| “Piper, I’ve seen her a few times, too. I was afraid to tell someone. But now I think we should tell Mulder and Scully. They’ll understand, if two of us saw her.” “Yes, but Thumper was so kind to me. She helped me in any way she could. I don’t think we should turn her in.” “But if we don’t more people could die, including us. I’m going to tell them. You can come with me if you want, but you don’t have to.” Piper sighed. “I’ll come.” Piper and Trinity walked out of the tent, not bothering to put on their shoes. They walked quietly to Mulder and Scully’s tent and saw a small light on inside. Piper and Trinity started unzipping the tent when someone from the inside busted it open. Scully came from the other side of the tent with gun pointed. The girls didn’t notice her but instead they were fixated on a barrel to a gun that Mulder was pointing at them. They both jumped and let out a little yelp. Mulder quickly lowered his gun, after seeing whom it was. He let them inside and Scully went in as well. Trinity looked over at Piper trying to get her to have enough courage to tell Mulder and Scully. Piper shook her head signifying she couldn’t tell them. She was too afraid of what would happened if Thumper were caught or even what would happen if Mulder and Scully found out that Piper had known about Thumper for quite some time. “We think we know who the killer is.” Trinity said, quietly, realizing Piper was never going to tell them. “Who?” Scully asked, intrigued. “We’ve seen her in the woods near each of the crime scenes.” Piper said, finally saying what she went there to say. “Who is it?” Mulder asked. “Thumper…” Trinity began Piper put her hand on Trinity’s arm, telling her that she would finally tell the truth. “She was an old camp director who disappeared a few years back.” Piper said. Mulder looked to Scully, remembering the story that the lonegunman had told him. Could the stories be true? Could there really be a woman who was living in the woods, Mulder thought. Scully’s mind was somewhere else. She started recalling what she had seen the night before in the woods. “Do her eyes change color?” Scully asked. “How did you know?” Piper asked, surprised that Scully knew facts about the murderer. “I saw her last night while I was on the watch.” Scully explained. “So that’s why you two were so mad at each other.” Mulder said remembering how Trinity and Scully shared the tense moments just that morning. “I thought I heard something in the woods and I figured that a FBI Agent as skilled as Scully would be able to hear the same things.” Trinity said. “How can you be sure she did it?” Scully asked. “Well, I can’t be positive, all the girls who died were not only in Woodston, but they were also all in the TY club. Thumper used to run TY club last year.” Piper said. “How are we going to catch her?” Mulder asked. “Before we decide anything, I just have to ask one question.” Scully said. “What’s the TY club?” “It’s a program that you can be in once you’ve been to a camp for three years or more. The cool corps decide what activities we’ll do the last day of camp and they hold special titles.” Trinity explained. “Now, my guess is that when she disappeared, she began living in the woods. She became an animal, or more precisely, she became a carnivore.” Piper said. “Which why she feeds on humans.” Trinity explained. “But why start now? The killings have only been recently. Why would she not have needed to kill before this time?” Scully asked, finding more questions than answers. “Well, my only guess is that she tried for as long as she could to stay human but she couldn’t. I think she’s really a monster, and it’s possible that she could have been born that way. If that’s the case, then as a child, teenager, and adult, she tried to fit in but finally she couldn’t so she retreated to the woods, where no one would bother her.” Piper said. “But then her hunger grew too strong so she had to come out of the woods to feed on campers. She knew the girls from the TY club so she knew she lure them to her, and they wouldn’t be afraid.” Trinity said. “If that’s true, then how do we stop her?” Scully asked. “Trinity and I are going to have to play bait. Tomorrow, we’ll send all the girls from the TY club to the lodge. We’ll have adults guarding the outside, so they’re safe. Trinity and I will be the only two left from the TY club so Thumper will have to go after one of us, but you two will be there to make sure we’re not her next victims.” Piper said. Mulder pondered the plan. He knew that Piper had a point and that it might work. “Well, why don’t you girls try to get some sleep. Agent Scully and I will continue the look out and we’ll go on with your plan tomorrow.” Trinity and Piper began to leave the tent when Trinity turned around. “There are other units sleeping over tonight. I think Rocky Road is one of them. I think some of those girls are in the TY club.” Trinity said. “I’ll go stay with them.” Mulder said. “Agent Scully will stay here with you girls.” Mulder left the tent and Trinity and Piper went back to their tent. They soon fell asleep inside their sleeping bags. It had gotten cooler inside the tents as well as outside. Chapter 9 7:12 A.M. July 23 “How’s Rocky Road?” Trinity asked coming out of her tent. Piper followed behind her. Mulder and Scully were already beginning to take their tent down. Piper looked into Scully’s eyes and saw dark blue circle under them. It was obvious that Scully had stayed up all night to protect Piper and Trinity. Piper could tell that Mulder had done the same thing for Rocky Road. “They’re fine.” Mulder said. “There were no sightings and no one was hurt, but it could be hungry for breakfast.” “Mulder, you Piper and Trinity should go see which girls are in cool corps. Get the girls who are already here inside the lodge. One of you can run down here and give me a list of the girls so I can pull them off of the bus as soon as they park.” Scully commanded. Mulder nodded and he walked down the road to the lodge with Piper and Trinity following him like they were lost puppies. They walked in silence but they all knew what each other was thinking, would their plan work or would Piper and Trinity become the next victims. Mulder kept a close eye out on the woods trying to see anyone or anything out of the ordinary, including Thumper. They made it to the lodge and they saw a few smaller girls eating cereal on the porch. Mulder walked into the lodge with Trinity and Piper close behind. They didn’t bother to knock. Hi How Are You met them close to the door. She knew by Mulder’s look that he wanted to talk to her. “How can I help you Agent Mulder?” Aloha asked. “I need a complete list of girls that are in the TY club. I believe this murderer prays on those girls, especially, because they could expose her.” Mulder said. “What are you talking about?” “I’m not at liberty to say but I can tell you that if you want to protect the rest of the girls in this camp you’re going to have to give me that list.” Mulder said. Aloha was hesitant to give Mulder the list but she knew that he could always get a warrant if it was needed and that would just take time. Aloha walked to her desk and dug through a pile of papers. She pulled a page out and handed it to Mulder. “Well, any list would be of some help right now.” “Thank you for your time.” Mulder said, walking out of the lodge. One of the leaders inside the lodge, glared at Piper and Trinity as they walked out. Mulder walked out to the porch and sat down on one of the benches. He took a pen and began crossing out the girls who had already been murdered. When he had finished, he began scribbling some of the names onto the palm of his hand. “What are you doing?” Trinity asked. “We need a list to bring to Agent Scully and I need a list to bring to Rocky Road.” Mulder explained, continuing to write the list onto his hand. After he had finished, he handed the regular list to Trinity and Piper. “You two girls can go bring this list to Agent Scully and help her find all the girls.” Trinity took the paper and she and Piper began down the road back towards the meadow. An hour later, all of the cool corps campers were inside the lodge. Piper and Trinity were standing in the meadow with Mulder and Scully. “Now what?” Trinity asked. “Now we wait.” Piper responded. “We go into the woods. I’ll go with Mulder and you can go with Scully. Scream if anything happens.” |