chapter eleven
"the belly of the beast"

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The Pool  ━━ Hacketts Quarry 2021

THE OTHER counselors looked between Ryan and Laura, unsure of what to do. Kaitlyn took a hesitant step forward. "Ryan, maybe we should hear her out. She knows more about what's going on than any of us."

Dylan nodded in agreement. "Yeah, man. Plus, she's been bitten. If anyone has a reason to want to end this curse, it's her."

Ryan's grip on the shotgun tightened, his knuckles turning white. "And what if that's exactly why we can't trust her? What if she's just looking out for herself?"

Laura's eyes flashed with determination. "I'm looking out for everyone," she said firmly. "For Max, for all of you, for every innocent person who might fall victim to this curse in the future. I've spent two months trying to understand this curse, trying to find a way to break it. And now that I'm so close, I'm not going to let anything stop me. Not even my own infection. Now, where is Chris Hackett?" Laura demanded, her eyes locked on Ryan. The intensity of her gaze was unnerving, a stark reminder of the urgency of their situation. "We need to find him to end this."

Ryan's grip on the shotgun tightened, his knuckles turning white. The weight of the weapon felt reassuring in his hands. His jaw clenched, a muscle twitching visibly. "You murdered Kaylee," he said, his voice low and cold. "Why should we tell you anything?"

The accusation hung in the air, heavy and oppressive. The other counselors shifted uncomfortably, caught between their trust in Ryan and the undeniable knowledge Laura seemed to possess.

Laura let out an exasperated sigh, running a hand through her disheveled hair. "We've been over this," she said, her patience clearly wearing thin. "I thought she was a werewolf. It was a mistake, a terrible mistake, but we don't have time to dwell on it. Every second we waste arguing is a second closer to more people getting hurt or killed."

Uncertainty flashed across Ryan's face, his resolve wavering. He turned to Kaitlyn, his eyes seeking reassurance or guidance. "What should I do?" he asked, his voice barely above a whisper.

Laura couldn't help but scoff, the sound bitter and sardonic. "Oh, great leadership skills there, Ryan," she said, her words dripping with sarcasm. "Really inspiring confidence in your decision-making abilities."

"Shut up!" Ryan snapped, his temper flaring. The outburst seemed to surprise even him, and he took a deep breath, trying to regain his composure.

Kaitlyn raised her hands, taking a step back from the brewing confrontation. Her eyes darted between Ryan and Laura, assessing the situation. "I'm not getting involved in this," she said firmly. "But Ryan, think about everything that's happened tonight. The attack on Nick, the transformations, everything we've seen. We need answers, and right now, Laura seems to be the only one who has them."

Laura's attention suddenly shifted to Abigail, or more specifically, to the silver bracelet glinting on her wrist. Her eyes widened with recognition, a spark of hope igniting in their depths. "That bracelet..." she said, her voice urgent. "It's silver, isn't it?"

Abigail nodded, confusion evident on her face. "Yeah, it is. Why? What does that have to do with anything?"

"Can I see it?" Laura asked, her hand already outstretched. The intensity of her focus was almost palpable.

Hesitantly, Abigail unclasped the bracelet and handed it to Laura. The group watched in stunned silence as Laura began to disassemble the delicate piece of jewelry with quick, practiced movements. Her fingers worked deftly, breaking down the silver links and working them into the bullets from her gun.

"Silver bullets," she explained, her actions never slowing. "They'll kill the werewolves for good. It's not just a myth – silver really does harm them. And if we can kill them, really kill them, we might be able to end this curse once and for all."

The gravity of her words sank in, adding another layer of tension to the already charged atmosphere. When she finished her work, Laura looked up at Ryan, her eyes challenging and defiant. "If you're going to shoot me, do it now," she said, her voice steady. "Otherwise, we need to move. We're running out of time."

Ryan stared at her for a long moment, his finger resting lightly on the trigger of the shotgun. The silence stretched, taut as a bowstring, as everyone held their breath. Finally, slowly, he lowered the gun. "Alright," he said, his voice resigned but tinged with a newfound resolve. "I'll trust you. For now. But if this turns out to be a trick..."

Laura nodded, relief evident on her face despite her attempt to remain stoic. "Good," she said. "Now, where does Chris live when he's not at camp? We need to find him, and fast."

Ryan frowned, his brow furrowing. "Why would we know that? We're just summer counselors."

"You've been here for two months," Laura pointed out, a hint of impatience creeping into her voice. "You must have picked up something, heard some gossip, noticed where he goes when he leaves the camp. Anything could be useful."

The counselors exchanged glances, racking their brains for any scrap of information that might help. It was Kaitlyn who finally spoke up, her voice hesitant but hopeful. "There's that spooky house behind the woods," she said. "You know, the one all the campers tell stories about? Could that be it?"

Laura considered this, nodding slowly. Her mind was clearly racing, piecing together a plan. "It's a start," she said. "Chris isn't in the storm shelter, I've already checked there. And hunting him in the woods is getting us nowhere. We need a solid lead, and that house might be it."

Ryan interjected, his voice urgent and tinged with a desperate hope. "Wait, isn't there another solution? This can't be the only way. There has to be something else we can do, something that doesn't involve... killing anyone."

Laura's face hardened, her eyes filled with a mix of determination and regret. "I've spent the last month thinking about this, Ryan. Every waking moment, trying to find another way out. There is no other solution. Anyone bitten by a werewolf is stuck until the next full moon. Including me and Max."

"How is that our problem?" Ryan asked, his voice hard but with an undercurrent of fear. The implications of Laura's words were starting to sink in, and the weight of them was staggering.

Lilith stepped forward, her eyes wide with realization. "Nick," she said, her voice barely above a whisper. "Nick was bitten. Remember? Before he... changed."

The reminder seemed to hit Ryan like a physical blow. He took a deep breath, his shoulders sagging slightly under the weight of their situation. After a moment of internal struggle, he turned to Laura, his decision made. "Okay," he said, his voice firm. "I'll go with you."

The others looked at him in surprise, a mix of emotions playing across their faces – fear, confusion, and a grudging respect for his courage. Laura raised an eyebrow, clearly not having expected this turn of events. "You will?" she asked, a hint of skepticism in her voice.

Ryan nodded grimly, his resolve apparent in the set of his jaw. "I'll show you that Chris has nothing to do with this. He's a good man, and I won't let you hurt him without proof. But the rest of you," he turned to address the group, his voice taking on a protective tone, "stay inside. Be safe. We don't know what else is out there."

Laura scoffed, shaking her head. "I don't care what you think about Chris," she said bluntly. "I just need to end this curse before it's too late. Before I turn, before anyone else gets hurt."

"And I don't care what you think either," Ryan shot back, matching her tone. "But we're in this together now, whether we like it or not."

Laura nodded reluctantly, a silent acknowledgment of their uneasy alliance. "Fine," she said. "Let's go. We're wasting time. Where's the police car you stole?"

Ryan's face fell, a flicker of embarrassment crossing his features. "I, uh... I ditched it in the lake," he admitted. "We'll have to go on foot."

He turned to Kaitlyn and the others, his expression softening slightly. "Try to fix the minivan," he instructed. "If you can get it running, get somewhere safe. Don't wait for us."

"How long do we have?" Ryan asked Laura as they prepared to leave, the reality of their situation settling over him like a heavy cloak.

Laura's face was grim, the weight of her knowledge evident in the lines of worry etched across her forehead. "One or two hours," she said. "Maybe less. It doesn't seem to be an exact science. The transformation... it's different for everyone."

With a final nod to the group, Ryan and Laura set off into the night.

As their footsteps faded into the distance, Kaitlyn turned to the others, her face set with determination. "Alright," she said, her voice steady despite the fear evident in her eyes. "Let's get that minivan fixed. We're not out of this yet."

Dylan nodded, already moving towards the door. "I'll grab the toolbox from the shed," he said. "Maybe we can jury-rig something to get it started."

Abigail hugged herself, her eyes darting nervously to the windows. "Do you think they'll be okay out there?" she asked, her voice small and frightened.

Kaitlyn put a comforting hand on her shoulder. "They have to be," she said, trying to sound more confident than she felt. "And we have to be ready when they come back. Come on, let's get to work."

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The old wooden floorboards of the lodge creaked under their feet as Abi, Lilith, Kaitlyn, and Dylan made their way inside. The familiar surroundings, once a source of comfort, now seemed eerie and foreboding in the dim light.

Kaitlyn ran her hand along the rough-hewn timber of a support beam. "You know," she said, her voice echoing slightly in the empty space, "I used to think this place was so cozy. Reminded me of one of those fancy ski lodges you see in movies."

She turned to Dylan, a hint of dark humor in her eyes. "Hey, Dylan, did you ever fantasize about being trapped on a ski resort with a broken cable car? Where the only source of warmth and food is... other people?"

Dylan raised an eyebrow, a small smirk playing on his lips despite the tension. "Can't say that I have, Kaitlyn. Should I be worried about your survival instincts?"

Abi, who had been quiet since they entered the lodge, suddenly spoke up, her voice small and anxious. "What do you think happened to Jacob and Emma? They've been gone for so long..."

Dylan cleared his throat, trying to sound more confident than he felt. "Hopefully nothing," he said. "They're probably just... hiding out somewhere safe. Yeah, that's it."

Abi wrung her hands, clearly not convinced. "Maybe we should try to find them? Help them if they're in trouble?"

Kaitlyn shook her head firmly, her leadership instincts kicking in. "The safest and most responsible thing we can do right now is try to get help. We need to focus on fixing that minivan."

Dylan approached the vehicle, his hand reaching for the door handle. "Alright, let's see what we're working with here," he muttered, pulling the door open.

His face fell as he peered inside. "Still empty," he reported, turning back to the others. "No magic elves came to fix it while we were gone."

Kaitlyn circled the minivan, her brow furrowed in concentration. After a few moments, she straightened up with a sigh. "Bad news, guys. This thing needs some serious work. We're going to need extra parts to get it running again."

A heavy silence fell over the group as the enormity of their task sank in. Then, unexpectedly, Lilith spoke up, her voice tinged with guilt. "I... I have something to confess," she said, not meeting anyone's eyes. "I convinced Jacob to sabotage the van so we would stay an extra night. I'm sorry, I didn't think..."

Her words were met with a chorus of angry exclamations. Abi's eyes widened in disbelief, while Dylan let out a string of colorful curses. Kaitlyn, however, raised her hands, calling for calm.

"Hey, hey! Enough!" she said forcefully. "What's done is done. It doesn't make a difference now anyway. We need to focus on fixing the van, not pointing fingers."

The others grudgingly nodded, their anger dissipating in the face of their more immediate concerns. Lilith, still looking ashamed, suddenly perked up. "Wait, I just remembered. The Hackett scrapyard isn't far from here. We might be able to find the parts we need there."

Kaitlyn's eyes lit up at the suggestion. "Good thinking, Lilith. Okay, new plan. Dylan and I will head to the scrapyard to look for parts. Abi, Lilith, you two should stay in the storm shelter. It's safer there, and we need someone to hold down the fort in case the others come back."

Dylan nodded, already moving to gather some tools. "Sounds like a plan. Let's hope the Hacketts don't mind us borrowing a few spare parts."

As they prepared to set out, Kaitlyn turned to Abi and Lilith, her expression serious. "Remember, stay in the shelter and keep the door locked. Don't open it for anyone but us, got it?"

As Kaitlyn and Dylan disappeared into the darkness, heading towards the scrapyard, Abi and Lilith made their way to the storm shelter.

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