violet emerges from her grave to kill those who have a link. However she is unlike the Violet of the past. She is a stalking, deadly, morphed monster who will stop at nothing to make sure her job is complete."

Fury stomps her foot in frustration as Random brings the group to a halt. Yet again.
"For flip's sake Randy, are we there yet? I'm bored and my feet hurt and I have a feeling a squirrel is stalking us."

Kelle and Meg plonk themselves on the ground, throwing the bags down with them.
"I don't see why we have to carry the bags." Meg stretches her legs as Random tries, in vain, to ignore the others and figure out where they are. She could have sworn they were near the campsite...
"Admit it Randy, you don't know where we are."
"Shut it Bitten and let me think."
"Yes ma'am."
Kelle picks at the grass at her feet and yanks daisies from the ground. "Who'd have thought grass was so interesting?"

Random rolls her eyes. She walks forward a little, just missing a fresh pile of...whatever that stinky stuff is.
"Mmmumple...4 miles...jumplelumple..."
Random scratches her head in utter confusion. 4 miles? Her map said it was right where they were standing. She can hear the others talking about 'Random losing it' and how 'we're screwed'. She clenches her fist and turns around. She must find them somewhere to camp. Even if it's the last thing she does.

Random turns around quickly. Everyone is on the floor, Fury and Bitten are squabbling over the stalker squirrel, Kelle is trying to put grass in Meg's hair while Meg fights her off.
"Guys!"
The girls all look up at her like deers caught in the headlights. Or perhaps naughty schoolchildren who have been spotted putting lots of toilet paper down a toilet.
"I know we're close. If we just keep walking we'll end up somewhere since this is a well used track."
Meg scoffs at this and points at the prints in the grass. "Yeh, well used by deer and all that shiz."
"Negativity gets us nowhere, now let's move on!"
The girls groan as Random turns on her heel and walks off.

Bitten gets up first, stumbling slightly as Meg throws a rock at her back.
"Ow? Meg that sorta hurt."
"Sorry, the squirrel told me to."
"See! I told you there was an evil squirrel among us!"
Kelle and Bitten glare at Fury. She casts her eyes downwards in defense before getting up.
"Let's follow Randy, besides if she gets lost, we'll all be lost."
"I'm glad you have so much faith in us." Meg utters before helping Kelle up off the floor. "And why do we end up with the bags again?"
"It's your turn." Fury mutters before catching up with Bitten. Meg glances around her before stamping her feet. She didn't want anyone seeing her afterall. "Come on Kelle."
"Erm guys, why does this sign have scratch marks on it?"
Kelle shuts her eyes and opens them to squint at the sign. She looks towards everyone else to see they're gone. "Hey, wait for me!"

After half an hour of trekking through over-grown forests areas and Bitten falling in a nettlebush, Random eventually stops.
"Follow the lea-ow." Unlucky for Fury she hadn't realised and had walked into Random's back.
"Look." The girls look towards where Random is pointing. Immediately Bitten expresses thanks to the minstrel lord, Fury thinks of which bathing suit to wear and Meg wonders how deep that water is. And Kelle...
"Erm, I don't see it?"
The girls grab Kelle and turn her around.

"Oh...oh wow. It's so beautiful."
"Is this the place Random?"
"No. But it'll do for today, it'll be dark in a few hours, so we may as well set up camp and enjoy the light while we can."
"Aye aye capt'n!"
And what was so beautiful you may ask?

See for yourself.
The girls scream excitedly as they venture into unknown terrority.
"My ankle hurts. And I think those nettles infected me."
"Bitten, shush and help me put up the tents."

Random, Bitten and Fury proceed to put up the tents. Meg and Kelle grab a ball from one of the bags and toss it between each other. Meg stumbles slightly and almost falls in the pond.
"Phew Meg, that was close."
"I know right, I don't want to get my skivvies wet."
"Skivvies...?"

Kelle and Meg are rudely interrupted by the other three. They are glaring at them.
"Kelle, do you sense someone is watching us?"
"Yes, it must be the birds or the wind?"
"OI GUYS, THERE'S SANDWICHES OVER HERE." Bitten yells over to them.
Kelle and Meg squeal and rush over.

After a quick change into tarty looking swimsuits the girls are ready to relax. Meg drags Random over to the side of the pond. The water glistens enticingly, inviting the girls in.
"Come on Random. Three, Tw-" Meg pushes Random.
"ARGHH." Random jumps and bodyslams into the water. Meg snickers evilly before following Random into the swirling depths.

"Eee my hair!" Fury rubs her eyes as water is splashed upon her and Bitten.
"Ack, it burns, it burns!" Bitten yells before bursting into a fit of giggles.

Kelle smiles at everyone before delicately placing herself down on a rock by the pond. She opens her book and calmly continues reading from page fifty-one.
"As the giant clown came nearer Grace cried in pain..."

As the sunlight faded behind the trees and new animal sounds filled the air, the girls decide that it's time to have dinner.
"Oh yum, dinner of egg. How exciting."
"No need for sarcasm Kelle, I'm sure a bit of egg will do you fine."
"Maybe if I pretend to look like I know what I'm doing, people will think I know what I'm doing."
"We heard that Bitten."

Fury appears from one of the tents and wanders over to the fire. She hovers her hands over before removing them quickly.
"It's fucking hot."
Random and Bitten look at each other. They shake their heads in despair.

By the time the sun has finally settled behind the stars and the moon, the girls have already eaten and are chatting.
"This sure is a pretty place Randy."
"Why, why, why Randy?"
"'Cause it sounds...kinky?"
"I hate you."

"Blah blah blah. Hey I've got an idea. Instead of this mindless chitchat, let's tell stories."
"Do we have to?"
"Yes." Meg smiles widely at Kelle before sitting down. "Does anyone care to go first?

Fury puts her hand up excitedly. "I will!"
Bitten looks at Fury and puts her hand down.
"Sorry, but can I tell a story? I have an acecakes one."
"Fine."
"Okay, well. Once upon a time..."

"There was this amazing girl called Laura Fuzzwinkles. She was a bit of loner and always tried to do good by people. However some people took her for granted, she was becoming tired of being treated poorly."

"Laura Fuzzwinkles. Seriously Fury?"

"Yes, now shut it. Where was I...oh yes."

"One day Laura was walking along, as you do, she was wondering how she could persuade her mum to buy her a dragon. Since, as you must know, dragons are the most expensive of things in the entire world. Now, while she was thinking she didn't notice a woman appear out of thin air like KERFUCKWHAM."

"She bumped into the woman and apologised profusely. The woman smiled and introduced herself as Kellor the Great. Fury thought this was a bit strange but replied with her own name regardless."

"After a few minutes of chatting Kellor interrupted Laura's speech on fish to give her a bean. A very special bean it would seem, as Laura would realise later. Laura looked upon this shiny pink bean with worry. Would it explode, she thought?"

"However while Laura had been studying the bean. Kellor had disappeared into thin air like POOF. Laura thought this was a bit strange but then she felt a strange tingling sensation."

"A sensation of a GIANT DINOSAUR INVADING SUNSET VALLEY."

Kelle puts her hand to her head. She shakes her head slightly.
"Fury, a giant dinosaur. Really?"
Fury ignores Kelle and continues her story.

"This is when Fury felt wibbles to the extreme. Suddenly her clothes exploded and were replaced with superhero looking clothes. She smirked and flew to the area of destruction."