Prologue - Growing Up

"...the lights have been cut and the killer stalks his prey in the cover of darkness... No one knows whether or not the two are still alive..."

“Come on!” Derek said to his younger sister as they hiked up a mountain trail to explore the cave.

“Coming!” Isabelle called back, breathing hard but bursting with excitement with being out in the forest exploring caves with her brother. Almost nothing was better than going exploring with him; whether it be out in the backyard of their house or through the forest in the heat of the day.

Derek stationed his foot to get a good resting stop and waited for his sister. At age seven, she was a good hiker. Determined to push the rocks aside and grab onto little saplings that would keep her from slipping and falling down the mountain.

Her long brown hair whipped in her face and she shook her head to get it off of her. Her eyes were bright green as she clamped her hand over a strong bolder and used it to assist her to her brother. Derek was only a year older than her sister but with more ambition a boy his age could possibly have. Mistaken a lot for twins because of their height resemblance and their eyes and hair were the same color, he still had to make it very clear to anyone who thought this that he was older than her. End of story.

When she reached maybe two yards from where he rested he turned around and began the rest of the trek to the cave. Mother and father never really stopped them from exploring around when they went camping. Or anywhere else for that matter.

They actually encouraged it. Make their knack for survival better. Have them more accustomed to adapt since they wouldn't always be there to protect their precious children.

Derek felt the solid foundation before his feet and waited again for his sister. He gazed around the entrance to the large cave, looking for tunnels that would lead deeper in so that their exploration could continue on.

“Derek! Look!” Isabelle yelled from just outside the cave. He turned his back to the cave and looked around to find his sister. She was standing, grasping a sapling with her left hand and pointing at something on the ground with fascination in her eyes.

“It's a snake!” She said before he asked.

“Really?” He asked sliding down the mountain side. Sure enough, a snake darted into view and started to wiggle away from the two kids. Derek jumped onto a nearby rock and raced to catch the desert colored snake as it wiggled away. He lunged just as it disappeared into a narrow crack between two cracks.

“Oh well.” Isabelle said with a shrug of disappointment. “Maybe next time.”

“Yeah,” Derek said his own disappointment laced into his words. “Come on, the cave is huge!” He said with renewed energy and bounded back up into the entrance, Isabelle at his heels.

When they reached it Isabelle followed her brother deeper into the cave as she gazed around her eyes wide with wonder. “Isabelle, look, a tunnel.” Derek said inching toward a small entrance that was only big enough to fit someone of their age and posture inside. “Do you want to go in?” Isabelle knew right off that she did. She nodded.

Derek didn't move. “You go first, Isabelle.” He said looking up at her. She knew he was testing her. Trying to scare her and make her feel weak and he was right. She did feel weak.

She gulped as her heart beat faster. She wasn't going the one to back down to a challenge, especially not from her older brother. She wanted to show them she could be brave too.

With an unnoticeable sharp breath she simply said, “Okay,” and crawled into the small entrance hole on her hands and knees.

♦ ♦ ♦

Isabelle let out a breath of relief when the final bell rang for the end of the school day. Junior year in high school was beginning to be a better start for her. Her grades were better than a nerd's. Her school spirit higher than a cheerleader's. Her patience better than a councilor's.

She was in the height of the best academic year she'd had since she could remember. She would, for the first time in her life, was going to have straight A's for a semester.

She opened her school bag and placed her pen and folder back in her bag. “Are you coming, Belle?” Said an anxious voice from the door way.

She looked up to see her best friend, Olivia, had waited for her before going to her locker. “Yeah, just a second...” She let her last word draw, slipped her bag on her shoulder and stepped to the door to walk to their lockers together.

“How was your day, love?” Olivia asked as they walked the hallway coming up to the majority of students trying to get to their own lockers.

“Good.” Isabelle said with a sigh of relief. “And yours?”

“It could have been better.” She replied dismissively but Isabelle didn't miss a beat.

“Why? What happened?” Isabelle inquired dodging a girl hurrying in the opposite direction.

“Ryan sent me crying to the girls’ bathroom after fourth period.” Olivia said as they reached their lockers.

“I can't believe the two of you used to be good friends.” Isabelle said in hushed tones, annoyed with the boy who liked to tease her, yet she never cared. It was always pretty funny, but she had never really liked him more than an acquaintance. Especially not after hurting Olivia with his bad habits.

“Yeah, now all he wants to do is have sex with me.” Olivia said matter-of-factually. Isabelle shook her head in disapproval. She set her combination in and pulled her locker open to put her bag inside. She rarely had homework which meant she hadn't ever the need to bring it home.

Obnoxious laughter reached their ears and the girls turned as one. A group of senior boys walked down the hallway, the two in front giving each other a high five. It being spirit day, almost every single one of those boys had donned their football jerseys and wore their championship rings.

However, not all of them were football players. “Hey Isabelle, tell dad that I'm heading to Conner's house. Staying the night.” Said the one in front to the left as they all halted in front of the girls.

“I'm not going home, Derek.” Isabelle snapped at her brother.

He lifted his eyebrows and glanced at Olivia. “Where are you going?” His expression implied that he figured she'd be going home with Olivia. Clearly judging Olivia by their failed friendship. “To Olivia's?” The way he said it was like he was mocking her. The other boys didn't snicker but instead held their eyes on the girls figuring them to answer the boy.

“Dad knows.” Isabelle replied rudely, annoyed by his accusing tone. Like Olivia was a bad person! Hardly! Better than the friends he hung out with.

She might love going down to the football games on a Friday night. Sitting in a warm blanket in the student section cheering for the same boys who stood before her, but it didn't mean she like them. She didn't hate them either; the boys were typically nice to her, strangely enough. But that didn't make them friends. Not at all.

She slammed the locker and turned her back to them, facing Olivia as she finished putting things in her locker back into her bag. Doing her best to ignore the group of boys,

“Try not to let Olivia mess up your appearance again then.” He said to her turned back. Olivia looked at Isabelle in horror but the expression was hidden by Isabelle's body. Isabelle however huffed impatiently, rolled her eyes and turned once again to her brother.

“For your information,” She began raising her voice so the whole hall way could hear her. “I'm not going to Olivia's house! I'm going hiking!”

“Ooh kay.” Derek said with a laugh holding up his hands to stop her from exploding. “Whatever. I'll call dad.”

“Good.” Isabelle said and once again turned back to Olivia, ignoring her brother.

She heard him walk away and huffed once more. She scolded herself for letting herself loose her temper once again with her brother. That's exactly what he wanted. Mother had told her over and over again that all he ever wanted to do was make her angry. That's why he did it all. To get a rise out of her.

“Could you ever believe that we used to be so close?” Isabelle asked Olivia with crossed arms.

“Yeah.” Olivia responded closing her locker with a bang and hoisted her bag over her shoulder. “I've seen him all those days when you are sad about something, or crying for some reason. Every time he's comforted you and made you feel better when no one else could.” They began to walk towards the exit into the pouring down rain.

“Yeah,” Isabelle sighed again. “I just wish he wasn't so into his athletics and always showing off to come do something with me.”

“He did win scholarships because of that though.” Olivia pointed out. “And he got athlete of the year, remember?”

“That's because the boy is good at everything. He does sports all year 'round.” Isabelle said. She pushed the door open and held it for Olivia as they stepped into the rain to Olivia's mother's waiting car.

“Well, hopefully wear we go hiking the rain will have eased up a little.” Olivia said before they got into the car.

Isabelle looked up to the cloud darkened sky and rain drops hit her face. “Yeah,” She said again not looking down yet. “Hopefully.”