^^^*^^^^*^^^^*^^^^*^^^^*^^^^*^^^
The truck slowed to a stop the moment they reached the end of Sunset Cove. Carefully, they stepped out of the pickup as Nora, Mason and Dave stared in awe.
"What the hell?" Nora said quietly. Her eyes darted to the fog. It was pitch grey, looming massive and still. It stretched across the road like a wall, swallowing everything behind and beside it.
Rain had seen it before, but standing before it again reminded her of how eerie it felt. It looked somehow worse than before, like the grey shade had darkened even more.
"This is it?" Mason's eyes widened as he stared at the wall of grey. For the first time, his voice lacked sarcasm. "This is insane." he muttered as he stepped closer.
"Yeah." Rain nodded, her gaze still fixed on the fog. She exhaled then continued, "Let's get to work."
Rain turned back to the car to load out the supplies they brought, then her eyes landed on Dave.
He had already moved too close to the wall, barely standing inches away. His glasses caught the pale reflection of the fog as he stood in front of it.
His lips moved, muttering words too quiet to hear. But as Rain stepped closer, the words became clearer.
"Too dense."
Rain's eyes narrowed.
He took a few steps to the right, his gaze skimming through the trees and then to the left. His brows furrowed deeper as he muttered again, "It stretches…"
Rain blinked, "What?" But Dave didn't react. He simply kept walking, talking under his breath.
"No gaps….no thinning."
Rain watched as he moved past her, she exchanged a look at Mason who stared with a confused expression.
"What's wrong with him?" He asked.
Nora shrugged, "Nerd stuff." She said, then lowered her voice dramatically, "The fog's molecular structure appears abnormal."
Mason snorted. "Good one."
Rain glanced at the both of them, and rolled her eyes . "Dave?" She called, taking hurried steps to him.
David crouched by the edge of the fog, staring hard at it. Rain stood beside him, her face tightened into confusion.
"What are you looking at?"
Dave paid her no mind. He got up abruptly, words slipping quietly out of his mouth. "The density is wrong."
He continued.
"Fogs shift…" he gestured to the grey wall, "it moves. Breaks. Changes direction depending on wind pressure, humidity, temperature."
He paused, his face twisted slightly. "But this….isn't."
Rain's eyes darted back to the wall, and he wasn't wrong. The fog didn't move, not even a little. It just stood tall, frozen in place.
Behind them, Mason opened the trunk, his eyes glancing past the bag of equipment they brought. "So what do we do?" he looked back at them asking loudly.
"Start unpacking," she said.
"Yes ma'am".
Mason reached into the truck bed, grabbing out one of the industrial headlights they had brought. He opened the bag, riffling through. "Walkie-talkies too." then placed them down.
Nora stopped beside him, picking one up. "What exactly is the plan again?"
Rain hesitated, then glanced back at the fog. "I figured…" her voice slowed, "one of us might need to go inside."
Mason paused, exchanging a look with Nora then stared back at Rain, "you are joking."
Nora folded her arms across her chest, "Have you decided who?"
Rain didn't answer immediately. She took a glimpse at Dave, still bent down and examining the fog.
She had made the choice to come here, but it was based on his words. And now she started to question if it was worth it.
Suddenly he stood up, walking past them and straight to the truck. Their eyes followed him, as he pulled the pickup door open.
"Dave?" Rain frowned.
"What's wrong with him?" Nora asked, her gaze narrowed.
"I don't know."
He brought out a map, spreading it open across the front seat. His fingers traced the lines on the map, his eyes scanning.
"No…no…" his voice was low, "the highest point…"
Rain took measured steps towards him. But he barely looked up, "We need elevation." He said simply.
Rain's eyes darted towards him. "Why?"
This time, he finally turned. "To see it."
Rain's forehead creased even more. "See what?"
"The spread." His voice was sharp. "If it really stretches all the way from here to east, I want to see where it ends." He said, then his eyes returned back to the map.
Rain shut her eyes and exhaled. She leaned beside him, her gaze landing on the map. "What exactly are we looking for?".
Dave turned to her. "We need height."
"Ew…" Mason's voice echoed from behind them. Their heads spun around, and Nora stood holding a slim stick in her hands.
She held it towards Mason, and at the very end of the stick rested a worm covered in thick-like slime.
Mason immediately stepped back. "No.."
"Yes.."
Nora grinned, while closing the gap that stood between them.
"I swear to God, Nora—"
Rain shook her head and released a sigh. She looked back at the map, her eyes sweeping across the town.
School. Road. Residential area. Forest, and—
Her fingers stopped. "The old chapel."
Dave looked at her instantly. "The bell tower," he said, his eyes lit up.
She nodded in agreement. " It's probably the tallest point in town."
Dave straightened so fast he almost dropped the map, "We need to go." She looked at him for a second. "Right now?"
"Yes." He said quickly. "You wanted another route out right?" He asked, then continued. "If we know where it ends—"
"We can find a way out…" Rain finished his sentence and he nodded. For a moment she hesitated, she looked at the others, "What about them?" She asked.
Dave looked back at the fog, then at her. "We don't have time." he said, but something about how he said it unsettled her. "Fine.." she breathed.
She jumped into the driver's seat and Mason turned instantly. "Wait." His face scrunched, "Where are you going? Are you leaving me?"
"Us." Nora corrected.
Rain started the engine, "We'll be back in a few minutes," she assured them. While David hopped into the truck.
"Where are you even going?" Nora asked.
"The old chapel." Rain replied.
Mason stared at them, "The creepy abandoned one?"
Rain simply shut the car door, "Don't do anything. Just wait until we get back."
The pickup jerked forward, and Mason watched as they drove off.
"I can't believe they just left me—" he said, turning to Nora. Unexpectedly, the worm was thrown, hitting him on the face.
"Oh my God…" Mason screamed, coughing and wiping his lips, "It touched my mouth."
But Nora just doubled over laughing.
^^^^*^^^^*^^^^*^^^^*^^^^*^^^^*^^^^
It only took five minutes and the pickup pulled up by the side of the old chapel.
Rain stepped out first. Trees, overgrown grasses and thick bushes surrounded the building.
The chapel stood on a hill, overlooking the town, old and forgotten. Rain's attention sharpened, the place looked much worse than she remembered.
Vines and weeds crawled all over the cracked walls. Some crept around the windows, while others pushed through the gaps in the stone itself. Even the front door looked worn down, hanging slightly uneven.
The thin air hit her, causing chills to crawl across her skin.
Dave didn't waste time. He jumped down the car and headed straight for the chapel like he already knew where he was going.
Rain quickly followed after him. They pushed through the front door, the wood creaking louder than she had expected, which caused her to wonder if it might fall off.
Inside the dust settled everywhere. Leaves sat scattered across the floors, blown in through broken windows and gathered in some corners.
The chapel indeed looked abandoned, and it was silent.
Dave didn't stop to look around. He headed straight for the staircase leading up the bell tower.
Rain paused for a second. There were no rails.
The stairs spiralled upward in a narrow circle, stretching higher than she expected. "Unbeliveable." She said quietly, before following after him.
The climb felt endless. Dust stuck to her shoes as dried leaves crunched under her feet. Cobwebs clung stubbornly to the walls and at one point, her hand brushed against something soft.
Rain instantly jerked back. "Ew—"
A thick cobweb stuck to her fingers. Suddenly, something small and grey darted past her legs.
Rain froze. A rat ran, disappearing between cracks in the walls. "Oh God." Rain voiced loudly out of shock.
Dave who was ahead of her turned back after noticing she had slowed. "Are you okay?" He asked.
Rain instantly regained composure, "i'm fine." She said swiftly, brushing her hand against her jeans with visible disgust. "Don't worry about me."
Dave stared down for another second, before he continued climbing.
Rain let out a sigh. Her focus drifted toward the stained glass window along the staircase. Even from there, she could already see the tops of trees.
They were high, way higher than she expected. And the higher she climbed the stronger the wind became.
Somewhere above them, metal groaned faintly. It was the chapel's bell.
Rain lifted her lashes, for a second she had regretted coming here. Finally, they reached the top.
Rain stopped immediately. Her hands fell to her knees, as she crouched slightly breathing hard.
"God.." the words stuggled to come out, "how are you not tired?" she asked the ginger haired boy who had crossed over to the other side of the bell.
But he did not answer.
Rain stood upright after catching her breath, the tower was more open than she had expected.
Wind rushed through the opening near the bell, which made it shake a bit. She took slow steps around it, then stopped.
Dave stood near the edge, his posture rigid.
Rain's expression tightened.
"Dave?"
No reponse.
She closed the gap between them, her eyes following his line of sight. Then, her legs went stiff.
Cold crept up her spine. From there, they really could see everything. The road, forest, school, the houses of Sunset Cove.
And finally, the fog.
Rain's breath caught.
The fog didn't stop at east, it stretched far beyond it. Even farther than she expected, farther than it should.
It didn't stop. The fog wrapped around the town completely.
"There is no end." Dave voice came like a whisper, shaken.
Rain simply stared, the fog hadn't just spread east. Like a circle, it surrounded them.
The thought crossed her mind, hitting her harder than the wind.
They were trapped.