Misery |Chapter One|

In which four college students become a part of unknown history that soon turns to hell.

Makenzie looked across the bar to her drunk friend who was already flirting up a storm with some old man. She didn’t interfere, she thought better. Instead, she turned around to see Lola and Justin chatting like there was no tomorrow. Sure, downfalls had been dealt but they were friends and alright.

Makenzie coughed slightly, “I told you this was a bad idea.” She gave Justin a look as she spoke, drinking her Island Green Tea. It wasn’t a strong drink, it was barely even alcoholic but it could drive you past tipsy.

Lola raised an eyebrow as Justin shrugged, “We’ve been studying for college courses for months without a single night out as friends. This was well deserved. Right, Lo?” He looked to Lola, drinking his White Russian Vodka. However, the color more resembled blood than anything. The consistency was of thick milk and the heat of jalapeno peppers.

“Correct,” Lola smiled, drinking her water, “We’ve been cooped up for a long time, Makenzie. We needed this. Especially you and Falon.”

“Why is that exactly?” She raised an eyebrow at the two before her. Makenzie had always been skeptical of partying or even going out. She was a homebody.

“You’re majoring in dance and music. Falon in law and writing. Those courses aren’t easy.” Justin coughed on his drink as it burned the cut place on his lips. It felt like a bee sting at first but then moved to the slight feeling of a match touching his skin. 

Lola nodded, “And me and Justin are just photographers.” She then slightly laughed as she clinked her glass to Justin’s bottle. They smiled at one another as they drank..

“So… you encourage that?” Makenzie nodded to the other side of the bar.

Falon was sitting right next to a man at least ten years older than her and she was only twenty one. The man seemed to have something off about him. He was tall and had a quiet demeanor. He wore dark clothes and he didn’t smile or even talk. He sulked around, his eyes full of death and blackness. Nothing about the man seemed welcoming.

“Not really but if it is what Fal wants, she can have.” Justin grimaced as he spoke, slightly shaking his head. He definitely knew that man wasn’t her type. He just didn’t know why she was with him.

Lola coughed, slapping the table, “It doesn't matter, we’re friends, right?” She smiled at Justin and Makenzie as she spoke, “We’ve all been through things and it’s time we let loose and live for a while. Am I right?”

“Amen.” Justin raised his glass, drinking the rest of the bottle. Over half went down his throat in less than ten seconds, “Another!” He exclaimed, the waitress smiling as she handed him another. She slid a napkin over, her number written on it.

“You’re not a stranger to one night stands, huh?” Makenzie looked at him, hiding a smirk. She cleared her throat, stifling a laugh.

Justin looked hurt, “Hey!” He laughed at her, slightly tapping her forehead away. He rolled his eyes and shook his head, “I am gonna go to the bathroom.” He sat his drink down and walked off into the crowded bar. He weaved between the people, disappearing towards the back.

“So,” Lola turned to Makenzie, “You still crushing on Mr. Taylor?” Lola was referring to Justin, their friend since childhood. They’d grown up together and had always been around one another. All four of the college kids were. They were practically family since birth.

Makenzie rolled her eyes, “No, plus, he likes someone else.” She grumbled, drinking her tea, finishing it off. The bartender passed her a lime with water to wash the salt from the drink down fully, burning her throat in the process.

“Hey!” Falon’s voice rang throughout the bar, “Watch where you’re going.” She was loud and trembling as she spoke. She had stood up, running into a man in a black suit. The quiet man she had been flirting with watched intently.

“Excuse me?” The man in the suit spoke, raising his eyebrows, “Last time I checked, you fell into me.” He wasn’t rude or cold, just blunt.

Falon giggled, “Maybe we’re supposed to fall in love! Haha, get it?” She leaned forward, almost falling to the floor. She wiggled her eyebrows, almost looking like she was about to puke.

“Oh my God..” Makenzie smacked her head against the bar, “End the embarrassment.” She groaned as she spoke, her voice lowering in pitch.

Lola laughed, “I love drunk Falon.”

“All the guys do.”

“Wow, that was cold.” Lola gave Makenzie a look, trying to keep a straight face. Something about the bar seemed off. That’s when Lola noticed the quiet man was gone but his seat was moving around. Like he had just left without a trace.

“Uhh…” Makenzie spoke, noticing it too, for Lola was staring right at the seat, “Where’d Falon’s conquest go?” She then looked to Lola.

Lola shrugged, “Bathroom or maybe he just left.” She didn’t seem to think much more about it. It quickly dropped from Makenzie’s mind. Falon was already flirting with the man in the black suit. Like the first man she was with never existed.

When Justin came back, they loaded into their white Pontiac. It was an older model but it drove just as well as the new models, if not better. It was a little dirty but the car got the job done. 

“I wanna sleep.” Falon moaned from the backseat, slumping her whole body against the left side of the car. She closed her eyes and muttered unaudiable words before starting to snore.

“That was fast.” Lola said from the front seat beside Justin who was driving. She looked back, turning  her whole body around so she could stab her sleeping, drunk friend in the leg with a pen. Falon didn’t wake up.

“Yep,” Makenzie scratched her head as she yawned, “I think that was a record.”

“No,” Justin shook his head as he started the car up, “Remember that one time she fell asleep walking?” He rubbed his eyes as he turned on the headlights and the windshield wipers. It was starting to slightly drizzle.

Lola nodded, “There was that.” She then laughed along with Justin and Makenzie, “Now, let’s go! We only have an hour to drive.”

“‘We’ my a*s.” Justin muttered, snapping his seatbelt in and starting to drive out the parking lot. He turned left and started down the road. It was a little past midnight and nobody was on the road. The rain had already stopped, causing Justin to turn the wipers off.

Makenzie yawned as she rested her head against the window, looking out. They’d been on the road for nearly twenty minutes, in a remote part of the mountains. Nobody was around for miles and miles. It was just roads upon roads upon roads.

“What the hell?” Justin muttered to himself as he squinted his eyes to see a figure in the road.

“What is that? A deer?” Lola spoke up. Falon was still out and Makenzie wasn’t paying attention. Lola and Justin were the only ones fully watching their surroundings.

“Deer don’t stand on two legs…” Justin muttered. He turned on his bright lights just in time to come right up on the figure. It was a person, “S**T!” Justin screamed, yanking the steering wheel to the side, causing the car to vault itself to the left.

Lola yelled as she banged her head right on the window. It busted open as the car swerved off the road and right towards the forest. The road where they were located was raised. Meaning if you went off it, you’d be diving nose first into many large trees. It was a large, steep bank.

Makenzie woke up as the car started to roll right into the embankment. She started, hitting her head against the already shattered glass. A yelp escaped her lips, causing Falon to wake up. She threw her head back, right into the back of the seat.

The car rolled down the hill and the whole time Justin was slamming on the brakes, jerking the wheel, and gripping the clutch. All of a sudden, the car came to a sudden stop as it rammed right between two very large trees. The car was upside down.

Lola was unconscious along with Makenzie. They had each hit their head hard as the car rolled down the two hundred foot slope. The lights of the car were still on but slightly flickering off and on. All the windows were busted and fog filled the cab of the overturned car.

Justin groaned quietly as he tried to open his eyes. He heard Falon slightly crying in the back. Her body was half out of the car. She was slammed against the tree and the side of the car. He was rammed between the wheel and his seat. Makenzie’s belt had broken, making her fall to the ceiling of the car. However, she didn’t move.

Justin blinked as he tried to move his arm. He felt thick liquid run down it. It was blood from his head. He winced at the pain. And he looked forward and his heart stopped.

A pair of legs were coming towards the car. The headlights were barely showing the figure but the legs were very slender and long. They took long strides but they didn’t seem to be in any type of hurry. It was like they knew what they were doing.

But Justin started to black out before he could do anything. He couldn’t move. He couldn’t think. He couldn’t speak. But he did notice one thing that scared him, right before he blacked out. 

Hanging beside the legs, wavering around, was a large chain and a hatchet.