Roslyn

I flip through Instagram, smiling at the cute picture Jackie posted with James on a family day out of town.

I double tap the picture, sending my love to them.

I won't lie, my heart hurts seeing them have fun without me. But I was the one to put things to an end. Danger followed me everywhere I went when we were constantly together.

Now, I speak to them a few times a week and things are much calmer in my life.

I kick the leaves beneath my feet and take in the fresh fall air. Things are finally returning back to normal.

A hand snakes around my face, covering my mouth from behind as I am yanked into the trees.

Not again.

I try to scream but it is no use. No one can hear me. And even if they could, no one could help me now. We are already too deep in the woods.

I am thrown to the ground, my body breaks hundreds of leaves as I land.

"Did you miss me?" She asks. I shake my head honestly.

"Not one bit." I try to be brave as backup crawls out from the brush.

Elise smiles and bends down closer to look at the fear in my eyes. "I brought my friends this time. Remember them?"

"Yes." I lift myself on to my hands and knees, hoping I will be able to stand and at least attempt to make a run for it. I do not think I will get very far with these trained killers coming after me, but at least I can say that I tried.

Part of me hopes James and Jackie are lurking behind the trees, ready to jump in and save me. But the larger part of me says I need to fight my own battles. I can not rely on them for everything. I need to be my own person.

I stand on my feet and clench my fists, ready to fight Elise. To the death if necessary.

"To the death?" She cackles. "Did you forget we can all hear your thoughts?" The group laughs along with her as they ridicule my thoughts. "As if you stand a chance." She shrugs. "But I love a little exercise in the morning. Let's give it a shot." She throws her fists up, ready to go.

I swing my fist at her and before I know it, she has her hand over my throat, shoving my back into the stump of a large tree. I lift my hands up to my throat, trying to pry her ridiculously strong fingers off of it. She turns her body and sends me flying across the forest.

I stand myself up, despite the overwhelming pain in my body and throw my hands back up.

"Oh, you want some more, do ya?" She chuckles.

"Yeah, she does. You know she doesn't give up without a fight." Jackie emerges from the trees, crossing her arms over her chest defiantly. "And I'm pretty sure she just might hate you a little more than I do." She leans against a tree.

I stand up straighter, fighting against the pain and keeping alert. Just because Jackie is here, doesn't mean I am going to win this. I need to keep calm and continue to fight.

"I think you left something at my house." James walks around her as if to circle her like a shark. He holds a wooden stake in his hands. The same one they tried to kill her with before she vanished.

"No," she shakes her head. "Not this time." She turns her focus towards me, hoping to end this quickly.

James lunges at Elise. She dodges the stake just barely as Jackie grabs on to her, trying to control her before she is able to escape again. He plunges it deep into her chest and smiles before pulling the head off of her body. He tosses her decapitated head behind him like an apple core and smirks. "That felt good."

Jackie drops Elise and wipes her hands clean on her pants. "Anyone else want to take a crack at Roslyn?" She asks, standing guard.

They whimper and cower, slowly backing away into the shadows.

"That was totally badass Ros! Pretending like you thought you could actually win! That was genius!"

"Yeah," I laugh awkwardly. "Pretending."

Jackie leans forward and throws her arms around me. "I've missed my best friend."

I open my eyes to see James standing behind us. "I've missed you too." He adds. "You needed space and I gave it to you. But it was not easy."

Within Jackie's arms, I realize what I should have seen all along. Despite pushing them out of my life, danger still followed me around. It was not Jackie and James attracting death. It was me. I am the problem. Not them.

I need them.

And I'd like to think that they need me too.

Author's note: everyone is back together! Do you think it will last or will something else ruin it?