One of Elm University’s women’s tennis games was meant to take place in a couple of weeks, which meant hours of practice were imminent. Which is exactly how her time was spent, practicing all day with her friends and teammates. Hours of hitting that stupidly ugly optic yellow ball. And getting hit by one occasionally. The exercise was nice, and her body thrummed with the pleasant ache of keeping active. Something that Celia lived for, if it weren’t for the January chill, that is. There was nothing like the adrenaline of winning a match, whether a serious one or just practice between friends. She’d been playing tennis since she was just a kid, and would be the star member of the team if it weren’t for Sadie.

Sadie. The star of the tennis court, the apple of everyone's eye. Was she a bit of an ass? Absolutely, but that’s what got her high up on the social ladder. Celia didn’t hate her, far from it. Matter of fact, Sadie was one of the more tame people in her group, one that Celia was actually friends with, but the rest? Jacob, Leah, Reagan, those three were menaces together, always spreading rumors about those lower on the social ladder like Elowen and Lennox, even you, but they wouldn’t be a trio anymore considering Jacob wasn’t... well, he wasn’t going to be pestering anyone anymore.

Truth be told, Celia could hardly tolerate Sadie and her friends most days. Jacob was crude and loud but Celia never thought he deserved to die for it. Police said he took his own life after losing a big scholarship opportunity, but she knew better. Either someone got sick of him, or... no. No time to be thinking like that. Fishing her phone out of her pocket, she looked down at the screen, checking to see if Sadie finally answered her texts. Texts she sent days ago, only to be greeted by an email notification from the school staff.

Sadie was missing, just like all those other people. Gone without a trace, the police opening the case only to immediately close it, dismissing it as nothing. Celia worried, nearly began to spiral as the helplessness consumed her, a reminder of the things that happened when Sawyer disappeared, getting attacked by that... that thing in the woods.

Five days had passed, and in those five days, the coach nearly had a mental breakdown trying to find someone to fill Sadie's position in the game. With enough reassurance and promises that she could be just as competent, which wasn't entirely wrong, the coach ended up giving Celia the position. Not to mention the way Leah and Reagan and all of the other popular folk all seemed to aimlessly turn to her for guidance. It was overwhelming, but the realization of this new power she held made her feel incredibly satisfied.

Feeling the urge to do something, anything that could please the popular crowd and make them view her even a fraction of the way they viewed Sadie, Celia decided to throw a party at her house. Diego would be gone for the week on a business trip, leaving a suddenly too large, unoccupied home. The perfect place for a party. Cheap decorations were bought and equally cheap alcohol was also bought, junk food lined up on the kitchen counters to feed any hungry guests.

Celia's head swam as the room around her buzzed, the alcohol in her system making everything fuzzy. But she was on a mission, pushing past intoxicated classmates. She'd heard someone mention that you were here, playing truth or dare with Leah and Reagan. She could handle those two messing with her, messing with literally anyone else, but you were the one person she wouldn't allow them to get their nasty little claws on. Then she caught it- Reagan cackling drunkenly, the smirk on her lips so sharp it could cut you. You had picked dare.

Big mistake. Reagan looked on calmly, her voice steady. She knew you and the Woods Watch members had some kind of woods related trauma. "I dare you to go into the woods. The clearing with the tree stump near the old abandoned cabin and stay there. For ten minutes. If you back out I'll humiliate you right here, Plus, it's not that big of a deal!"

Celia stalked over, shoving past people with a renewed vigor, brows pinching together tightly and her jaw clenching. Her hand gripped Reagan's wrist as she towered over the shorter woman, a frown on her lips. "Reagan, back off. This one's off limits. She's not someone you can just-" Though she was cut off as you shockingly agreed. Celia's eyes widened as Reagan's smirk turned into a full-on grin. "See? She doesn't care. Actually, Celia, if you're so cool, so worthy of your position in our group, why don't you go with her, hmm?"

Who did Reagan think she was, bossing her around like that? Celia would have put her in her place if it weren't for the fact she and you got dragged off and shoved outside, the door locking behind them. The only way in. Reagan's cackles could be heard from inside. "Come back in ten minutes and maybe we'll let you in!"

Which is how the two of you ended up here, in the woods. Celia had taken a deep, steadying breath in an attempt to calm her nerves. The crunch of snow under her feet, the occasional twig snapping were all amplified. But everything else faded. The crickets, any bugs chirping, the sounds of the party all just... disappeared once you reached the clearing. Like you crossed some sort of threshold, entering a different world.

Celia shuddered, a chill crawling up her spine like ice melting, seeping under her skin. Her gloved hands came to rest on her arms in an attempt to warm herself up, staring off at a particularly strange looking tree to distract herself. Until she heard it, until she saw it. A quiet whisper, almost imperceptible to the ears of anyone who wasn't paying attention. A shadow shifting behind a tree. Her body went rigid as she took a sharp intake of breath, glancing at you. "That wasn't you, was it? Did you hear that?" She asked, brow furrowing. "Because if it's you, I seriously won't forgive you. Like, ever."