Six Strangers by Lora Carlson (pdf ebook reader txt) 📕

“Justin? Is that you?” I walked into the woods to see if it was Justin. Since I couldn’t find Justin I turned around and started heading back to home base. Until I was stabbed in the back. Literally. I screamed and flailed around, which just made the needle dig into my back even more.

“Nyla! Where are you! Are you okay?” I heard Rachel yell through the forest.

“Rachel! I’m here! Help me!” I screamed back. I doubt she heard me.I started to crawl away but the person grabbed me and dragged my through the woods. The last thing I remember was digging my fingernails into the dirt, trying to hold on.

Ashley Sanders’s POV

I was walking out of school with Stacy, my “best friend”. Really, I just make her do stuff for me, but she doesn’t know that. She was complimenting my outfit.

“Ashley, your skirt is the cutest blue. It totally brings out your eyes. And that sweater vest is just adorable. It so does not clash with your headband, I don’t know what that girl was talking about. She wouldn’t know a cute headband if it hit her in the face.” Matching her girly tone I kept the conversation going.

“I know right, I mean, who wears red with pink? That is just fashion suicide”

Stacy twitched.

When we got outside I stopped.

“I was wondering if I could come over and do homework” I said to Stacy.

“Totally! Rachel is going out with some of her lame friends, she won’t be back for hours”

“Great! Let’s go before Brad can find me” We started walking to her house when her sister ran up to us with her boyfriend Ryan.

“What do you want?” Stacy sneered at Rachel. I taught her that.

“My phone”

“You said I could use it today”

“C’mon Stacy, just give me the phone” I pulled Stacy aside.

“Give her the phone, we had our fun, now let’s just watch the show” Stacy nodded.

“Here Rachel. Thank you for letting Stacy use it today” I said sweetly. Rachel took the phone and left.

On the way to Stacy’s house we stopped at mine.

“You go on without me. I’ll meet you there.”

“Okay! See ya later!” She walked away. I went inside and into the bathroom. I looked at my face in the mirror. Ugh, my hair was a mess and my mascara was clumpy. I took out my curling iron and fixed my curls. I have beautiful shoulder length chocolate brown hair with big, smooth curls. I replied my mascara and put my glasses back on. I fixed my skirt, adjusted my headband and walked out the door. While I was walking I couldn’t stop feeling like someone was watching me. I looked around while walking faster, hugging myself. It was chilly. I stopped under the tree in front of Stacy’s house. It hangs over the sidewalk. I looked around again. A leaf fell in front of my face, so I looked up to see a man in all black with a scarecrow mask on. I screamed and took off, running as fast as my really cute shoes would let me. The scarecrow man jumped out of the tree and landed on me. I hit the ground hard. I was stunned for a second, then I started flailing.

“Get off of me!” I screamed as loud as I could. He got off of me, then flipped me over.I started to sit up when he stabbed me in the arm with a needle I didn’t see before. I could feel tears running down my cheek it hurt so bad. I usually don’t cry, so I can say that was not one of my proudest moments. The last thing I remember is being picked up and thrown over the scarecrow man’s shoulder.

Echo Hill’s POV

I don’t fit in at school. I look different. I act different. I don’t fit in at home either. But, I do have three friends. Casey, the perky blonde with a One Direction obsession, Delilah, the chill girl a math obsession and Gwen, the girl who loves gossip. I arrive ten minutes late. I walk up to Casey’s door and knock, attempting to hold onto my stuff at the same time. Instead of Casey opening the door, her twin brother Tyler did.

“Hello Echo” he said without emotion.

“Tyler” I replied in the same tone. He stepped aside and pulled the door open. I walked past him and slipped off my black Converse. I walked into the living room, dumping my stuff on Casey’s head.

“What the heck?” She turns around.

“Hey, Casey” I grin at her.

“Echo!” I sit down next to Casey and face Delilah and Gwen.

“What are you guys talking about?”

A couple hours later we were eating popcorn and playing Truth or Dare. It was Gwen’s turn.

“Gwen, Truth or Dare?”Casey asked her.

“Truth”

“Who do you like?”

“Don’t tell anybody but, I have the biggest crush on Seth Night” She blushed the entire time she was talking.

“Seth Night? The friendless guy?” Casey whispers.

“He has friends! I’m his friend! He’s my lab partner” She giggles.

“Ugh, I don’t have a crush on anybody” I said to Gwen.

“Sure you don’t, Echo. Truth or Dare” Gwen asked me.

They all leaned towards me.

“Dare” I replied smugly. In all the years I have been having sleepovers with Casey, Gwen and Delilah, not one of us has said dare. They all looked at each other with a smile on their faces.

“Okay” Gwen grinned. I knew they had been planning this dare for a while.

“We dare you to walk around the block, in your bra”

I stood up.

“Good thing I wore a sports bra” I said while pulling my black tank top over my head.

Casey, Gwen and Delilah started laughing. I rolled my eyes and walked out of the living room. I was walking down the hallway when Tyler bumped into me. He was reading a book.

“Oh, sorry I-” He stopped mid sentence, realising that it was me. And because I was in my bra.

“Umm” He stuttered, trying to make the situation less awkward.

“The girls dared me to walk around the block in my bra” I explained nonchalantly. I have two brothers who walk in on me all the time.

He nodded and quickly walked up the stairs. I shrugged and slipped my shoes on before I walked out the door. I shivered a bit, I mean, I was wearing a sports bra and tiny running shorts. I walked onto the sidewalk and started jogging. A couple minutes later I gave up and just walked. Two guys who I am positive were drunk saw me.

“Hey baby, wanna have a drink?” The first guy slurred at me.

“Yeah, C’mon babe, have a drink” The second one said clearer, but he also stumbled a bit.

“Perverts” I muttered under my breath.

“What did you just call us?” The first guy asked, stopping in front of me.

“Perverts” I said without hesitation. The second guy grabbed my arm, so, I did what any other girl would do. I punched him in the face. Okay, so any other girl would probably scream, but like I said before, I don’t fit in. I’m different. Anyway, the second guy let go of my arm and the first guy swung at me. Since he was drunk I dodged his fist and punched him in the face. The second guy wrapped his arms around me, pinning my arms to my sides. I struggled for a bit, then leaned forward at full force, using my momentum to throw him of my back. He flew off my back and into the first guy. They hit the ground hard. I started to run away, but then decided to kick them a few times, then run. After I gave them a few good kicks I walked away. I walked a while longer. I could see Casey’s house when I saw a man walking down the sidewalk towards me. I thought he was just another guy so I kept walking. When he was a few feet away from me I saw his face. Or should I say his mask. He looked like a scarecrow. He let me take in his features t,hen he lunged at me. I jumped back and dodged the needle he tried to stab me with. I punched him in the face, running past him while he stumbled. I ran as fast as I could towards Casey’s house. I could hear him running behind me. I stopped and kicked him in the chest, using his momentum to harden the impact. I winced as the force of his chest connected with my foot. I spun around and kicked him in the face. I ran again, limping slightly. I was knocked down from behind. I tried to roll on top of him but he used my momentum to roll all the way around. Sitting on me he tried to stab me in the chest with the needle. I grabbed his wrist with both hands and fought. He added his other hand and pushed harder. I pulled his hand to the right and he rolled off of me. I stood up and started to run away, but he tripped me. I quickly rolled onto my back just in time for him to stab me in the stomach with the needle. I guess he was a bit mad I beat the crap out of him, because he drew a line across my stomach with the needle, which is not what needle are for. I didn’t scream or cry, I just closed my eyes. Waiting for the pain to stop. The last thing I remember is being dragged by my ankles down the sidewalk.

Michael’s POV

“I’ve been waiting on the sunset, bills on my mindset I can’t deny theyre getting high.

Higher than my income, incomes breadcrumbs, I’ve been trying to survive, the glow that the sun gives right around sunset, helps me realize, that this is just a journey, drop your worries, you are gonna turn out fine, oh, you’ll turn out fine, fine, oh, you’ll turn out fine.

But you gotta keep your head up, oh.

And you can let your hair down, eh.

You gotta keep your head up, oh.

And you can let  your hair down, eh. I know it’s hard, know it’s hard, to remember sometimes. But you gotta keep your head, oh. and you can let your hair down, eh eh eh eh.”

I woke up to the sound of a girl singing “Keep your head up” by Andy Grammer. I opened my eyes and looked around. It took a couple of seconds for my eyes to adjust, but when they did I saw the girl who was singing. She had really short and really spiky bright purple hair, and bright blue eyes. She was sitting