The teenagers immediately pull away from each other, facing the direction where the familiar sound comes from.
“Did… did you hear it?” – Noah asks, the moment completely gone.
“Yeah, I guess it’s coming from this way…” – MC starts walking towards the sound, when he grabs their wrist.
“Wait.” – the boy hesitates for a brief moment, clearly deciding if he should go or not, before saying with determination: “…I’ll go with you.”
MC nods at him and they both cautiously follow the sound, his warm and big hand still on their arm.
The sound draws them to the base of an old, twisted tree, where something hangs from the lowest branch. MC picks the old but familiar whistle.
“Is that…?”
“Yeah, the whistle I gave Jane. She lost it the last time we…” – MC cuts themself, unable to finish their sentence, although Noah knows exactly about what or who they’re referring to.
“Well… I guess Jane will be happy to have it back.” – he says. – “Don’t worry, it happened a lifetime ago. It’s all over, MC.”
MC shakes their head.
“I don’t know…”
“What do you mean?”
MC looks up to his face and is about to tell him about what happened on the sleepover a few nights before, when they both hear Jane’s shouts, calling for them.
“Uh, they fished pretty fast today. Let’s go. Besides, it’s getting dark and these woods still freak me out.”
Noah notices that MC is still shaking a little and squeezes their hand, reassuringly. MC lets out a small sigh, feeling their body relaxing a little.
That’s right. Everything’s okay. The past is in the past.
And they go back to the lake, hand in hand.
“Look at how many fish I got!” – Jane proudly shoves her conquest to them, as they both walk out of the woods… and then her eyes lays on their hands together. – “Hm, did something happen?” – she asks with a smirk.
MC and Noah immediately pull away, their faces suddenly red.
“Uh, great job, Jane.” – her brother says, taking the fish himself and heading to the camp ignoring her question. – “Now I can finally make our dinner.”
The red-haired girl just rolls her eyes and trots to her best friend:
“Okay, tell me everything. What happened? Did you kiss? Who confessed first? I bet it was you!”
“Nothing happened, Jane. But we found something…” – and MC shows her the old wooden whistle.
Jane’s big brown eyes go wide.
“Oh my God!” – she squeals, taking the object in her hands. – “So it was this what we heard the other night! Where was it?”
“In the middle of the woods…”
“And did you see… it? Or anything creepy?”
“No. Just the whistle.”
“Good.” – Jane says as she puts the whistle in her pocket. – “Oh, let me help you!” – she takes half of the sticks MC is carrying and they return to the camp.
The dinner was calm. Noah grilled the fish perfectly and he and Jane made a duet, with him strumming on the guitar while she sang, performing to MC and their father. Although her brother always teases her, Jane actually sings pretty well. Mr. Marshall wanted to tell some ghost stories before they all went to sleep, but Noah was strongly against it. Of course his twin teased him about this.
Even though they’re tired from the day, MC can’t sleep, their mind running with memories of when they found Jane’s whistle that evening, the sleepover they had and of Mr. Red.
MC can’t help but feel that something will happen. Something bad.
Tired of trying to sleep, MC decides to get up and walks out of the tent they’re sharing with Jane.
MC sits by the campfire, lighting it up. The warmth somewhat makes them feel less tense and worried.
Around them everything is calm and still. They can hear the sound of the peaceful lake and the sing of an owl nearby and smell the nature around them.
And then, MC hears something. Footsteps approaching. Their body immediately stiffens, their senses in alert. Not thinking twice, they grab the first thing they see to use as a weapon and prepare themself to what’s coming.
“HAAAA!”
“Whoaaa!” – Noah exclaims, dodging their attack and falling backwards. – “MC?” – he looks at what they’re holding. – “I can’t believe you were going to attack me using my own frying pan!”
“Jeez, Noah, you scared the crap out of me!” – MC says as they help him to get up. – “What were you doing in there?”
“Uh, I had to pee…”
“Oh, okay. Sorry.” – MC interrupts him and sits down again.
“Can’t sleep?” – he sits next to them in the grass.
“Yeah.”
Noah knows that something’s off. MC usually is not this quiet. And they definitely don’t go around attacking people with frying pans.
“Hey… What’s up? Is everything okay?”
MC lets out a sigh and looks at him, their eyes searching his.
“Noah… There’s something I didn’t tell you. About the whistle…”
“Oh, right. You did seem a little shaken by it.”
“Yeah, about it… when Jane came to my house for that sleepover this past week… We…” – MC gulps, summoning all their strength. – “We heard it.”
“The whistle sound?” – MC nods, turning to face the campfire again. – “Wow, but the whistle wasn’t near your house.”
“Exactly. And Jane said… that she was scared.” – Noah feels his heart stopping for a second inside his chest as he immediately remembers those three words.
Are you scared?
“And… that’s why I’ve being acting… strange since then. A little paranoid.” – MC finishes. – “I know it is stupid, since nothing else happened (well, until we found the whistle this evening). Jane herself turned the page and said that it meant nothing, that the past is in the past.” – they force a laugh. – “Besides, it doesn’t make any sense why Mr. Red would suddenly be back after 10 years, right?”
“…You have every right to feel this way, MC. I would too… In fact, I think I’m feeling a little frightened right now.”
MC turns to him for a few seconds, before letting out a laugh. Noah looks at them as if they suddenly went nuts, which he thinks is the case.
“What?”
“Only you, Noah, to make me laugh when I’m feeling terrified about something.” – MC wipes off a tear.
“Uh, I’m glad that my cowardice amuses you.”
MC giggles a little more before snuggling against him, leaning their head on his shoulder: “Don’t say it. You’re not a coward.”
“Of course I am. I almost shitted my pants every time we would come to play in the woods. And it still terrifies me.” – MC chuckles softly again and feels his arms around them. – “And you are the bravest person I know, so… you don’t have to be afraid. Of anything. Because I know you’ll face it.”
“You have too much faith in me.”
“I’m just stating the facts.” – he squeezes them a little tighter. – “And don’t hesitate to tell me. Whatever you’re feeling, if something is bugging you… I’m here.” – MC smiles, feeling his warmth enveloping them.
“…Thanks, Beanie Boy.” – MC murmurs, nestling into his embrace.
They both lose track of time on how long they stay like this, watching the campfire slowly cooling off. Neither of them says anything, but these moments of silence with each other are always welcoming. Just being around Noah is enough to make MC feel at ease, and vice versa.
Noah lets out a yawn and MC suggests that they should go sleep, which he accepts right away. MC helps him getting up and leads him to his tent. But before he enters it, MC stays on their toes and kisses the boy softly on the cheek.
“Thank you for being with me, Noah.” – MC whispers at him.
“Any time, MC.” – he gives them a sleepy smile and enters his own tent.
MC sleeps well the rest of the night, but Noah almost doesn’t wake up for breakfast the next morning. But Jane is pretty good on waking up people (specially when she’s hungry) and he is the official cook, so the boy has to wake up anyway.
By the time MC walks out of the tent, Noah is making fried eggs on the frying pan they almost hit him the night before.
“Hey. Did you sleep well?” – he asks them, with a side smile on his lips.
“Yeah. I’m sorry I kept you awake.”
“What?! Why did you keep him awake? What happened? What did you two do?!” – Jane suddenly says behind them, startling her best friend. She has just came back from the woods, carrying some berries.
“Nothing!” – MC quickly answers. – “I, uh, have to use the restroom.” – and then walks away.
Jane looks suspiciously to her friend, but lets them go. She knows that MC will tell her later anyway. Whether they like it or not.
“Hey Noah, can we eat these?” – she asks turning to her twin. She knows too well that it is simply impossible to get any information from her brother if he doesn’t feel like telling her. And he never wants to tell her anything that would happen between him and her best friend, so she lets it go.
“Unless you want us to die. These berries are poisonous.”
“What?! But they’re so cute!” – she takes one of them and admires it.
“Exactly. They’re cute because they want you to eat them. And this is why they’re so dangerous. Beautiful things can be dangerous, Jane.”
“Hm, are you talking about MC?”
His cheeks immediately turn a deep shade of red and the girl can’t contain a smirk. She would never lose an opportunity to tease Noah and MC.
“Shut up, you prick.” – he rolls his eyes as MC comes back.
Monday morning, back in school, the three of them are greeted by a cheerful Dan as soon as they arrive:
“MC, Jane, Noah! I hope you have nothing planned for this Saturday, because I’m throwing a house party!”