The Legend of Youngs Corner XXV

PART XXV
The Second Pact

I went back to school to finish off the semester. The incredible development in our story spread throughout my dorm. Well, amongst my floormates anyway. I didn’t exactly fear for my life, since I was now many miles away from home. However, I did have in my possession items taken from the Old Woman’s home, including the book of 100 pages, the list of names and the horse colic drops. I couldn’t help but imagine that the Old Woman might want them back.

As the months passed by I started to forget. That’s until winter break approached and I got a call from Nick D. He told me that he’d be in town for a couple weeks and that he had an idea for a little adventure. I could only imagine what he had in mind.

2001 – December

Once again I found myself at Denny’s with the group. Once again, only a small number of veterans arrived: Gaeten, Nico, and myself. Nick D was there and excited as usual. With him were Joe C. and Amanda, both also new recruits. And even Nathan managed to make an appearance. He was supposed to be on the first trip back in June, but couldn’t make it. This wasn’t a large group, even with the new recruits.

Now you must understand, I had no intention of going back to the cabins. It was like the movie Event Horizon, after one showing, you’d never want to see it again. In fact, the only people who were even thinking of the cabins were Nick and myself, and that’s only because Nick had called me a couple days before. I did my best to avoid the subject, but eventually I knew it would come up.
“So, there’s a couple of experienced ones here, why don’t we take another trip, so we can see for ourselves?" Nick asked me, out of the blue.

Immediately, conversation came to a halt and those new had their gaze turned upon me. The veterans simply looked down at the table. They had experienced the horror once already. And now that we knew the Old Woman had been seen alive, their interest in going back was, to say the least, low. But Nick persisted.
“C’mon, don’t waste the moment, we don’t get to see each other that often.”
“Yeah, and if we go up there, there’s a good chance that you’ll never some of us again!” I tried to explain.
“Ok, so Bobby saw the Old Woman. But you honestly think she’s up there now, in the winter? I mean, from your description of the place it sounds in no condition to be lived in,” Nick said.
“Yeah, we thought the same thing, but Bobby saw her! She’s still alive! You think some snow is gonna stop her?” Gaeten shouted.
“But really, there’s so much more to explore, to-” Nick started.
“Ok.” I said. I could ignore it no more. I knew from the moment Bobby told me she was alive, that I would have to face her again. It just had to happen.
“We’re going.”