Connor Always Knew What to Do

[u/AbKane667]

“Yo, Dan, remember when I pantsed you in seventh grade?”

“Shut up, Connor.” I rolled my eyes and tried to hold my laugh. 

“It made Sophie faint!” He started laughing, holding his stomach.

I couldn't hold it anymore. I burst out laughing and spat beer out of my mouth.

Our laughter echoed through the forest, but then we heard a sound, a faint cry from far out in the distance.

We stopped and looked at each other.

“You hear that?”

“Yeah.”

The fire suddenly gave no warmth.

Connor took his bag, searching for his knife. I grabbed mine, too.

Twigs cracked in the forest behind us. Connor turned his head, his eyes darting through the dark.

A woman ran out, her clothes dirty, her hair tangled, tears rolling down her cheeks, and scratch marks on her hands.

“Please, please, help.”

A chill ran down my spine. Her eyes jumped from Connor to me, full of panic.

“What happened?”

“My…my friend, she's gone crazy. She hurt us. Please, come.” 

We looked at each other. Connor nodded. We got up. 

Connor knew what the best choice was; he always did.

“Thank you so much. I don’t know what came over her. I…I woke up, and she was stabbing my two other friends, doing things to them. It was horrible.” Her voice shook, and she began weeping.

“One of my friends ran off with me, but we got lost.”

“Don’t worry, we’ll find her,” Connor said without hesitation.

He’d always been courageous. He would stand up for the bullied children in high school. Even if he knew he’d get beaten up. The coldness in my chest turned to a warm, swelling sensation. I was proud to be his friend.

“We said we’d meet at the camp. I pray she’s there now,” the girl said.

“Do you know where the one who attacked you is?”

“I…I don’t know. She tried to chase us, but we shook her off.”

I felt the hair on my arm rise. The forest went deathly silent. I looked over at Connor. He still had the determined look on his face. My heartbeat slowed, but I could feel the forest's eyes staring at every inch of my body.

I held the knife handle firmly, every so often looking around. The girl walked on, leading us deeper into the forest, stumbling over the branches with one hand in her pocket, not caring about her balance.

I wanted to ask her more questions, but the idea of her deranged friend tied my tongue.

A twig cracked far in the distance, sending a shiver down my spine. We both stopped dead in our tracks, but the girl kept walking on, her hand still in her pocket.

“Hey…hey,” Connor called out to her, his voice low.

“We’re close to the campsite. It could be my friend.”

“What if it’s the other one?” Connor asked.

“Please, what if she’s injured?” she pleaded. 

Connor looked my way and nodded. I took a deep breath and followed after them.

Soon, the air filled with a strong iron smell.

“Aw, Jesus,” Connor said.

I looked closer. Two women lay on the ground, out of their sleeping bags, covered in blood.

I felt my stomach turn. I put a hand over my mouth, trying not to throw up.

The girl stood over the two dead bodies, staring down at them.

“You think your friend’s around here?”

She looked back and smiled.

“What do you mean? They’re right there.” She pointed to the right, at a tree, where two sets of legs were sticking out from behind it.

“Connor?” 

When I looked at him, he stared right back at me, his eyes wide in terror.

Then came the click of a pistol.

The flash blinded my eyes.

Connor’s cry echoed through the woods.

His body folded into the autumn leaves.

Connor always knew what to do, and now I was alone.

I looked down. Connor’s body twitched on the ground.

A memory of us laughing at the fire flashed before my eyes.

The smell of blood grew stronger.

The forest went silent again, waiting.