Chapter 29

                Another day in the wilderness with the Demon. I was well aware that this challenge may take more than a day considering are opponents are directionally challenged and so are we. We’ll become so lost that even the rescue team won’t be able to find us. We were shifted to a very high ground area, in the mountains. Yes... The mountains! Nikki and Raven will probably push us off it or scar us for life, just as they did with the other group.

                “Psycho, number one objective...” He huffs out from the harsh climbing. Even I was getting tired...

                “Stay away from the slaughters. Even if that means we have to jump into a body of water filled with sharks, eels and piranhas,” He suggested.

                “What are you worried about?” I scoffed and stretched my arm to grab a rock that was within reach “I’m just as psychotic as them.” This time, we had climbing equipment to secure our life.

                “You still don’t understand,” He spoke in pity. I roll my eyes and kept on moving ahead and kept silence so that we really don’t have to start from the bottom. We eventually arrived to the top and took of the equipment, stuffed in the backups and moved forward. It was starting to get really dark. We should set up camp. I wonder how the slaughters are doing.

                Nikki POV

                “Lions and tigers and bears!” Raven exclaimed with shifty eyes.

                “Oh my!” I loudly yelled “Lions and tigers and bears!”

                “Oh my,” Raven sobbed and then smirked “Vampires and werewolves and serial killers,”

                “Oh, my, my, our friends arrived!?” I cheered out loudly. Well, we had three friends that were those things...but the rest we were terrified off. I felt her eyes stare at my head aimlessly. I wasn’t too sure if she was staring at me. I turn my head very slowly with wide eyes and found her staring at me with also wide expressionless eyes. Our eyes popped out from our eye sockets in a second. I think she’s possessed...! OH MY!
                “Demon, I banish you from thee!” I exclaim

                “What..!?” Raven blurt out “Get out of my sisters body you evil demonic thing before I use a vacuum cleaner to kill you.” We both doubly blinked at each other. So, maybe neither of us are demons...

                “Vacuum’s don’t work on demons stupid,” I rolled my eyes. She was so dumb sometimes. I swear, she’s delusional. Raven claims that she can hear voices in her head. That’s so unrealistic! But then again... I have heard a couple of those voices too...

                “How do you know?” Raven frowned “You’ve never seen one or tired it.”

                “You haven’t seen one either.”

                “I don’t know about that... It worked on Demon,” Raven shrugged. A flash back popped in our heads, both of us staring at space at the same time. It was the time when we start waving a super vacuum cleaner near Damon and his baby, he was screaming in agony. It was just like an exorcism.

                “You’re right,” I snickered.

                “Of course I am. I’m a genius!” She claimed out loudly.

                “Uh huh,” I sarcastically called.

                “I am so too!” She frowned. A large howl echoed through the air. I and Raven stopped frozen of the sound. It continued to howl. What was that?

“Werewolves,” We whispered together. I and Raven sucked in the world’s air in our lungs and start breathing heavily out and in. Black wings heavily flutter past us, with shirking sounds.

“Vampires,” We spoke in high pitched voices. It wasn’t the end...

                We both turned our head to each other and started to sob, and drown ourselves in hot tears. The next sound came, it was a blood crawling scream from a virgin. I grabbed hold of Raven’s head and we began to scream and run.

                “They’re here!” Raven cried out.

                “I’m too young to die!” I whined and kept on running as we dodged trees.

                “Nikki!”

                “Yes!?”

                “We’re running in circles!”

Lexis POV

                Harsh ice water slammed the back of my shirt. I screamed out bloody murder and turned my head with thirst to kill the demon. I snapped my head at him and he continued to laugh like a hyena at my utter shock. Oh, he’s so getting it! I leap toward him and make him dive into the small pond. He gasped loudly as his hair drenched in cold water. I smirked and walked back near the small tiny fire we managed to built.

                “I only wet your back!” Demon exclaimed.

                “My revenge comes with instant added interest,” I explained.

                 “I’ve noticed,” Demon scowls and dared to sit beside me. He stretched out for his backpack and pulled out a blanket and wrapped it around himself. I turn my head hauntingly toward him and he just stares at me as if he hated a lemon.

                “Forget it, get your own blanket.” He childishly fought.

                “That’s the only one,” I dryly reminded.

                “That’s your problem,” He scoffed and huddled up closer to the blanket with a smile plastered on his face. He’s not such a lady’s man after all. This is how he’s like when he isn’t trying to flirt or play with a girl. Very not gentlemen like. I gave him a hard stare but he continued to ignore it. I grabbed a hold of the side of the blanket and tugged. He tugged it back just as rough until it reached into a tug-a-war.

                “I’m not giving it to you!” Demon yelled.

                “Then I’ll take it,” I smirked.

                “Gold digger,” he inflicted “Why can’t we just share?” I tugged even harder and he pushed even harder, until both of us accidently released out hold. The wind pushed the blanket until it reached gently into the flaming fire. Both of our jaws drop in disbelieve.

                “It’s your fault,” We both claimed. We childishly frowned and avoided eye contact. I huddled up against my own body and stared at the fire, still feeling slightly chilly. A shadow hovered over me. It’s probably nothing. I sigh and felt the shadow hug me from behind. What the hell? I turned my head and saw an outline of the empty space where the Demon used to be.

                “Strip, we’ll use each other’s body for heat,” Demon dryly demanded. Ha-ha, he’s so funny. Was this his plan all the time? Get rid of the blanket so that he can claim in desperate measures, we must take desperate actions. I don’t think so! Even if I was in the arctic, in a snow storm with hungry polar bears, I wouldn’t be desperate enough to strip.

“I’d rather rot,” I claimed.

“I’d rather otherwise,” He annoyingly spat. His hands brushed over the starting of my shirt. My eyes popped open and I began to crawl around the fire. He still tried to grab a hold of me while I continued to crawl, and start swinging one of my legs to hit any part of him. His arms armoured around my waist and lifted me in the air. I screamed another bloody murder and attempted to touch the ground. Somehow, he picked me up bridal style with a smirk running around his face. He hovered me over the fire. My eyes reflected the undying death flame stretching out for me.

“No, demon! Don’t! Put me down!” I exclaimed with feared eyes. He chuckled and smiled with reassurance “Okay, I’ll put you down.” He gently lowered me and I yelped out even lower.

“NO! On the ground, not the fire! I. Am. Not. A. Sacrifice!” I whined and held tightly on his neck, attempting to pull myself up. The more he lowered me, the tighter I held onto him and hit laid my head on his neck. He finally moved away from the fire.

“I wouldn’t thrown you in there,” he laughed.

“How would I know that?” I snickered.

“Because I told you that I love you,” He charmingly smiled. I rolled my eyes. He still believed that our understanding changed the situation. He sighed and I was about to push him off and land on the ground.

“Why don’t you tell me you love me?” He frowned and began to hover me over the fire again. My eyes grew wide and glanced back at the fire again. It was really stretching to touch my back. I felt the heat harshly bake my back.

“Demon!” I exclaimed “You’re actually burning my back!”

“I have money to fix burns,” He shrugs.

“Not if they’re severe!”

“Then tell me, you love me,” He devilishly smirked.

“If I told you that, I’d be lying,” I reminded and watched his smirk fade into anger. Ha, and he thought the slaughters were psychotic, he’s one himself! He lowered me over more and I held the tears. I’m going to kill me once he puts me down. I’ll purposely push him in that fire and cook him for the slaughters to eat!     

“Say it,” He pressured.

“I l-l-l-l–” I struggled and spat it out once he lowered me so close “I love you!” He sighed and lowered me gently to the ground and dusted his hand as if he they’re dirty. Demon. He’s truly a demon.

“Demon,” I inflicted.

“Can you kiss me now?” He smiled, sitting near the fire but not getting too close “...and strip.” I should push him right in. Stuff his face in it. BURN DEMON BURN!

“No,” I called and got myself up and sat near him and threatened to slam his head in. He dares to enter the personal space and put one hand over my face and watched me with his eyes as if he was planning something demonic. The demon showed his true self.

“Demon, I’ll sincerely push you in the fire if you don’t move,” I threatened. He slipped a creepy but hot smirk on his face that was unreadable to what was on his mind.

“Not if I give you want you want,” He titled his head. My beat was beating incredibly fast. My cheeks were burning up with complete utter confusion. Why was he acting like this? And why more am I feeling attracted to this!? What has he done!? Did he somehow drug me? He gently pressed his lips against mine and I froze. He’s done it. He’s DONE IT! I’m so going to kill him now! He separates his lips form mine, instantly my muscles forced me to frown but did nothing of what I planned to do in my head.

“But, I’m more interested in what I want,” he whispered, breathed the start of a laugh out and stood up from his position to turn for his sleeping bag. Now, he wouldn’t even dare to look back at me. Simply giving me the cold shoulder after he’s done this to confuse me. My muscles took control and grabbed his arm to pull him back but he simply shrugged it off, without one glance at me and moved forward.

“What are you doing?” I asked. I was still ignored by him as he set up the sleeping bag, properly. The heat over my cheeks may have been because I’ve stayed too close to the fire or he’s seriously, somehow, made me, the psycho, fall for a players trap!

“Demon!” I exclaimed but not respond. Ugh...! I stood up and marched down near him and fixed his name “Damon.” He turned his head and smirked again.

“Yes, Lexis?” He arched an eyebrow.

“Don’t toy with me!” I angrily soughed him. He stood up properly and faced me calmly, and changed the way he stood up. Demon usually slouched, he now stood more straight. How am I even noticing this?

“You’re blushing,” He pointed out.

“No,” I flatly said.

“The evidence is right on your face. You can’t lie to me,” He reminded and I frowned largely. I narrowed my eyes and leaned down and raised the sleeping back. He continued to watch me calmly. I quickly walked with his sleeping bag and dragged it near the fire. I glanced back and he just stared at me as if I was going to drop a branch in it.

“If you don’t stop, I’ll drop this in,” I warned.

“I wouldn’t do that if I were you,” He said.

“Why not...?” 

“If you dump that in the fire, we’ll have to sleep in the same space. You don’t trust me enough to be that close,” He cleverly reminded me. With the way he was acting, I had a feeling he’d find some way to actually do as he promised. Oh well. I gave him a cold stare and hung it over the fire.

                “Not only will I burn your blanket but I’ll burn your baby down, just like this,” I promised and let the sleeping bag slightly catch flame. Demon slouched and his eyes popped open and worry hung over him.

                “Psycho! Don’t do it! I’ll stop!” He promised and I dipped the sleeping back over and he held his breath. I sighed and dropped it dead on the ground and shook out the flame it caught at the edge. I dragged it near the sleeping space and stood in front of me.

                “What was that about?” I asked.

                “I found you’re type,”

                “My type...?”

                “The type of guy you like. You love what you hate. You’re attracted to guys that give you all of their attention to you and get frustrated when they look away but, when that happens, you want them more. You love it when you can’t tell what’s on their mind and when they play around with their words. At least, when they understand you. So, in conclusion, you like the characteristics of a demon, or a real psychopath,” He smiled, pleased of his discovery. He wants to die. I roll my eyes and pulled out my own sleeping back. How dare he try to play me? I zip it open and put myself in and turn my back on him. If only I was with one of the slaughters...

                Raven POV

                I was shivering from the hairs of my body to deep within my bone. I and Nikki hugged each other as our teeth chattered like musical instruments. Our eyes were still raining down tears and our cheeks had a layer of ice because the other tears already dried up and stuck to our face. WE ARE GOING TO DIE OUT HERE!

                 “N-n-ne-ni-nik-key–” I chattered and she nodded her head in response.

                “I-I-I’mmmmmm ss-orry that I-I-I,”

                “Just ssspit it out!” She yelled.

                “I’m-sorry-that-I-glued-all-of-your-stuff-and-panda-to-the-ceiling-at-home,” I spat out and smiled “I-love-you.”She snapped her head toward me with anger. We were going to die here! Might as well declare our sins before we end up in hell! I glanced at the view below us. As cold as this cave was, it was much warmer than it was out the there.

                “H-h-h-how did weeeeee get here?” She shivered the question out. My eyes widened. Did she meant wee, as in pee? I scooted a couple of meters away from her.

                “I SAID HOW DID WE GET HERE!?” She screamed angrily at the notice of my words. And I thought I had a temperament problem. There was loud rumbling. We both froze still and glanced at the night sky. Is it there going to be a thunder storm? The rumbling continued and sounded as if it shattered–odd. I and Nikki turned our heads and saw many crumbling rocks caving in. Oh....! Why did we lose the camera man! I wish they could have kept up with us! They could have sent those crazy flying machines with sharp butter knifes spinning in circles in the air to come and save us.

                Then we heard a loud roar, we turned our heads straight and started to whine little small sounds. We’re going to be on the news tonight. Two little innocent girls will be...

                “Don’t. Move.” I whispered.

Lexis POV

                I tightened my muscles and made a face so tight that not even a monster could mimic. I put the sleeping back over my head in annoyance but the voices won’t stop. They’d continue to whine, pout, shake with terror of the wilderness. Mother nature, please, make it shut up!

                “Psycho,” He called. Just ignore him Lexis – Mother Nature.

                                Mother nature!? You’re real? I can hear you!

                “Psycho,”

                                Yes, this is me. Just ignore him and he’ll learn. – Mother nature

                “Lexis,”

                                Ah, Okay... I will.

                “LEX”

                                I thought you said you were going to make him shut up?

                “IS!”

Be patient young one – Mother Nature

                “LEXIS!”

                                I think I should legally change my name...

                “Lexxxxxxxxxxx-iss!”

                “Psycho!”

                “Lexis!

                “PSY-CHO”

                “Lexis!”

                “Psycho!”

                “Lexis, I’ll have to throw you in the fire if you don’t listen,” – Demon/psychopath

                “LEXIS, OH MIGHTY ONE! Please answer my prayers!”

                Some things have to be dealt with dirty hands – Devil.

                                Ah, someone I can finally agree with.

“Lexi, Sexy!” He blurt out. I stood up like a zombie rising from the dead and gave him a pair of eyes that would belong to a restless psychopath. I drag my hand around the ground and grabbed cloth in my hand into a ball. I’m going to stuff this down his throat. He stood there with frightened puppy eyes but not at me, at something else. I looked from behind me but saw nothing but grass, branches moving with the wind.

“The grass–” He began.

“If you say the grass is moving one more time, I’m going to stuff does down your throat!” I waved it in my hand. He flatly stared at me with no fear. He fears the grass, the leaves, trees, ground, sky, clouds, stars, airplane, moon and bugs moving but he doesn’t fear me anymore!?

“For the last time,” I breathed out “It’s supposed to move. That’s how nature works. The moon revolves around the earth. The grass and leaves get’s moved by the wind. Bugs move from blood which gets pumped by their heart!” I collapsed in my sleeping bag once more and attempted to block my ears. He says he’s more than qualified to be a spy... I fear the countries qualifications if that’s true. I can’t imagine having government spies crying every time something moves. Finally, Silence. It makes me wonder why does he suddenly act like this. Well before, he was focused on Misty, me or something else...now he’s got nothing.

“Lexis,” he whispered. DIE!DIE! DIE!

“Yes..?”

“Your hair is alive!”
                “The wind...” I tiredly called and shut my eyes and rested myself into sleep. I had enough of his chatter. I want to remove my name from existence. Why did he start calling me Lexis anyway? Well, it is my name but... I drowned myself into sleep. I was having a dream about the slaughters and they weren’t doing so good. They’ll probably put in jail for skinning a bear alive and using the fur as coats. Someone in my dream tapped me from behind. I turned around and faced them and he stood still with a calm expression “Lexis.”

“Lexis!” He whispered. UGH!

“What honey?” I sweetly asked.

“You’ll be a good mother to my children,” He replies.

                                ... Anyone else feels like putting a gun to his head?

“I’ll murder your children,” I threatened and that shut him up. I’m worried that if I don’t stick around him, no one else would. Who would ever want to marry someone like Demon? He’s not very manly, he cheats, threatens to kill you, very bi-polar and he can become abusive. I closed my eyes and this time, he didn’t wake me up. I was free to dream without my overused name being repeated.  

                We both woke up for the sunrise. Pastel colors of blue, pink and yellow blended with each other and the sun glowed brightly to reach the horizon. It was more beautiful at this height. He pleasantly smiled at the view and gently pulled my neck to rest on his shoulder. My personality told me that I should push him away but I’m tired of pushing others away. It was so weird to actually watch the sunrise together because it was something that would come out from a movie or book. I’ve never doubted that I liked being around him, even that meant just watching him or being friends. It doesn’t matter. As long as we’re walking through life together. That’s how it use to be with Sam, Seth and I. Sam ruined it by changing. Seth confessed to loving me and everything else came downfall. Now... I have him.

                “Guess we have to go to that finish line,” Demon gently grabbed a hold of my hand “And even if we don’t make it, I’ll still have my prize.”

                “I’m not sleeping with you,” I committed.

                “I meant my car,” He scoffed “Don’t flatter yourself psycho!” Oh, that’s right. I forgot that he needs to be initiated if he claims to uh hum, ‘love me.’ Yea, welcome to Lexis gang of two. I destroyed Seth’s X-box after the day Demon threw me to him. He still loved me but almost killed me–even if he did say he would do nothing about it. I have no idea how I’m going to break his car though...and I don’t want to. It’s a good car. I’ll find some way. If his car is mentioned he’ll most likely start hating me all over again.

                “Demon, do you really love me? Love me more than your car?” I charmingly asked.

                “No,” He didn’t hesitate to think.

                “Then don’t claim to love me. You want to be with me, say goodbye to your car. You’re car or me.”

                “My car,” He snapped.

                “Then, it’s over,” I shrugged without care. He slowly turned his head at me with confusion “Just because of my car?”

                “In order to be with me, you have to go through initiation,” I explained. Demon gasped in a very feminine way and slightly tossed my head away from him “What is this? Why are you treating a relationship like a gang? Am I going to be murdered in the end if I dump you?”

                “One way in, no way out, well unless you have a good reason and don’t lie to me,” I declared. I watched his eyes pop out as wide as an owl “You didn’t do anything to Seth.”

                “Yet, but I will. I’m one of those crazy ex-girlfriends,”

                “Crazy is an understatement,”

                “Excuse me?” I growled and he turned his head at me saying ‘Even you know what I just said makes sense.’ He had a good point.

“I like your car, so I won’t anywhere destroy it. You’ll just have to lend it to me sometimes–”

“Are you insane!?” He yelled and doubly blinked “That’s a stupid question... Psycho, you can’t do this to my child.”

“I thought you said I’d be a good mother,”

“That was before you said you’d murder my kids,”

“I said that to shut you up,”

“I don’t know... It’s a big responsibility,”

“Then say good bye to ever having relationship with me. Not breaking your car is a good deal. I completely destroyed Seth’s stuff,” I raised to my feet and started to pack things into the backpack. Demon followed, helped with the packing and continued to think. Yea, boys will think twice before telling they love you, continuing the relationship and dumping you if they have to get rid of a possession for a girl.

We finished packing up and pulled out the map but still couldn’t fully understand it. Demon bribed the camera man to explain us the way and, also threatened to make him go bankrupt if he didn’t keep it a secret. As we walked the trails, climbed mountains and then climbed down, I finally received an answer.

“Saying ‘yes’ to this is like saying ‘I do’ to getting married,” he referred to the situation I was putting him under.

“So...?” I patiently awaited.

“I’m not ready to get married,” He snapped his head at me. Yea, I thought so. I stepped ahead of him and gently smiled “I can wait.” Demon continued to watch me walk even further than him and remained completely silence. There’s the silence that you can hear the static and there’s the silence you feel each other’s thoughts. This silence was comforting. We eventually arrived at the front of line. Were congratulated by Ryan and apparently we won a free tour in Europe–for us only and a car. I’m taking that car. Demon already has bunch of sports car and he still won’t give me one! The slaughters haven’t arrived. The camera men had said to have gone lost and so did the slaughters. The second they were about to dial up the rescue team, the slaughters arrived in clothes in dark brown fur. Their hats, coats, and boots were all made from dark fur. I don’t remember them coming in like this. Did they actually–!?

“We arrived! Alive!” Raven cheered with a fist in the air. Nikki kept a straight face with a fishing pole behind her back. The fish was giant! Where the hell did they get that? If you ignore their appearance, listen to what they’re wearing and saying, you’d think they were eight year olds running around loose in the world.  Ryan stood just as confused at their clothes, their fishing pole and the prize winning fish.

“Girls, where did you get all these stuff?” Ryan carefully asked.

“If I told you that, I’d have to kill you,” Nikki giggled. They’re scaring the poor man. I actually feel bad for him. A loud hollow helicopter sound emerged from the sky and grew louder by the minute. They began to lower themselves down.

“See, the flying machine has arrived. They’re a little too late though,” Raven frowned toward Nikki. Nikki whimpered and pulled Raven’s hand by force at the opposite direction that the helicopter was.

“They’re not the good flying machines! It’s them!” Nikki exclaimed. All of us watched the girls run the opposite way and didn’t bother to stop them. Anyone who’d dare to stop the slaughters would probably be tortured by them. The helicopters landed and caused my hair to grow into a large mess. Men start running out of the helicopter without a word and ran to chase the girls. I’d help the girls if I didn’t fear they’d capture me too. I look over the helicopter and peaked to the front view of the pilot. Oh shit!

I took a step back and hid behind Demon and didn’t dare to pop out of my face. Ryan seemed to notice that I was hiding. I feel bad for the man. He probably thinks some kind of psychopaths have run lose from a criminal master mind prison.

“Why are you hiding?” Demon whispered.

“The pilot is part of the investigation of my parents, for bad reasons,” I whispered back. I don’t want to be dragged in this with Nikki and Raven. They are on their own! The rest of watched as they captured Raven and Nikki. They shot them from the distance but it only put them to sleep. I continued to hide behind Demon as the pilot comforted Ryan and explained the situation.

“Nikki and Raven escaped from their parents and you know rich people. They’ll take full measures to obtain what they want. There is no need to worry. They don't have a criminal record,” The pilot claimed. I'm pretty sure the girls would have a criminal record. Nice excuse though, but why would Demon’s mom talk about Nikki and Raven helping us out? His mother is part of the FBI, at least that’s what she clarified on the phone. Something is up.

The pilot stretched out his head and attempted to gain view of me under his dark shaded sunglasses. I continued to hide myself. An unpleasant smile stretched from the corner of his lips. He turned around and made way to the helicopter again, always glancing behind his shoulder, trying to gain view of me.

“Damon, I think the slaughters are in danger,” I whisper.