Cabin in the Woods II

*Cameron stands quietly behind Azuma and Hector*
---
*The others follow along*

Eve:<I say we go for it.>

E"But how will we know? We need to get a hold of someone."

*Thiera glances behind them nervously.*

T"I don't know, I doubt anyone's phone still works. But listen, we need to keep moving. What if--"

E"What if the Shadow is waiting for us to walk right into it?"

T"I...hadn't thought of that, but--"

E"Yes, I know we have to do something. But we need to be smart about it."
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*The cops begin to fan out, as promised, pulling out flashlights & aiming them into the forest.*

Ted<So, how about you, one at a time, give me your accounts of what happened?>

V"I wandered in the woods almost the whole time. Caught rabbits to eat. These jerks were probably going to abandon me, but I left first, because they were useless."

Cameron:<We found an old abandon cabin out in the woods, full of supplies. We've been staying there, however something attacked us.>

*Cameron looks at Vanessa, opens his mouth, but says nothing*

I tried to be your friend.
---
Eve:<Well, I assume the others would be heading for the road, so we could head that way and hope we run into them.>

Hector gave Vanessa a tired look, but said nothing to her. He turned to look at the police officer, "Also, we don't know where the bus driver is. Or the teacher. They weren't with us when we got away from the bus and the fire, and we haven't seen them around."

Azuma: "A group of us managed to get to the road to get a call out. We tried again the other day and that's when we saw the wrecked police cruiser, but no officer."

*Vanessa glares icy daggers at Cameron when he mentions the cabin.*

<We don't have any record of a settlement out here. And we know there aren't any large animals.>

*The lights of the other cops grow distant down the road.*
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R"I think she's right, Euryale, we don't have many other options."

Azuma: "It is pretty secluded. As for large animals or whatever, it's been a rough couple of days. No one has been eating or sleeping properly and we've been mostly stuck in the cabin. Some of us aren't taking it to well."

"Oh, also, one of us is lost out there," Hector said. "Away from the others, too. He stayed alone in the cabin, and when we came back he was gone. What was his name? Stefan Ol-something?"

*Ted stares at him blankly.*

Ted<Son, I've reviewed the roster for this trip several times, to make sure I could account for all of you. There wasn't a Stefan on it.>

Hector stared back, "Yes, there was. Religious, blonde hair. Stefan."
"Olligschläger, Stefan Olligschläger," Eduj added.

Azuma and Mimiru huddle together, mumbling to each other.

Azuma: "That's pretty odd. And he's not making us look any saner."

Mimiru: "He's doing more harm to himself."

*Cameron stares from the cop to Hector, confusedly*
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Monu:<Yeah, waiting around here isn't really an option.>

Ted<...We of course thought of the possibility of a clerical error, and confirmed the list several times.>
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*The other group comes into sight of the bend, and more to the point, a group of police searching for them.*

"That's... impossible..." Hector scratched his head and looked at his feet. Eduj frowned deeply.

Cameron:<We couldn't have imagined him.>
---
*Monu and Tirea wave frantically*

Eve:<Over here!>

Ted<You know, you kids are acting sort of suspicious. This cabin ain't gonna be some wild goose chase, is it?>
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*The 2 groups run towards each other. The cops count them.*

<That should be everyone, except for the teacher & the bus driver.>

E"Wait, there was one other guy, but he got separated from us a while back."

<Geeze, is this the same story they're trying to sell Ted?>

E"Story? What? I've got a copy of the roster--look."

*She digs out the paper, uncrumples it, & shows it to the cop. He looks at it with his flashlight held by his ear.*

<And? What's your point?>

E"What?"

*Euryale holds it close to her face, shining the flashlight on it.*

E"This...this is impossible...."

*Eve leans over to see*

<What is it?>
---
*Cameron hurriedly shakes his head*

<No, we're 100% serious!>

"There might be a few details we're messing up due to fatigue, but I assure you, there is a cabin, and there was a guy called Stefan Olligschläger with us," Hector said. "We couldn't all just imagine the same guy in our class, on our bus and staying in the cabin with us. I think he left behind his cross. Who has that?"
He looked around at the others.

Cameron:<I might.>

*He checks his pockets, as I'm not 100% sure he still has it*

Mimiru being the one who picked it up, roots around in her pockets.

Azuma: "Shouldn't be, but frankly a lot of things aren't making sense presently."

*The cross still exists.*

*Another half dozen police cars make their way up the mountain. Ted turns as someone gets out.*

Ted<Thank goodness, I think we need to get these kids medically evaluated. They're talking crazy.>
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*Stefan's name is not on the roster. There is not even a space on the table where it should go.*

<...Listen, this has been a pretty long ordeal for everybody. Let's just get you kids back to town as quickly as possible.>

*Cameron looks relieved*

<Awesome. Wait, what about the others? Did you find them?>
---
*Eve looks from the paper to the police officers*

<That's impossible. Utterly impossible.>

Azuma: "And here I was hoping it would just be Hector getting hauled off to the funny farm."

"Fuck you, man," Hector glanced in Azuma's direction, but there was no weight to his words. He was exhausted. He looked back to the police officer. "Everything might be clearer when we get back to our families, and get some real rest."
He looked down at Astarte, who had cried a wet patch onto his sleeve. He sighed.

Ted<We're just making a stop at the hospital. No one's getting "hauled off" anywhere. And if they're nearby, they should be found soon enough.>
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<John, pick up the rear, make sure no one gets lost. The rest of you, follow me.>

*He turns & starts walking along the road. One of the cops, presumably John, walks behind the group.*