Mary gripped the steering wheel tightly as the car wound its way up the narrow road leading to Camp Brightwater. "You're so tense," Jessica said, shooting her a sidelong glance. "Loosen up, it's going to be a fun weekend."
Mary forced a smile. "I know, I'm just a little nervous about meeting Steve's friends."
Jessica rolled her eyes. "Steve's friends are great. You'll love them. They're all going to be drunk and rowdy and ready to party. It's going to be a blast."
As they pulled up to the camp, Mary's nerves only grew. A group of people were gathered outside, laughing and joking loudly. Steve stepped forward to greet them, a wide grin on his face. "Mary, Jessica, you made it!"
Mary felt like a fish out of water as Steve introduced her to the rest of the group: Wayne, Chad, Tiffany, Ed, and Alex. Jessica, on the other hand, fit right in, laughing and bantering with the guys like she'd known them for years.
Steve gave Mary a tour of the camp, pointing out the cabins and the lake. Mary tried to feign interest, but she couldn't help feeling underwhelmed. This was supposed to be a romantic getaway, but so far, it felt like a frat party.
As they walked, Mary overheard Wayne making a crude comment about her. She spun around, her eyes blazing. "Excuse me?" she said, crossing her arms over her chest.
Wayne looked taken aback, but he quickly recovered, a smirk on his face. "Just making an observation, sweetheart. You're a little out of your element here."
Mary's eyes narrowed. "I don't know what you think you know about me, but I suggest you watch your mouth."
Wayne held up his hands in surrender. "Alright, alright. No need to get defensive."
Steve and Mary reached their cabin, and Steve tried to make a move on her. Mary was hesitant, but Steve was persistent. She finally relented, and they had passionate sex. Afterwards, Mary felt guilty for giving in to Steve's advances. She confided in Jessica, who teased her for being so uptight.
The group gathered around a campfire, and Ed started telling jokes. Mary was surprised to find herself laughing along with the rest of them. Tiffany and Chad started making out in front of everyone, and Alex rolled her eyes. "Get a room, you two," she said, earning a chuckle from the group.
As the night wore on, Mary started to feel more comfortable with Steve's friends. She even found herself flirting with Wayne, much to Steve's annoyance. Suddenly, they heard a blood-curdling scream in the distance. The group fell silent, and Steve suggested they go investigate.
Mary was hesitant, but Jessica was eager to check it out. "Come on, Mary, live a little," she said, grabbing her hand. They followed the sound of the screams, but when they reached the source, there was nothing there. They started to make their way back to the campfire, but then they heard footsteps behind them.
They turned around, and a masked figure was standing there, holding a knife. The group froze, and Mary's heart raced as she tried to think of a way to escape. She grabbed a nearby stick and brandished it as a weapon. The figure stopped in its tracks, and for a moment, Mary thought they had a chance. But then the figure lunged at her, and everything went black.
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