I watched Maya run in front of me wagging her tongue out as she ran faster. I got annoyed with her and stopped running. Greg stopped too with a sigh wiping sweat of his brow. I wondered why he could run so much faster than me, Ivan Smith who won the 100-meter dash at school. I turned my back on him looking at where Maya ran off to. Furthermore, I couldn't hear her any more I could only hear faint pants and footsteps leading into the forest. It was getting dark where did she run off to. Greg stared at the sky.

"Ivan I think we should get going its getting dark my mom hates me going back home late."

"We can't leave without Maya, ..." I said my voice weak and hoarse from running

"She must have gone up further let's go."

We walked down the eerie path, the sun now a semicircle on the far mountain tops.

"Maya!" Greg called loudly

"Maya!" He shouted again.

I could hear a muffled voice.

"I'm in here" the voice called weakly.

The hair at the back of my neck prickled as we reached a clearing a small cave with moss and vines around it and at the mouth of it, Maya stood with a scared look on her face. Her cheeks were flushed pink and her arms covered in blisters.

Greg ran to meet her, Maya twisted her face in a sharp scared look

"No Greg, STOP!!!"

It was too late Greg stepped into the cave checking on her wounds. Maya began to cry, hot tears dripping down her face.

"We can't come out of here Greg I told you not to come in." Maya sobbed.

Greg didn't look like he took her seriously.

"Come on, Maya we have to go. It's dark."

Greg took hold of her and tried to walk out, as soon as he didn't he fell back as if he'd been hit by a wall. He'd stared in horror at me and tried to come out again, being thrown back with even more force.

"Ivan! Ivan! don't come in here, you can't get out!." Greg called his voice trembling as he grilled Maya tighter with each passing second. I began to worry. Mom and Mona, my sister would be waiting for me to ride my bike back home. Dinner would be ready. But... A pressing question came.

Should I go or stay with them?

I bit my lip in exhaustion, playing with the hem of my shirt. I can't leave Greg and Maya I'll go get help and food.

"Hey Greg, Maya, I'm going to get help stay put. Don't wander deeper." I said with a cool, reassuring voice.

Maya nodded and Greg stared, not moving before he gave a small nod and turned his back to me solemnly. I ran through the forest this way was more prickly than I remember, I look around stopping to a halt in horror. I'm back at the cave

I stared in horror. I'm back at the cave. Maya and Greg are nowhere to be seen I try again running the other way. I'm still back at the cave. I take out my pen and a scrunched up piece of paper and write a letter. Mom will be heartbroken. I don't know about Mona. She'd be glad to keep my PlayStation 5. I write quickly, my writing fuzzy and scattered but legible,

Dear Mom and Mona,

I'm writing this because I'm probably never going to see you again. We went playing in the forest. Yeah, the one grandpa told us not to because it was cursed.

I pause at my last sentence. No wonder it was like this. Grandpa told us a story about these woods. Something about Infinite falling I think. I tap the pen against my chin biting my lip. Biting my lip must have become a nervous habit I picked up from school. I thought about Maya. She looked so pretty this morning I wish I could comfort her. You see I have this teensy tiny crush on Maya. what keeps me going some days was her big smile, cute pigtails and her ass sometimes. I give myself an annoyed hit with the pen snapping back to reality and looking at the letter. I picked up the pen chewing on my lip.

Mom, please don't be sad, I'm really sure we'll come back one day in the future. Tell Mona she can have my PlayStation, but she shouldn't spill apple juice on it like her barbie doll. Well maybe dad will get back before me and finally come back with the new sheets he promised to get.

*XOXO*

*Ivan*.

I sealed the letter hastily and put it in my bag taking a deep breath before entering the cave. Witnessing the scene before me gave me a sudden heartache. Greg was with Maya, she was sitting on his lap, and they were making out. Maya didn't notice my arrival, but Greg did he gave me a smile through his eyes, weird, then held onto her waist with one hand the other tangling in her silky brown hair. You see there's a time in every man's life when they feel like this. Terribly betrayed. As I turned away Maya finally looked up guiltily.

"I-ivan did you get help?"

I stared at her then looked away shaking my head solemnly as I looked at the floor and settled myself on some leaves in the corner, the cave was dark, but moonlight filtered through the cracks giving an eerie glow on our faces. Greg hadn't said anything, I glared at him tossing black hair out of my eyes. I told him I liked her, why is he doing this?. In my anger I fell asleep forgetting about everything that happened. The next morning Greg was already awake but Maya was still asleep. I stared at Greg.

"you know I like Maya why did you do that last night?!" I said scowling.

Greg gave a shrug, he ran a hand through his hair, it was messy and had twigs in it. Anger surged through me and I raised him by his shirt pinning him to the wall aggressively near the mouth of the cave.

"Greg, you aren't giving me a good answer why you were making out with my crush!" I growled.

Greg pushed me back with a strong force making me fall back against the invisible force field at the mouth of the cave. Shockingly I fell out of the cave.

Greg stared open mouth his nose flaring in anger.

"HOW CAN YOU PASS?!"

I looked around, sunlight hitting my face. I was out of the cave. Greg stared in shock, trying to come out but was thrown back by the force of the force field. At this point, Maya woke up, stretching. She looked at me, first puzzled, then surprised. I ignored her looking away and dusting myself off. She looked surprised at my attitude. Then stared at Greg who winked at her. She gave a small blush and pushed hair out of her face. I began to walk away, maybe to find my way home or to get away from this place.

"Ivan!" Maya called.

"Where are you going?!" she asked impatiently. I kept walking, ignoring her. I didn't want to talk to her. It would only make me feel like beating up Greg. I walked faster, leaving the cave to a river with water. I stared at my reflection in the clear liquid.

Why doesn't Maya like me?. I look way better than Greg?

I shrugged off my thoughts in annoyance. As I sat there, I saw a figure approach, in a slow, eerie manner. The figure had soft curves, but the footsteps were loud, slow and in an eerie rhythm. I picked up a metal pole shouting in the darkness.

"Come out whoever you are!". I pointed the pole into the darkness. The figure looked surprised then came out faster. It was a girl. She was beautiful with long black hair and green eyes. Her clothing was a simple t-shirt and shorts. Her shoes were bigger than her size, hence, making the noise. She looked surprised to see me. Her face turning bright pink as she stared at me.

'Is she sick?'

 I thought and dropped the pole. The girl gave me a small wave, walking closer. I stared for a moment then gave a small smile back. You see, I didn't really know why. Maybe her smile was what made me reply her wave. She came closer. I was taller then her by an inch. She stared for a while then said,

"what are you doing in this forest?"

She asked. Her voice was confident and firm like someone who knew what they were doing and had every right to ask.

"My friends got stuck in a cave and can't get out. Only I can." I answered.

The girl looked puzzled.

"Then what are you doing out here?"

"I needed fresh air. I'm kind of in a bad mood." I looked away. Staring into the water.

At the end I told her everything. About the forest, the cave, Greg and Maya, and the crazy fact we could never get out of here. The girl listened patiently then finally asked

"What is your name?"

"Ivan," I said.

"Perhaps I could get you all out of here, but for a low price."

"You can? How? This place is inescapable the more I keep going, the faster I return to that cave, and I'd rather be anywhere than there so...here I am."

"I am Eva, and I think I can fix all your problems just for a small service"

"what is it"

I asked, curiosity taking over my sense of thinking

"your friendship" she said with a smile