Mark's death didn't ripple through the school much.
The police chalked it up to reckless driving—a crash that ended in tragedy. In a free-spirited place like this, it wasn't a big deal.
There was some buzz at first, but within a few days, Mark was pretty much forgotten.
Time rolled on to the next Friday.
The weekend had arrived, and with it, vacation time.
Maria's family was ready to hit the road for a family trip.
They packed their bags, loaded up the car, and headed out to their destination.
Bang! Bang! Bang!
Not long after Maria's family left, an uninvited guest showed up at their doorstep.
A masked man, his face hidden, unwilling to reveal his identity.
The glass door reflected his figure—none other than Jason, who hadn't been seen in days.
With a few powerful strikes, Jason shattered the thick glass and stepped inside, his face expressionless.
First floor, second floor…
Jason searched the entire house. All he could sense was a faint trace of presence, but the evil scarecrow he was obsessed with was nowhere to be found.
Lately, Jason had been grinding like crazy. Not only had he recovered from being drained last time, but he'd also put himself through intense training, making himself tougher with every session.
Feeling confident he could win, Jason had come straight here to settle the score.
But where the hell was his target?
Jason screamed silently, his furious gaze sweeping the house over and over.
In a fit of rage, he lashed out, his machete slicing through the dining table, splitting it in two.
Then something caught his eye. He bent down and picked up a flyer that had fallen to the floor.
"Welcome to Green Forest County! We wish you a wonderful time."
"Enjoy the best natural environment and the ultimate camping experience…"
"Winter camp is in full swing, with experienced counselors to help your kids get ahead during the break…"
The flyer was plastered with photos of local scenery.
One image—a crystal-clear lake—grabbed Jason's attention.
It was Crystal Lake, a memory he could never shake.
Looking out the window at the tire tracks in the snow, a bad feeling churned in Jason's soul.
Jason: Shit, my home's about to get jacked.
…
Green Forest County used to be called Crystal Lake Town.
Thanks to Jason's reputation as a notorious killer, the town's name had taken a hit. To move past that dark history and boost the local economy, the residents changed it.
Now it was the lush, vibrant Green Forest County.
What a great name.
The drive took Maria's family hundreds of miles.
They stopped at a motel for the night.
Finally, at 9:15 a.m., they arrived.
The weather was perfect.
The golden sun hung in the sky, its light filtering through the pine trees, casting speckled patterns on the thin snow.
Dan Brennan found a spot to park the car.
Maria stepped out, taking a deep breath of fresh air and standing on her tiptoes to gaze at the emerald lake in the distance.
Not bad. Really not bad!
It took a bit of time, but they set up their tent in a clearing near the lake.
They laid out a ground cloth, unfolded some chairs, and set up a barbecue grill.
Then came the charcoal, raw ingredients, and rolls from a big bag. Amy, Maria's mom, got to work preparing breakfast.
Dan pitched in, and as they worked, the two started chatting about old times.
Maria hung around for a bit but didn't want to interrupt. She grabbed a fishing rod and a bucket, said goodbye to her parents, and headed to the lake.
"I'm going fishing," she called.
"Sweetie, don't forget to come back for breakfast," Amy reminded her.
"Got it!"
"Honey, you grabbed an extra rod," Dan pointed out.
"I'm fishing for two."
Maria didn't look back as she walked off, leaving Dan standing there, totally confused.
Half an hour later, the lake was calm and clear, mirroring the peace in Maria's heart.
She sat on the ground, holding a fishing rod. Next to her, Barry was perched on the grass, a rod in front of him too.
Between them sat an empty bucket.
"Why aren't we catching anything? Are there even fish in this lake?" Maria asked, already bored and scrolling on her phone.
"You should've brought some bread. The fish aren't biting 'cause they're not full," Barry said, frowning at the still water.
"Is that how it works?"
"Trust me."
Barry hesitated for a second, his straw legs twitching like he was about to dive into the lake.
Their conversation was interrupted by a burst of noisy laughter getting closer.
Turning to look, Maria saw a group of young kids stumbling toward them.
Whose kids were these?
"Nancy, I'm gonna catch you!" a blonde girl squealed, speeding up as another kid chased her.
"Kids, slow down! Be careful!" an adult voice called from the trees. A gentle woman with curly hair appeared.
Oof!
Before she could finish, the blonde girl leading the pack slipped and face-planted.
Ouch!
Barry took the hit as the girl landed right on him.
"Oh! Are you okay?" Maria rushed to pull the girl up, wincing as she picked up the flattened scarecrow.
"I'm fine! It didn't even hurt!" the blonde girl said cheerfully, brushing off her clothes.
The other kids crowded around, concerned, while the curly-haired counselor let out a sharp yelp and hurried over.
She carefully checked if the girl was hurt.
"I'm so sorry. Is your doll okay?" the girl, Nancy, asked, her eyes full of guilt, worried she'd ruined the scarecrow.
Maria gave Barry a squeeze, and he instantly puffed back to normal, like he'd been inflated.
"Don't worry, sweetie. He's tough," Maria said with a wink, shaking the perfectly intact scarecrow.
Nancy relaxed, then got curious. "That's so cool! Where'd you get it?"
"Sorry, it's my friend's. Not for sale," Maria said, her face stiffening as she shook her head.
Nancy's face fell, disappointed.
"Big sis, I'm a student. Can you give it to me?" another kid piped up, bold and unfiltered.
"Nope!" Maria's eyes turned cold.
"Wah! Never mind, I don't want it!" the kid backed off, intimidated.
The counselor, Paula, stepped in to chat. She introduced herself as a counselor for the Green Forest summer camp—well, winter camp now.
These kids were all here for the camp.
She asked about Maria, noting she was a new face.
After some back-and-forth, they got to know each other a bit.
Paula invited the Brennan family to join their winter camp for some fun if they were up for it.
And if they ran into any trouble, they could come to her—she was a local and knew the area well.
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