The gymnasium was filled with confused chatter.
“Shut up!” Brianna yelled, she was standing next to Mr. Daul in front of the whole school-- well, not the whole school..
Everyone quieted down, Brianna looked upset. Actually, a few students looked upset. There were a few whispers about those students.
“Here you go, Brianna.” Mr. Daul handed her the microphone.
“Thanks...” She sighed. “Okay, you guys knew Sarah Wiedemann, Max Herget and Claudia Burns, right?”
A few students nodded, most of the gym looked around out of confusion.
“They went and did a stupid project out in the woods and then they died out there. The footage they had recorded was put together into a movie by Sarah’s dad and Claudia’s dad.”
She paused, thinking of the right things to say.
“And um,we’re going to watch it.”
Everyone in the bleachers looked around, looking for the people they wouldn’t find. The lights went out and the projector lit up.
“If you die, I’m going to kick your dead butt.” Brittany laughed, shaking her head.
“That goes for you too,” Cassidy sighed, finding this less amusing as she hugged Claudia.
“I won’t die, there’s no witch out there.” Claudia smiled, making a promise that everyone in the gym knew hadn’t been kept.
“I’m serious you guys, be safe out there.” Brittany had become serious.
“I will,” Sarah hugged her, another promise that wouldn’t be kept.
The screen flashed, showing Max, Sarah and Claudia in a small town.
“Welcome to Burkittsville, Maryland.” Sarah and Max sang.“You guys are so weird.” Claudia laughed.
“Yes we are,” Sarah bowed.
“Anyway, we’re here in Burkittsville Maryland to explore The Blair Witch since it’s totally bogus.” Claudia explained.
“We’re going to recreate the whole thing! We have cameras and all that fun stuff!” Sarah added.
“Three different perspectives to get the whole thing,” Max nodded.
The scenery changed again.
“Okay! Day one, five hours into the woods and we’ve made camp. We should really start a fire...” Sarah nodded.
“Alright,” Max shrugged, pulling together some kindling.
“I hate camping.” Claudia flopped back onto the ground.
“Even if Slender Man is watching?” Sarah asked.
“Even if Slender Man is watching.” Claudia confirmed.
A few people laughed at the comment as the angle changed to a darker sky.
“We’ve got ourselves a tent that’s all set up, a fire and a Slender Man.” Max showed the setup, looking around to show the area they were in.
“C’mon, put the fire out. We need to go to bed. Tomorrow we’re getting lost.” Claudia crossed her arms.
“Good point,” Sarah put out the fire, leaving only burning embers.
All three climbed into the tent and set up the cameras so the whole tent could be seen.
“Good night,” They all said before climbing into their sleeping bags.
The night had been put on fast forward, no one had gotten up.
“Good morning loveys,” Sarah picked up a camera and stepped outside of the tent-- stepping onto something. “Hey, wait, what?”
“What is it?” Max came out of the tent.
“Sticks?” Sarah picked up a bundle of twigs.
“Show em’ to Claudia..?” Max guessed, unsure.
“Claudia!!” Sarah whined, going back into the tent.
“What?” Claudia asked, hands over her eyes.
“There’s a bunch of twigs outside of the tent,” Sarah said.
“Twigs?” Claudia bolted up. “Twigs?”
“Yeah,” Sarah nodded.
“Put them back. Now. Pack up. Now.” She pulled their sleeping bags together. “Now.”
Within minutes they were packed up, an air of confusion on the screen and in the crowd.
“What’s wrong with twigs?” Sarah finally asked.
“Those weren’t just twigs.” Claudia shook her head, keeping a poker face.
“What do you mean, ‘They weren’t just twigs?’ “ Max asked.
“Haven’t either of you actually watched The Blair Witch Project? Those twigs were a gift from the witch.” Claudia looked at her comrades, completely serious.
“It is real then..” Max whispered.
“Check the footage on my camera. Just incase it was one of us or if we can see the person who did it.” Claudia tossed her camera at Sarah.
“What direction should we be going in?” Max asked, being serious.
“Well.. I don’t want us going in a circle like Hannah, Josh and Mike.... East. Screw South, we’re going East.” It was obvious that Claudia didn’t know what to do.
“Okay,” Max pulled out his compass. “This way then.”
Max took Sarah and Claudia’s hands, sensing how scared they both were. This is only day two.
“Day two, twelve hours in and we run into this...” Max showed the trees filled with little stick men.
“No one got up during the night.” Sarah confirmed.
“It’s the witch....” Claudia shook her head. “The witch did it.”
“The witch doesn’t exist.” Sarah looked at Claudia.
“It does. I lied about it being fake. It’s real.” Claudia swallowed painfully.
“We agreed that it wasn’t real. So that means it isn’t real.” Sarah looked in between Claudia and Max.
“Let’s leave the stick men behind, okay?” Max fumbled with his camera.
“Okay,” Sarah and Claudia nodded.
“No one’s going to die.” Sarah took their hands and pulled them along.
They walked for miles before something happened.
“What direction are we walking in?” Sarah asked Max.
“Lemme see...” He pulled out his compass. “We’re still going East.”
“We’ve been here before though,” Sarah looked around, knowing she was right.
“We have been here before...”: Claudia whispered.
Everything went silent, eyes flickered back and forth.
“Help!” They all screamed at once. “Help!” They repeated over and over.
A few people put their hands over their mouths, realizing along with Sarah, Max and Claudia, that they were stuck. Everyone watched their classmates get caught in the maze. Silently everyone wondered who would die first.
“We need to set up camp,” Claudia wiped her eyes, facing the fact that they wouldn’t get out of there that night.
“Okay,” Max nodded, pulling out the tent.
“This isn’t fun anymore.” Sarah shook her head.
“No, really Captain Obvious? Are you having fun? Cause I’m having the best friggin’ time of my life out here, dying in the woods.” Claudia snapped. “This is the way I wanted to die, right? Instead of being at home with Cassidy I’m here in the woods. And if that weren’t enough these woods have a witch who will kill us. And you aren’t having fun? Well sorry. This was never fun.”
Instantly both girls burst into tears, clutching onto each other.
“We can’t give up now you guys,” Max pulled them into a hug, trying to stay strong.
“We’re going to die, Max.” Claudia hiccupped.”I’m so sorry for dragging you guys here. I just wanna go back home and hug Cassidy and not die.”
“Can we just go back?” Sarah cried.
“Not anymore,” Tears ran down Max’s face. “We’re proving this isn’t real.”
“It is real though,” Claudia hugged her tightly.
The screen went black for a few seconds but then became blindingly white from a flashlight.
“Who’s there?!” Sarah screamed into the woods.
“Sarah, they’re not going to answer!” Max tried to get her back.
“Why are you doing this?!” She yelled, throwing stones into the woods.
Nothing was there, at least, no one saw anything. But the sound of cracking twigs and crunching leaves was audible.
“Please come back, Sarah...” Max set the camera down, unintentionally making it face Claudia.
Sarah protested loudly, yet she couldn’t be seen. Claudia sat, rocking back and forth, hyperventilating.
“Get back inside, now.” Max yelled.
“Fine.” Sarah stormed back into the tent.
“Calm Claudia down, I’m locking the zippers.” Max pulled a combination lock out from his backpack.
“It’s okay, Cc...” Sarah wrapped her arms around Claudia. “No one’s dying tonight..”
“What about tomorrow night?” Claudia asked sickly.
Sarah didn’t respond, it wasn’t that she couldn’t, but it was that she didn’t know how.
“No one is dying.” Max looked at them. “Got that?”
Quickly they both nodded.
“Good.” He sighed, laying back.
Suddenly it was morning.
“Day three, four hours in.” Max pulled some stuff together.
“Nothing deadly has happened,” Sarah added.
“Will happen,” Max corrected.
“C’mon you guys,” Claudia sighed. “Let’s roll.”
The three started walking, silently, everyone was thinking.
“It’s always a good time,” Claudia yelled at the top of her lungs.
“What are you doi--” Sarah started.
“Doesn’t matter when!” Claudia continued to yell.
“It’s always a good time then~” Max caught on.
‘Doesn’t matter where!” Claudia screamed, tears streaming down her face.
“It’s always a good time there!” Max screamed.
“What are you guys doing?” Sarah asked.
“Having a good time. Cause it’s always a good time.” Claudia punched the air.
“Are you guys delusional or something?” Sarah asked.
“Only a little,” Max replied.
“Day three, twenty hours in.” The scene had changed to them sitting around the fire.
“We’re like Heisenberg we’re so dope!” Claudia laughed.
“And we’ve resorted to the word ‘Dope’.” Sarah sighed.
“Yup,” Max laughed.
“This is how I get when I’m tired.” Claudia nodded logically.
“C’mon, let’s go to bed.” Max smiled tiredly.
“We’re out for the night.” Sarah followed them into the tent.
“Goodnight,” They all said.
“Claudia?” In the next scene Sarah and Max were screaming, looking for their lost comrade.
An ear piercing scream was heard.
“Where is she?” Sarah cried, looking around.
“I don’t know...” Max whispered, as if it would make it easier to tell where Claudia had disappeared to.
“What...” Sarah bent down. “Oh my god..”
“What?” Max asked.
Sarah held up scraps of Claudia’s shirt, a white baseball tee stained red. She cried, gripping the shirt remains.
“She’s gone,” Sarah attached herself to Max.
“No. She’s coming back.” Max wrapped his arm around Sarah.
“She’s gone, Max.” Sarah shook her head.
“Check her camera, if it’s still there...” Max partially thought and partially stated.
“You’re right!” Sarah’s eyes lit up with hope, but everyone know her hope wasn’t going to be fulfilled.
“C’mon,” Max pulled Sarah back to the tent.
Claudia’s camera had stayed in place, at least they’d be able to see who had gotten her out of the tent. The view changed back to night, set on fast forward. Nothing seemed out of order, but finally Claudia stood up and just walked out.
Sarah threw the camera across the tent, curling up into a ball.
“What?” Max asked.
“She was sleepwalking,” Sarah sighed.
“Seriously?” Max asked, hoping there was a better answer.
“Seriously.” Sarah confirmed.
“We need to keep going. We need to find a way out. Tonight.” Max set the camera down, completely serious.
“Yeah,” Sarah nodded.
“Let’s pack up then,” Max rolled up a sleeping bag.
“What do we do with Claudia’s stuff?” Sarah looked at Max.
“Leave it I guess...” Max shrugged, unsure.
“Okay...” Sarah pulled on her backpack.
“I guess we should go then..” Max looked at the unpacked backpack, accepting that things would be over soon.
“Let’s go.” Sarah took Max’s hand and walked along bravely.
The audience knew they had been walking for hours, even if it had been condensed into only a few minutes. Soon enough the sun had set, letting darkness fall over the woods.
“Should we make camp?” Max finally asked.
“No. We’re gonna keep going.” Sarah painfully swallowed, staying calm.
“Okay...” Max went with it.
“What’s that up there?” Sarah pointed up ahead.
“It’s.... A house...” Max‘s tone was scared. “What was that legend again?”
“A man brought 8 kids to his house in the woods, he’d take two at a time down to his basement. One would stand in the corner and listen to the other’s screams of pain as he killed them...” Sarah gulped.
Suddenly there was a scream-- a scream coming from inside of the house.
“Help!” Unmistakably it was Claudia’s cries.
“Oh my god...” Sarah whispered.
“Claudia?” They both yelled.
“Help!” She screamed again.
Instantly Sarah and Max bolted into the house, the screams got louder.
“Help!” It was coming from upstairs.
Quickly they ran up the broken steps.
“Max...” Sarah cried, realizing Claudia wasn’t upstairs.
“What?” He looked at the walls, covered with bloody hand prints from children.
“Let’s look on the first floor...’ She pulled him with her, down the steps to the room they had first entered.
“Help!” Claudia shrieked again.
“Where is it coming from?” They looked at each other.
“Go that way, and I’ll go this way.” Sarah pointed down the hall and in the kitchen.
“No way we’re splitting up! We’re going to die is that happens!” Max yelled.
“Oh yeah...” Sarah re-thought out her plan. “Then come on.”
Sarah cautiously walked down the hall. The view was switched to Max’s camera, which suddenly thudded to the ground.
“Help!” Claudia screamed.
“What?!” Sarah flipped around, finding that Max had disappeared.
“Help!” Where it was coming from wasn’t apparent.
Finally she decided to go downstairs.The one place she hadn’t looked.
“Max?” Tears were streaming down her face.
Max stood in the corner of the room, facing the wall. Sarah shrieked, her camera hit the ground.
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