Judith's POV

As my hands rested on the wheel, I leaned forward and placed my chin in between them, on the wheel. A long sigh left my mouth.

It's 7 something in the morning, and I've been here since 5-fucking-Am, sitting in my car eyes locked on the Mitchell's house. Hoping I don't have to make a SIXTH drive around the block,
Everyone from the birds to the neighbors, to the workers got up and went on with their day- even the mail was done with this whole block! EXCEPT FOR THE FREAKING MITCHELLS!!-

I grabbed my phone from the passenger seat and checked the pictures I took yesterday, while I was checking the Mitchell's lists and schedule. "There, it's all here, so what now? Did they decide to change their plans?.." I mumbled. Biting down on my bottom lip- my eyes snapped back from my phone to the house.
I've decided to move.

Getting out of my car, I crossed the street and walked towards the Mitchell's house.
Looking around as I made my way to the back of the house, I made sure no one is around.

I tipped-toed my way to the same window I climbed through yesterday, and as I got closer; I started hearing voices coming from the kitchen, With my shoulder pressed to the wall I took a peek inside.

"Buddy we talked about this."
"But dad!--"
"No buts, you're finishing your school today and coming straight to the campsite."
"Mom!"
"You heard your father, honey, we had an agreement. You can hang out with your friends after we are back from our family trip."
"Always with these family trips! What about ME? Just this once- just this one time! Why can't I spend it with my friends!- you guys are the worst!!"
"Yes yes, we are the worst parents ever, and you hate us- you know what Buddy, one day; you'll look back at these trips and wish to relive em. now enough of wasting time, you should be on your way to school."

Well, here they are, the Mitchells.
And that was Chris who just stormed off the kitchen, going to school I guess.

This is bad.

Sneaking back to my car, I started rethinking my plan, but maybe it doesn't need to change.

Yes, maybe it can still work.

A while later, after Chris left for school, the Mitchells finished loading up their car and took off, and I followed right after.

It took around 40 minutes to get from the Mitchell's house to the Trailhead, which to my luck, was almost empty, except for 2 other cars parked there. I waited for them to gather their belongings and enter the woods before I followed them.

Like a mouse, that's how I felt;
Running around and following people like this, it's is just exhausting. I'm glad this is my last time.

When it comes to the woods, my knowledge was limited to nonexistent, but one thing for sure is that I was not gonna be able to follow the Mitchells around the woods without them noticing...
So play-pretend it's gonna be.

"Ah- Hi there!" As I put the widest smile I could pull, I made myself noticeable to the Mitchells by jogging up towards them.

Mrs.Mitchell was the first to address me,
"Oh?~ Hello young lady" As she turned her attention to me, her husband did the same "What do we have here? Hello, what is a young lady such as yourself doing all alone here?- oh no watch your steps that's a slippery rock over there hahah~" He said.
As I stopped next to them, I didn't let the smile leave my face.
"O-oh right, thanks- who me? Oh, I'm here for my school project! It's all about nature and stuff, and I figured that the best way to learn more about nature is to be surrounded by it!~" I said, and they bought it because what came afterward is an invitation to join them on their hike.

Good, this is all good.

Bad, this is bad.
Not long after following the Mitchells, I can feel my legs- especially my knees burning up, I'm not suited for this.

"Oh no, dear are you alright?" Asked Mrs. Mitchell.

I'm not, and no...no, don't do this to me, don't ask me how I'm doing or check on me, It only makes things harder.

Smiling through my inflamed knees, which are gonna hurt like a bitch tomorrow, I nodded.
"Y-yeah, I'm just not used to lengthy hikes heh.."
"Well, don't worry about taking any more steps because we are here! whatcha think Honey?" Mr. Mitchell responded.
"I think this is a good spot for our camp! Don't you think so- oh dear what is your name again? Forgive me I-"
"Ohh no no, it's okay-
Jenna, my name's Jenna." I replied.
"Yes, Jenna dear? Would you like to join us? Remember our son I mentioned before? He'd be joining us later, he'll be happy to have company his age!~"

I'm flattered, I'm nowhere near their son's age, but I guess I do look younger...I still look the same as I was at 19.
"Oh, I'd love to! But the thing is; I'm afraid I have to get going, I believe being surrounded by nature for the past hour is more than enough for my project"
"Aw no, well that's too bad..we were just gonna start with the fun part, Building up the campsite! Oh well, then dear take care, and you do know your way back right?"

Not really.
"Yeah, I'll just follow our trail, it's a straight path down, correct?"
"That's right, oh it was nice to meet you dear, take care and I hope we meet you again on future hikes!~" said Mrs. Mitchell.
"You too, thank you, and enjoy your camping Trip! Goodbye." After a smile and a little wave, I started heading down the same path we followed.

Taking out a map, I began marking down the directions leading to their campsite.

For when I return later.

I made it down and back to the trailhead, and the moment I got into my car and sat down, my legs felt as if they have been torched up. If I didn't like the woods before, I for sure do not now.

Since I had few hours left till school was over, and because my plan now was on hold until the Mitchell's kid join his family later, I laid back in the backseat of my car and studied the map I brought.

That got boring real quick, and only one hour have passed.

"Is this hell?..hmph." As I laid back in the backseat, I found myself thinking about this task, my last task, which still doesn't feel like it, and wondering....what's next?

I realized that I never thought about it.
I did, but now it feels way too real.

As I dozed off, I started thinking about what I wanted to do next. Me, and not what It wanted.

One thing is for sure, I want to go back, back to what I had to leave behind, back to him.

Yes, going back.....
to.....

Oh wait, I opened my eyes to continue that thought but....why is it dark outside...?

"M-ahh..ah my neck-......" sitting up from the uncomfortable position I was in, it took me a hot minute to realize why it got dark all of sudden......it was nighttime.

"W-what the.....s-shit...shit shit shit- SHIT!?-"
I've never moved so quick in my life. I can't believe how I ended up falling asleep in the backseat of a car, parked at a trailhead, during a fucking job.

Jumping from the backseat to the front seat, I looked for my phone and the minute I grabbed it I checked the time, 12:11 am.

"........You gotta be kidding me." I've slept for more than 8 hours?
Just how tired I am? Too tired, I concluded.

By now, the Mitchell's kid must have been back from school and joined his family, which only means...it's time to get this over with.

Fixing my hair back into a bun, I grabbed my backpack which already had everything I need, and got out of the car heading into the woods.

After stretching for a minute before entering the woods, I went in as quietly and artful as I can, if I'm already feeling like a mouse, then I might as well start acting like one.
It's a good thing I bought another flashback, the other one I have was as big as my head, and one can see its light from a mile away.

As walked up the same path I followed earlier, I kept checking the map to make sure I'm on the right path.

A rustle- no, a crunch.

I froze in my steps, my head turned in the direction I thought I heard that sound.

"Please Don't be an animal." I breathed.
A person? That could be taken care of, but I'm not up for a game of what animal is out there.

As I waited in my place for a couple of minutes, I kept looking around, but it was not like I can see anything clearly- the full moon is helping, not too much though.

Nothing else happened after a couple of minutes, so I kept moving.

As I kept walking, I started seeing some smoke in the distance, I was close.
'Wonder if they had marshmallows..'I thought.

As I reached the campsite, I can see the tents they set up, there were two of them, and I can already see clearly through one of them.

That's them, Mr. and Mrs. Mitchell's.

"This is it, my very last one..." I took a deep breath and removed my backpack, I grabbed the knife and the gun.

I stood in my place for a moment, remembering how many times this job have gotten messy, all those faces, all the screams, all the adrenaline, all the punching, fighting, and blood, all the tears.
The weight of all those years seemed to shift on my shoulders.

This is my last time, then it's all over.

I walked into the Mitchell's campsite, making my way to the parents' tent first, always get rid of those first, she kept a mental note of that after that one incident when she first started, that one father gave me hell.

In front of the tent I stood, in one hand I held the gun, and in the other the knife.
I did not bother looking for a zipper or figuring out how to open the tent.

SHRILL-
I slashed the tent open, making a huge hole in it with the knife.

And so it started, the same scene she have witnessed too many times in the past 4 years.

Confusion.

The parents, Mr. and Mrs. Mitchell were startled by the disturbance, Mrs Mitchell woke up first, then her husband.
Something was said, by Mr. Mitchell, Probably something along the lines of "What the fuck", I didn't hear anything after that.

Even after 4 damn years, it still wasn't easy.
As I pointed the gun at them, pressure clogged my ears and head. "I'm sorry", I mouthed.
How many times have I said that? I Lost count.

My finger twitched on the trigger, and with two muffled gunshots, they were gone.

After the burst of the shots filled the woods, I did not waste time and turned to face the other tent, he's gonna come out any minute now.

Waiting, I'm waiting- I've waited for minutes now......My hand started getting stiff from holding the gun up in the direction of the other tent. "A heavy sleeper?.." I wondered.

It didn't take long before I started getting irritated, I was getting irritated because I got nervous, I don't like this at all.
So I slowly approached the other tent, Chris's tent, and did the same thing I did with the other tent, cut it open.
Nothing....nobody's inside.

"What...w-what- No no no-" Taking a step back, I can feel my heart rate increase.
Oh how the table turned, I was now the one confused, confusion and anger formed on my face. "Why! W-where the fuck is he!?" I didn't get to think of an answer to my own question.

To my left I heard leaves snap and break- footsteps, There was someone else here.

Snapping my head toward the noise, I made sure my gun did the same, and someone was indeed there, a figure started emerging from the darkness of the woods, and as I felt the need to ask who is it, I kept my mouth shut.
It didn't matter who that person is, because they were getting the next pullet.

That didn't happen, no pullets were shot as I intended, and the only thing that happened is my jaw dropping in absolute bewilderment...

It took me a minute to form the following words "W-what the actual fuck..." as I stared at the figure in front of me, Black big wholes where the eyes of a..Mask?- were staring back at me.

Yes, what the actual fuck, I thought.