Page 11 of Ring Around the Rosie

What the fuck was that all about? Who’s watching? Who can see us? And what fucking game? I swear, everyone is so fucking obsessed with these damn redwoods! They’re just trees!

Kaila and Sandy walked ahead of me and talked the whole way back to the cabin. I kept to myself, still trying to process the odd coincidence that Nurse B had the same last name as Sabbath. It wasn’t like Sequoya was such a common name either. So odd. My eyes and mind wandered as I walked down the small dirt path. The redwoods were alive—in a sense. Not in the creepy, horrific way Sol was talking about, but in the more natural sense. The night was awake and singing. I listened closely to the sweet midnight song of the wildlife. It was peaceful and alluring, like a bedtime song you’d hear your grandparents hum as you fall asleep. The cicadas and crickets were loud and hearty with their song as a few birds chirped within the trees. The ambience melted away the uneasiness from the bonfire and lifted my mood as I smoked the last bit of my cigarette. Run down or not, this place was beautiful. Peaceful.

I finished my cigarette and tossed the butt down before I pressed the toe of my Converse against it. My foot rubbed it into the dirt when I heard something move. My head snapped in the direction of the sound. I half expected an animal to jump out at me, but it didn’t. My curiosity piqued, and I expectantly reached out towards the trees. Almost like some strange force was controlling me and pulling me closer.

“Aster?” I jumped and coiled my arm back.

My heart raced. “Jesus, Kaila!” I turned to look at her. “You scared the shit out of me!” Kaila and Sandy giggled as they waved for me to join them. I looked back at the trees before rushing to catch up.

It’s just in your head.

Sandy nudged my shoulder as I slithered between the two women. “Why so jumpy?” she asked.

I shook my head and wrapped my arms around their shoulders. “I thought I saw something but?—”

Kaila interrupted me. “Oh, don’t go down that rabbit hole! God, I want to kick Sol’s ass for scaring you! We’ve been working here for years and you know what we’ve seen? Sandy?”

“Nothing.”

Kaila raised her arms. “Exactly. Nothing! You know, Aster? Because there’s nothing in these woods. Just us, those creepy ass trees, and the wildlife. Don’t let Sol’s and Nurse B’s stories get to you. It’s just some scary stories they tell to mess with the staff so we don’t go out and party at night. That’s all.” The idea of Nurse B saying everything to simply scare the counselors into staying indoors kind of made sense. The last thing she wanted was any of us out drinking, smoking, or fucking around in the woods at night.

“You’re right. It was nothing.” Right?

ASTER

“Ring around the Rosie.A pocket full of posies. Ashes. Ashes. We all fall down.”

The smell of fire filled my nostrils as the sounds of their screams echoed through the darkness.

“Even you, Rosie.”

My back burned, and I tried to scream, but it was useless. My throat was filled with smoke and fire surged from my veins.

“Or should I say, Aster.”

THREE

ASTER

“Good morning!”Sandy busted into the cabin with a grossly overwhelming amount of energy that abruptly woke Kaila and me. “Rise and shine, ladies!” My head ached as the sun burned through the large cabin windows.

“Fuck,” I groaned. “What time is it?” I rubbed my eyes and listened as Sandy walked towards me.

She had an unusual pep in her step. “It’s almost eight in the morning.”

Kaila groaned. “Why the hell are you waking us up so early, Sandy? No. Why are you even awake right now?” She put on her glasses and eyed Sandy as she stopped in front of me. “Hold on. What’sthat?” Kaila pointed to Sandy’s hand. I forced my eyes open enough to see Sandy standing in front of me. She had the biggest grin and was staring in my direction, holding something. No, it wasn’t just something. It was a rose.

A black rose?

Sandy skipped to my bedside and reached her arm out as she offered me the rose. “This is for you, Aster.” I took the rose and noticed it wasn’t black. It was… burned. “A weird gesture, but hey, flowers are flowers!”

Oh fuck.

“Aww. So cute!” Kaila made a pouty face. “Wait, but why is it burned?”

My stomach dropped, and my heart nearly stopped. Time slowed and my eyes stared down at the charred flower now in my grasp. This wasn’t just any flower from any person. No. It was a calling card. A fucking reminder that no matter how far I traveled or how fast I ran, he would always find me. And this rose in my hand was proof that he had done just that.

Sabbath is here.

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