Chapter 100: Edward: I Just Want to Take a Nap
As Edward and Carrie walked back to the campsite side by side, John, who'd been by the campfire, returned from the stream dejectedly, carrying an empty bucket and a fishing rod drooping over his shoulder.
He saw the two of them and just let out a weak grunt, slumping back into his folding chair.
"What's wrong, our fishing master?" Sarah handed him a cup of hot coffee, a suppressed smile on her face, "Where are your fish?"
"Don't even mention it!" John took a big gulp of coffee, as if to drown his frustration, "The fish today were too smart! No, that's not right, they must all be asleep! Yeah, they must be asleep! I didn't even see one bite!"
He found a perfect excuse for his failure and nodded wisely.
Sarah smiled and shook her head, saying nothing more. Lily was focused on her burnt marshmallow, as if she hadn't heard.
Emma continued to whittle her stick, wood shavings flying, the stick already taking on the rough shape of a stake.
Esther still hugged her knees, like an emotionless statue.
Even Carrie, who'd just bravely dealt with a monster, couldn't help but purse her lips and suppress her laughter at the sight of Mr. Connor.
"Whatever, you guys are no fun." John looked at the circle of calm faces, feeling dejected again, "You don't appreciate my ghost stories, and you don't understand my sadness about not catching fish. Forget it, I'm going to bed!"
He stood up in a huff and went into the small tent that belonged to him and Edward, zipping it up with a loud 'ZIIIP', as if isolating himself from the entire world.
Everyone exchanged smiles; the night's camping activities were winding down.
Sarah packed up the dishes and took Carrie and the three little girls into the big tent.
Edward checked the campfire one last time, confirming there were no fire hazards, then also went into his tent.
The night passed without incident.
The next morning, just as dawn was breaking, Edward woke up.
He silently unzipped the tent, and the cool, damp morning air rushed in, refreshing him.
His father, John, was still letting out soft snores inside the tent.
Edward stepped out of the tent, stretched his body, and habitually scanned his surroundings.
Then, he noticed the commotion in the distance.
In the "Digital Detox Camp" to the left of their campsite, there was chaos at this moment.
The middle-aged man in the coach's uniform was anxiously shouting something into a megaphone, his voice carrying far across the open wilderness.
The previously listless, zombie-like young people were now gathered in groups, their faces showing confusion, bewilderment, and even a hint of schadenfreude.
Edward's hearing was excellent, and he easily caught the coach's shouts.
"Jerry! Jerry Barnes! If you hear me, get out here now! This isn't a game! Don't think you'll get your phone back by hiding!"
Jerry? Edward raised an eyebrow.
Wasn't that the unlucky guy from last night who was doing "outdoor activities" on the opposite bank, then got dumped by his girlfriend, and finally passed out from fright when he saw the monster?
He's gone?
Edward's gaze turned to the opposite bank of the stream where the incident occurred last night.
The tent was still there, and the sleeping bag was messily spread outside, but the person was indeed gone.
The puddle of minced flesh, compressed by Carrie's telekinesis, had also vanished without a trace, leaving only some dark stains on the ground, as if licked clean.
A thought flashed through Edward's mind.
Are there more than one of those boil-covered monsters? Or did the woman from last night encounter something after running into the forest, or perhaps, was it caused by that deeper malice he'd initially sensed, seeping from the depths of the forest?
Edward had no interest in investigating.
Whether the guy named Jerry was dead or alive had nothing to do with him.
As long as trouble didn't come knocking, he was happy to enjoy his peace. His primary task was to ensure this family camping trip went smoothly and pleasantly.
He withdrew his gaze, no longer paying attention to the chaos over there.
A little while later, his family members also woke up one after another.
Sarah quickly prepared a simple breakfast—fried eggs, bacon, and hot coffee—using a portable camp stove. John emerged from the tent; after a night's sleep, he seemed to have forgotten last night's frustration and was once again full of energy.
"Honey, today I'm going to show you my true skills!" John declared confidently during breakfast, "Last night the light wasn't good, and the fish couldn't see the bait clearly. This morning is prime time for bass fishing! I promise you'll have the freshest grilled fish for lunch today!"
"Alright, I'll be waiting." Sarah responded with a smile, her tone full of indulgence.
So, after breakfast, John enthusiastically pulled Sarah along, taking the full set of fishing gear, and walked upstream along the creek, saying he was going to find a "lucky spot" to enjoy some private fishing time for the two of them.
At the campsite, only Edward, Carrie, and the three "problem children" remained.
The atmosphere was quiet for a moment.
Edward moved a lounge chair under the shade of a large tree and comfortably lay down. He'd expended some mental energy last night and woken up early, so he did feel a bit sleepy.
"I'll keep watch here; you guys go play whatever you want." He said to Carrie and his three sisters.
Carrie nodded somewhat shyly; she wanted to spend more time with Edward but didn't know what to say.
The other three little girls, however, had no intention of interacting with her.
Emma picked up her half-whittled wooden stake, found a rock, and continued to sharpen it expressionlessly.
Esther walked to the stream, squatted down, picked up flat stones one by one, and skipped them across the water repeatedly, watching the stones bounce on the surface, then sink, over and over, like an emotionless machine.
"Let's go explore over there!" Lily's innocent ten-year-old voice broke the silence.
She ran to Emma and Esther, a sweet smile on her face: "I heard there are pretty wildflowers and mushrooms in the forest; let's go look for them, we can make a flower crown for Mom!"
Emma stopped what she was doing, looked up at Lily, said nothing, but still stood up.
Esther also stopped skipping stones and silently followed behind Lily.
"Edward, we'll just play over there for a bit, we won't go far!" Lily didn't forget to call back to Edward on the lounge chair, acting like an obedient and sensible sister.
"Mm, go ahead." Edward, with his eyes half-closed, mumbled a response. With that little demon Marquis around, he wasn't worried about their safety.
Carrie watched the three girls walk together toward the edge of the campsite, near the forest, feeling a little uneasy.
Mrs. Connor had asked her to look after them.
She glanced at Edward, who seemed to have fallen asleep, hesitated for a moment, but ultimately, her sense of responsibility won out.
She quickly followed, calling out as she went: "Wait for me, I'll come too!"
Lily looked back at her, a smile of unknown meaning curving her lips, then slowed her pace, waiting for her to catch up.
And so, a girl possessed by a demon, a genius killer with an antisocial personality, an imposter with a child's body and an adult psychopath's soul, and a good girl who'd awakened powerful telekinesis and was trying to fit in, formed this peculiar "exploration team," heading toward the edge of the deep forest.
Lying in the shade of the tree, Edward's breathing was steady; he seemed to have truly fallen asleep. Sunlight filtered through the gaps in the leaves, casting dappled shadows on his face. The entire campsite was left with only the gurgling of the stream and the occasional bird song, a scene of tranquility and peace.
However, just as Carrie's figure disappeared behind a small thicket, following the three girls, Edward's eyelids twitched slightly.
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