Damn! I swore the lake grew wider and wider since we left the harbor. I never rode a boat across the lake before. On the shore, I thought the lake was thin and not so totally big. But damn! It looked like a vast ocean surrounded by green mountains beneath the orange sky. And I totally bet the water was as deep as a bottomless pit! The water was freaking dark, with little shadows swimming by. Fishes of course, but who knew what else could swim down there.

Werewolf mermaids? HAHAHAHAHA! Yeah right.

Toward the center of the lake, I spotted the island. I couldn't see the castle because tall trees stretched along the shore. Moon Island has a big forest and small beaches around it.

I wasn’t sure if anyone else had stepped foot on the island since the town abandoned the castle. While alone in the lake, the island looked silent.

Brian steered the boat toward a wooden dock touching the beach. He turned off the engine and tied the rope to a metal post. "Welcome to Moon Island, ladies! Please enjoy your stay!"

I stared at the dock over the boat's edge. The brown wooden plates have dark spots all over them. A few cracks too. "Is this dock safe?"

Brian smiled and jumped out of the boat. He landed on the dock and hopped on it. "It's safe. See?"

Only an idiot would jump onto a bridge without thinking. But since no cracks snapped beneath the dock, I picked up my bag and climbed out.

"Don't be a buzzkill, Jessica." Tiffany placed her duffle bag onto the dock and climbed out. "Brian knows this place."

I gazed at Brian. "How much do you totally know about this island?"

Brian shrugged. "It is perfect for a party. No adults, and no cops."

"Are there wild animals?" Holly asked.

Brian glanced at the forest. "Only birds and bugs. My friends checked the entire place already. We found no dangerous wolves or bears here."

"I hate bugs," said Malaya, climbing out.

"We got bug sprays, too. So no worries, okay?"

Malaya sighed. "Yeah, but I better not feel any ants crawling up my butt."

"Oh chill out, Malaya," said Tiffany. "You totally need to chill."

I glanced at the water while following the squad into the forest. The town was barely visible on the other side of the lake.

Geez, if anyone tries to swim back to the town, they would totally drown. Not me, for sure.

Only silver can kill me, but I bet I could walk across the lake bottom without breathing. I never tried it before because I thought my lungs would explode. That would totally hurt!

In the forest, we strolled across a clear trail sprinkled with tiny leaves. The grass was short and the trees were huge. So huge, their branches and leaves nearly covered the sky. Like nightfall has already arrived.

I sniffed, smelling only pine and dirt through the mellow air. The forest was pretty musty, and nothing was unusual about it. I hoped Kevin and Salina would show up sooner so I can have backup.

"How much time do we have before sundown?" Holly asked.

Brian stared at his watch. "In three hours. It is only 5 pm."

Already dinner time, but the next crew should bring more food over. Not everyone could live on drinking. If nobody brings any meat, I feared the entire party could become dinner. But thanks to my tattoo, I should totally have no worries.

I stopped in my footsteps when something rattled close by. A black bush beneath a tree moved a bit. Since there was no wind, how could it move like that?

I could tell someone or something was hiding behind the bush.