Mark drove his red ford mustang past the Blackwood Park sign, and up the hill through the dark woods. Geez, no wonder the people called the forest Blackwood Park. Every tree was black or something to hide from animals. At least the full moon was out, glimmering over the inky brushes.

Besides being black, people thought ghosts lurked around in the woods. Sometimes even strange looking creatures were spotted in the shadows, ready to attack unexpecting victims.

Oh, please!

Just a bunch of bogus silly rumors to keep teens out from the park. Come on! I totally don't believe in super suspicious nonsense. Ghosts and monsters don't exist! Grow up!

At the top, Mark parked the Mustang in front of a cliff where a cluster of lights shined like a sea of stars beneath the rising moon.

Whoa! We could see the entire town up here!

“Oh wow, baby!” I shouted with excitement. “It’s so beautiful!”

“I told yah this spot will be perfect for our secret date.” Mark placed his arm around my shoulder. “My dad brought my mom up here once. That was how they scored.”

My lips curled up into a catty grin. “And you want to totally carry on their tradition?”

“Perhaps.” He grabbed me and placed me on his lap.

“Wow!” I shouted. “You are so fast!”

Mark chuckled. “I’ll show you how fast I am.”

He rose and laid his lips against mine. We kissed while embracing each other.

Mmmmmmh. I totally loved Mark’s kisses. His lips sparkled with a mint-like flavor, turning me totally wild.

“Oh, Mark!” I gasped, feeling his hands rubbing her legs beneath my skirt.

“I’m just getting warmed up.” He sat up and removed his jacket. Then he slowly pulled his shirt off, flashing his broad chest and rock-solid six abs. His mid tan skin glimmered in the moonlight as he covered himself in baby oil.

I licked my lips, dying to get a wonderful taste of his delicious body. With my index finger, I rubbed around his smooth pecs with tickling his belly.

Wow, his muscles were hard as rocks. Heeheehee! I would rub my face on his stomach all night!

"So you planned this all along?" I whispered seductively, like honey dripping through my soft voice.

“I always made plans like this, sweetie.” He leaned closer toward my mouth and licked my lips.

I giggled while licking his saliva off my mouth. Totally gross, but totally hot.

I pursed my lips together, glaring into his dark, beautiful eyes. "Lick me….. Again."

He grinned. "Take off your shirt first, then I will lick you clean."

I smiled and took off my shirt, leaving my white bra. If he wanted me to take it off too-hehehehehehehe- he could do it himself.

While holding my head, Mark kissed the nip of my neck and tasted my chest. Mmmmmmh, feeling his tongue across my skin felt totally good. So soft and kind of slimy. Heeheehee!

I pushed his chin up toward my mouth so his tongue slid along my lips. The taste of his mouth reminded me of strawberries, so good, I licked back to get more of his yummy taste.

Soon, he paused, smiling into my eyes. "How about we crawl to the back for full action?"

My cheeks burst red. Oh boy….. I knew what full action meant. "Really?"

He stroked my hair. "I want this night to be special for us. What do you say, baby?"

I bit my lip, feeling nervous about going into full action in my hunk. But my lower lady part said otherwise. "You brought a condom?"

Mark held up a green one between his fingers. "I’m always prepared, baby."

I sighed in relief until I slowly smiled seductively. "Then let'sssss totally do it."

We crawled to the back seat where we took off our clothes and embraced our wild fun. Goodbye virginity!

*****

My enormous yawn woke me up as I stretched my arms up. After I rose, I rubbed my eyes and realized I was still inside Mark’s car. Not only that, but my hunk of burning love also wasn't lying next to me.

"Mark?" I checked over the front seats, but no sign of him. Then I noticed the left passenger door was open. No wonder I was totally catching the chills.

Hmmmmm. Maybe he left to pee outside.

As I closed the door, someone screamed outside from the woods! Oh, my god! It sounded like Mark!

I heard his scream before when an old woman stepped on his toe without looking. Not funny! But I knew this time someone didn’t step on his foot in the forest. He was screaming in agony like something was attacking him.

“Hold on, Mark! I’m coming!” I immediately placed my cheerleading uniform back on and grabbed a flashlight from the glove compartment before stepping out.

My hunk stopped screaming after I closed the door. Hearing his screaming stopped sent a deep chill through my back.

Oh god, I hoped he was all right!

Maybe I should have stayed in the car and called my dad for help.

Totally a bad idea!

If my dad found me inside Mark’s car without my clothes on, he will totally freak out. I told him my boyfriend was taking me to Burger Queen after the competition. He doesn’t trust Mark, no matter how many times I bugged him to respect my boyfriend.

Like I'm totally a big girl now. He doesn't have the right to tell me who I should date. And he totally has no right to bust into my personal business.

I could find my baby and help him on my own! Plus, what if my dad took too long?

Maybe Mark could fight anyone, but fighting against a wild animal was different. What if he got injured and passed out? Mark needed me!

Through the woods, I turned the flashlight on. An owl hooted above and flew off before I looked.

God, this place was already giving me the creeps! But I needed to find my boyfriend! “Mark! Where are you?”

I couldn't remember where I heard Mark screamed from. God, I hoped he wasn't too far in the wilderness.

Brrrrruh! The air breezed through my hair as my skin shivered.

Maybe Kevin was right. Driving to Blackwood Park at night was a bad idea. If I had told Mark about the party, we would have gone there instead. Sure it would be nosy and other couples would occupy the bedrooms. But I was sure Mark would kick a couple out to prepare the room for ourselves. And I tell you what. Making out on a bed would be a lot comfy than inside a car.

Something shook inside a bush close by. I pointed the flashlight at the bush and saw a white rabbit jumped from it. What a relief!

Still, that little shit gave me a freaking heart attack. Funny how critters could do that to people.

Stupid animals!

I approached a tree toward the left where a white shirt laid. Torn in half with dirt marks all over it.

Oh my god!

The shirt looked the same as Mark’s white shirt he wore before he took it off to show me his hot abs.

Abssssss…..

Oh wow! On the tree bark were claw marks. Bear claws I thought, but they looked bigger. “Oh, no…."

I got a terrifying hunch like something had attacked Mark near the tree while he was doing his business. Maybe a giant bear or something nobody discovered yet. Whatever it was, I feared it got poor Mark.

Why didn’t he go before he picked me up!?

Below my feet, I spotted footprints leading from the tree. Two shoe prints were close to the tree, probably Mark’s shoes. The others looked like wolf prints, but bigger.

Those couldn’t be bear prints. Maybe wolf prints, but they should be smaller. Well, I could barely see in the dark, but I needed to stop thinking and find my freaking boyfriend. What if he was dying?

I followed the tracks through the bushes. It sucked I got my skirt dirty. “Mark! Where are you?”

Bushes, branches, slapping my face, but nothing was going to stop me! The footprints turned across the trail, deeper and deeper through the woods.

While following the tracks, I noticed no human tracks stretched along with the wolf prints. Maybe the creature carried Mark, but how? Bears don't carry people, they drag them; I thought. I hoped I wasn't too late.

Two miles later, I heard the rushing river coming from a slope. Tallgrass stood in my path, but I marched through the brush.

Below the slope was the river where the footprints stopped. In the river, something caught my eyes.

On the shore was Mark’s leather jacket. I instantly grabbed it and found scratch marks all over it.

Oh, no! Was I too late?

My heart pounded inside my chest. I knew Mark would never throw away his jacket like trash. He always wore it whenever we go out together.

"Mark!" I still couldn't see him, until I spotted an old river mill house, about two stories tall with a giant rotating wheel in the river.

That must be the old Roachshire’s watermill in this park. Not to sound like a history geek, but everyone knew about that creepy place. The mill house belonged to a family who grained flour for the town during the 1800s. They were called the Roachshires, a family of four, I thought. One night, a mysterious creature attacked their house and murdered them, leaving no bodies behind. Probably not true, but nobody knew what exactly happened to them. Some people thought aliens abducted them, and others thought a secret witch-cult sacrificed them to their demon god. Freaky, huh?

Not only they vanished, but campers and hikers also said they have seen ghosts watched them from inside the house. The ghosts could be the family, haunting their only home in the woods.

I sure as hell didn't believe in ghosts. No! No! No!

Maybe Mark ran into that house to hide from whatever chased him. He could break into any house to show off his badassness. Trust me, he was the type who could break in without giving a damn.

After placing the jacket back where I found it, I walked along the river, approaching the watermill.

Wow, who would have thought an old house could last for many years. The park rangers must have cleaned the house to draw in visitors. God bless their souls for being brave.

Up the stairway, I approached the front door and pulled the knob.

Crap! Someone locked it!

I sighed and stepped back.

Mark couldn’t have entered the house while locked. Yes, I said he could break into any house….. Just not this one.

Or maybe he sneaked into another entrance around the house. But a hefty kick should work.

As I raised my left foot back, something growled above me.

Uh-oh!

I looked up and saw two yellow wolf eyes glaring at me with a mouth full of razor-sharp fangs. That moment, I knew I would be in deep trouble.