After school I'm about to get in my car and drive home to search some more stuff up when I see Jake looking around suspiciously before getting on his motorcycle. I finally decide that I can look up more information later and that I should take this chance to see the real Jake secretively. So I wait a few minutes after he drives off to follow him.

I make sure he doesn't see me as I follow him by letting four cars in between us, until he turns onto a dirt road that nobody else turns on. I stay a good long distance behind him, so far back that I can barely see him at all. We take too many turns for me to keep track of. It's been fifteen minutes and still there's been nothing but trees, dirt, and more trees. He takes a sudden right turn, when I make the same turn, its straight road with no turns up ahead as far as I can see yet I don't see Jake anywhere.

I zoom faster down the road thinking he must have sped up, but I start freaking out when I don't see him anywhere, I've already passed three turns, what if he turned on one of those roads and I missed it and now I'm stuck out here? I don't know how to get back without following him, there were so many turns we took to get here I didn't even try to remember them because I figured I'd just follow him. My breathing fastens as I feel panic rush through me. I pull over to the side of the road. My hands are shaking and my heart is thumping faster than it should be.

It's starting to get dark and I'm out in the middle of nowhere surrounded by woods all alone and I have no idea how to get home. My adrenaline is going insane, I'm so scared I can barely see straight.

I see something move beside my passenger window, but when I look, there's nothing there. I quickly lock my doors. What do I do? Do I stay here and let whatever is out there get me? Do I drive away and get myself more lost? I look down at my gas gauge to see it's on empty which means I have a few miles left before I'm out of gas completely. Now I'm seriously panicking.

Crunch I hear a branch snap next to me and whip my head around, I see something moves quickly past my window. I can't even leave, if I leave I'll run out of gas and then I'll be stuck here for who knows how long. I quickly grab my phone and dial Abigail's number, it rings five times I'm so relieved that my cell can actually call out here. "sorry to disappoint you, but I didn't answer, it might be because you're annoying, it might be because I'm mad at you, it might be because your ugly, or it might be because I just can't get to my phone right now, you better hope it's the last one. Leave a message, if it's the last one I'll call you back as soon as possible." Beep.

I feel tears brim my eyes "Abigail, please please call me back" I plead, my voice cracks.

Clank a sound comes from outside my car, it sounds like somebody threw a rock at my window. I quickly dial Brandon. Five rings "hey, yo, wassup? Sorry I can't get to the phone but at least you get to hear my beautiful voice. Catch ya later" beep.

I hang up. Tears are close to escaping. I call Chloe five rings "hello?" Chloe's voice says. Relief floods through me, I'm so grateful somebody answered that I almost start crying from happiness. "Chloe! I need you to come get me-" I'm interrupted by Chloe's voice "gotcha! This is Chloe's voicemail, made ya think it was really me didn't I? I can't get to the phone right now, if it's an emergency leave a voicemail, if not, don't bother" beep.

A tear slides down my face as all the relief leaves my body. Knock knock knock. Somebody is knocking on the rear window but I'm too scared to look. I quickly dial Ally, she always answers, three rings "heyyy!" Ally's perky voice calls into the phone, once again relief floods through me "Ally!" I exclaim, I can hear music playing loudly in the background "Beth? That you?" She yells into the phone.

I nod my head before realizing she can't see me. "Yeah, I need you to-" I'm interrupted by a guy's voice "let me see this" the raspy voice says in the background. There's scuffling and then the guy's voice is louder "whoever is calling, This girl is at a party, either come and join in a threesome, or shut up" the guy says playfully. I hear Ally giggle in the background. "Give the phone back to Ally, I need to talk to her" the phone call ends. The knocking hasn't stopped, it's been growing louder by the minute.

I call Tessa, she's responsible, she'll answer. One ring "hey Beth, what's up?" Tessa's calm voice inquires on the other end. This is it, its Tessa, I don't have to worry about it being a prank voicemail, or her one night stand hanging up on me, she'll listen carefully and come quickly to save me.

I let out a breath I didn't know I was holding "can you make it quick? My phone's about to d-" just then the phone call ends. No! No no no! That was my last chance. Mom's at work and Jake is Slyder, I can't call anyone else. Bang! The sound is loud and close, it's the sound of a fist banging against my side window. I scream loudly.

I'm too scared to look so I close my eyes and crouch my head down. "Princess" a muffled voice says. My head whips up at the name and I look to my side window to see Jake standing there laughing. My eyes widen in terror. What the hell?

I can't move, I'm frozen in place. He's laughing? Laughing? Why would he be-realization hits me hard. He's laughing because he tricked me into coming to this secluded area where he can torture me and then transform into Slyder and kill me and nobody will hear, nobody will find me. This was it. Well I wasn't going without a fight.

As he's leaning over laughing, I swing my car door open as hard as I can and make contact with his body. It smacks him hard. He falls over in surprise. "Ow, what was that f-" before he can finish I kick him hard in his ribs. "Ow!" He exclaims. I kick him again. "Stop it!" He yells. I lift my leg up, just as I'm about to kick him in the crotch, he slides his leg under my feet as fast as lightning.

I fall on my side on the ground, grateful there's soft grass beneath me so it doesn't really hurt. Jake/Slyder comes and lays me on my back, sits down on me, holds my feet together with his feet, and my wrist down with his hand.

"What is wrong with you?" Jake yells. "Me? You're the one who brought me out here in the middle of nowhere, disappeared, and then scared my close to death, and then laughed about it, yet there's something wrong with me?" I scream. Jake smirks down at me "will you get off of me?!" I growl. Jake sitting on top of me like this surprisingly doesn't hurt, he's this strong, muscular guy yet he doesn't feel like much weight at all, but that doesn't change the fact that I wish he'd get off of me already. Jake contemplates this "are you going to start attacking me again?" He asks. Yes. "No" I tell him.

He watches me for a moment then rolls his eyes. "Bull." He states. "you wanna know why I brought you out here, disappeared, pranked you, then laughed at you?" He asks. I already know why. I gulp. When I don't answer Jake continues "I did all of this as payback" he states.

I squint my eyes up at him "what are you talking about payback?" I ask. Payback for what? "You don't think I saw you following me after school yesterday? You're the worst spy in the history of spies. I had to tell Kry that we were being watched so that we could go into his soundproof house and talk without you eavesdropping.

So I purposefully looked around suspiciously so that you would think something's up and follow me-of course you fell into my trap perfectly. Then I led you far out here making enough turns for you to lose track. Then I...uh...went away so that you couldn't see me and would get lost. After that all I had to do was throw a few pebbles, run past your window, snap a twig, and knock on your window. By the way, your face was priceless" Jake says chuckling "hope you learned your lesson on snooping around where you're not welcome" he chuckles and gets off of me.

I stand up and feel my jaw drop. Seriously? He scared me that much, made me fear for my life, made me sure I was going to die just because I followed him? Is he insane? "You always have to take one simple thing to a whole new level. You are one sick, horrible person. I hope you know you'll be burning in hell" I snap at him.

He laughs at this "I don't think I have to worry about that anytime soon." Maybe Necrif's-or whatever Slyder's called-don't have hell. I don't know how it works.

Hey wait a minute, he's trying to distract me isn't he? Well it didn't work. I know I shouldn't say anything about Slyder, that I should ask him to drive me home, that I should keep my mouth shut and a smile playing on my lips, that I should act like I don't know anything. But the problem is, my mind and my mouth never seem to agree.

"I know you're Slyder" I announce. Jake rolls his eyes "yeah-" I don't let him finish "I know about The Book of Sacrimboniamat, and you being a Necrif, and the Eron, and Eribiss." I say confidently. Jake's eyes widen, I can tell he's getting worried, satisfied I continue "I know about Elina Kendra and Joseph Nero. I know about they're daughter Kamaria. I know that you're the one who wears a red mask. I know that you're a shape shifter and that you're going to torture and murder me." I state and watch his reaction. First he's surprised, then he's amazed, then worried, and now confused.

"H-how did you know?" He asks sounding dazed. Victory runs through me at realization of his words "ha! So you admit you're Slyder!" I exclaim. Jake opens his mouth and starts to say something but stops. He studies me closely for a while, biting his lip as he thinks carefully. Suddenly a creepy smile appears on his lips "so, you've figured me out." His voice is strange, creepy and distant. "You know I must say. When I first saw you I was sure you were going to be a dim wit idiot, but you've figured me out, before I torture you, that's definitely a first" he starts clapping in a slow pace as he smiles creepily at me, slowly walking closer.

My heart is pounding and I'm sweating like crazy. Stupid mouth, why oh why did you have to open up and spill all of that? Especially in the middle of nowhere where he'll have no trouble at all killing you. My breathing is erratic and I don't know what to do, my adrenaline is going crazy, I can barely think. "Congratulations Bethany " he says before cackling an evil laugh.

It's just a prank. It's just a prank. It's just a prank. Jake suddenly shape shifts into the red masked guy I know as Slyder. I scream. I kick Slyder as hard as I can in the crotch and this time actually get him. I guess he wasn't expecting that. He falls to the ground and grabs his crotch. I quickly run into my car and drive away. I have no idea how I know what turns to take. It's like I'm not even thinking about where I turn, I'm just turning. I'm barely even paying attention, but somehow I make it out of that creepy dirt road and on to the paved road.

Relief floods through me. I'll live for another day. I actually have enough gas to get me out of there and to Abigail's. I don't even think about it, I just go to Abigail's house. I don't have to ask, because I know her answer will be "duh" I can't go home and be in the house directly next to Slyder!

When I get to Abigail's house I'm crying, my adrenaline is pumping, my breathing is uneven, my body is covered in sweat, and everything is shaking. I walk into her house, not worrying about ringing the doorbell. I run up stairs and into her room. Abigail looks up from her phone. "Oh hey what's u-" she stops when she notices how completely terrified I am. She stands up immediately, throwing her phone aside. I run into her open arms and start balling my eyes out like a big baby. When I'm done she holds me at arms length and watches me with concern "Beth...what happened?" She asks her voice worried.

Of course I can never ever ever stop from telling my best friend everything when I'm like this, so it all comes spilling out. And I mean all! I tell her every single detail from what I found online to what happened the past few days to today. When I'm finished Abigail's mouth is hanging low and her eyes are wide. She's completely frozen.

Whhaaaaaaaaaaaaaaaaaaaaaaaat? Literally all her mind is thinking right now.

After what feels like forever she snaps out of it and stares at me "h-how is that possible?" She asks amazed and terrified at the same time. I shrug suddenly too exhausted to think about it all. We both lay down on her bed "so Jake is Slyder? And he's a shape shifter?" She asks "how is that possible? What the hell? None of this makes sense. You're positive you weren't dreaming? Bethany this is insane. What are you going to do? Are you going to call the cops?" She's asking so many questions but I don't answer any of them. My eyes are dropping and soon her voice is fading. Sleep comes at me fast and hard, it amazes me that I'm able to sleep even after everything that has happened.

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