May 3rd

This marks the first day of finish a story or expand on a dream. Today I'm finishing (or at least continuing) a story. The old part will come before the line of **** and the new part after, this is a pattern I'll stick to every week.

"It's really cold here," Jez said. "Why did we have to come?"
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"Because," David reminded her, "this is the last place anyone saw them."

"So you keep saying," Annabelle interrupted, "but who saw them anyway? And more importantly, why do we care? Last time I checked none of us cared about Sammy or Kyle. They're stuck up jerks who've never been nice to anyone a day in their lives." Jez and David nodded their agreement but Melody stepped forward.

"You know very well who saw them last, Belle. And even if you didn't, you know exactly why we care, or do I need to remind you what happened?" Melody glared at each member in the group until they turned their faces away. That was better, she didn't want to have to talk about the incident again, not if it could be avoided. "Now that that's settled, it's time to get to work. David, did you bring the supplies?"

David nodded and swung the large hiking backpack off his shoulder. He handed out flashlights, flares, compasses, energy bars and maps. David pointed to the tiny colored dots on his map. "Each one is enchanted, so we can see where each other map is anytime. Hopefully we can coordinate that way." The others nodded and turned to Melody, it was clear that she was the leader of this quest.

"Sammy and Kyle have been missing for two days, and in case you hadn't noticed, it's awful cold out here. The last place anyone saw them was parked up here at the kissing rock." Melody pointed to the large hollow rock, that was a popular make out spot. "We're going to spread out from the rock and work our way around the area. The police have already done a search, but they don't know what we know. You know what to look for. Send the signal if you find anything." She indicted her flare and then nodded at the group.

Almost as one the four of them stepped up to the kissing rock and began walking out like the spokes of a bicycle wheel. No one spoke, as they were each searching intently and lost in their own thoughts. The continued to move out into the woods, searching the surrounding area as they went. Soon they drifted far enough apart that they could no longer see each other through the trees.

Melody shivered in her jacket, wishing she'd brought her heavy winter coat. *They could be anything,* she thought, *any sort of small creature. I hope they stuck together, that's our only hope of finding them.* For what seemed like the thousandth time in the last two days she cursed herself for picking up that necklace and she cursed Kyle for cheating on her and then running off with Sammy and she cursed her mother for the power flowing in her veins that made this all possible in the first place. She stopped herself just short of reliving those ten minutes again, that wouldn't do anything but get her upset again, and it certainly wouldn't help in the search. She trained her eyes back on the underbrush and started searching so intently that the flare was almost back below the treeline before she noticed it. A quick glance at the map told her Jez had sent the signal.

Jez stood in a small clearing looking at the two squirrels, this had to be them. No wild animal would lay in the open like this, and not move when she came near, and be holding hands, which is certainly what the squirrels appeared to be doing. Despite her dislike of the Kyle and Sammy, she felt relief flood her system when she saw the pair of rodents. After all, like it or not, this was her fault. If only she hadn't agreed to Melody's plan, they couldn't have done it without all of them. Of course, at the time she'd been filled with anger on Melody's behalf, they all had been.

Melody is the last to reach the clearing, and one look at the squirrels is enough to tell her they've found what they were looking for. She reached into her pocket and pulled out the locket, opened it, and stared at the pictures of Sammy and Kyle. She looked to the others for assistance, and David motioned that she should break the locket. With one last glance at the squirrels she snapped the locket in half.

While the group watched, the squirrels slowly began to morph and grow until Sammy and Kyle stood before the group, naked. Annabelle was prepared for this eventuality and quickly had them wrapped in blankets. Kyle and Sammy just stared at the four people surrounding them like they didn't know what to think. Annabelle couldn't blame them, arriving here to make out and then becoming a squirrel for two days could probably do a number on anyone. Still, she didn't feel too sorry for them, it's not like they were innocent in this whole affair.

"What happened?" Kyle asked, looking from face to face. Melody stepped forward, ready to apologize, explain it all, beg for forgiveness, but Jez stepped up first.

"You just learned not to cheat on a witch, bastard." Jez spat and then grabbing Annabelle and Melody by the arms she turned and walked away. David followed behind leaving the blanketed couple in the clearing, staring open mouthed and disbelieving.