Dark Side of the Moon

“You excited for school, Sweetheart?” Mayor Mayfield asked tiredly, watching as I scurried around my room, triple checking I had everything for tomorrow.

I sent him a quick smile, “Yeah, dad, you ready for bed?” I chuckled at his noticeable yawn.

“You should be getting to bed soon too. Don’t stay up all night too excited to sleep, Mase. It’s just school.” He made to come into the room but thought better of it. “Night, Sweetheart.”

I wetted my lips, zipping my new backpack shut and placing it in its rightful spot at the foot of my neatly made bed. My first-day outfit had been picked out yesterday and changed twice since then. All I had to do was wait eight more hours to wear it…

Throwing myself down on my bed I let a sigh escape my lips. It had been another uneventful summer in Mayfield, California. Not that anything interesting ever happened here. I’d spent most of it hanging with friends and getting ready for school.

I heard a faint tap on my window. I shot up, clutching my heart which was frantically beating double time. Another tap sounded and I walked slowly to my window. Casually, I peered outside and saw the familiar blue jeep in my driveway. I quickly opened the window and poked my head outside.

“What in God’s name are you doing, Stiles?” I called down. I heard two different—but familiar—laughs answer.

“S’up, Mase.” The boy with the buzz-cut replied. I could barely make out the boy next to him, but I knew it was none other than Scott McCall.

“S’up yourself. It’s ten o’clock. We have school tomorrow. I’m going to bed.” I said shortly, slowly closing my window. Nothing Stiles and Scott had to say this late at night—especially on a school night—was anything good.

“Wait, wait, wait!” Stiles shouted, receiving a thump and a harsh‘shhh’ from Scott. He grunted but kept talking, “Stop being such an overachiever and come down here! I was listening to my dad’s police scanner—”

“Naturally—” I muttered.

“—and I heard they found a dead body in the forest! So we gotta go!” Stiles said, waving his hands beckoningly. Only Stiles could make searching for a dead body in the middle of the night sound like an exciting voyage.

I stood there, not believing my ears. “Uh—first of all, I’m not an overachiever; I just care about my education. Second, your dad told you to stop listening to the scanner. Third, I’m not gonna run around the forest at night looking for a body. And lastly, if they already found the body, what exactly are we looking for?” I finished, feeling exasperated. Sometimes it felt like I was the only one who thought things through.

“Oh, please, Mase. We know as well as you that this is the most exciting thing that’s happened here in forever so let’s go!” Scott said.

“Go and do what?” I demanded.

“Find the other half of the body!” Stiles exclaimed.

“I’m sorry?” A chuckle escaped my lips. They had to be messing with me because they knew how I got before school started back up. “The other half of the body?”

“Yes,” Stiles cried as if he was trying to teach armless kid how to tie their shoes. “And we can’t go without you!”

“And why is that?” I frowned, annoying Stiles and Scott further.

“Because you know all about death and bodies and stuff from your dumb advanced classes!”

Irked, yet flattered by this comment, I felt my resolve waver and then fail. “Fine.” I could hear them cheering over their victory as I grabbed my coat. I clambered out my window and jumped. Stiles and Scott caught me easily and we set off for the jeep.

“And for your information, my advanced classes aren’t dumb. If they were, you’d be allowed in them.” I glared playfully at Stiles. Scott snorted and took his seat in the passenger seat.

“Yeah, yeah, you’re a genius. We know.” He rolled his eyes but opened the door for me anyway.

I took my seat in the back, biting back my comeback. “So what exactly is the plan?”

“I don’t think Stiles has thought that far ahead yet.” Scott said simply as Stiles got in.

“Of course I have a plan.” He said defensively, “When don’t I have a plan?

Catching Scott’s eye, we said, “Only always.”

“Whatevs.” He shrugged and drove down the gravel road that led away from my house.

I watched the trees fly by as we hit the road. There has always been something beautiful about the night. I would always just lie in bed staring up at the moon and its perfection.

I glanced at the glowing sphere, which was slightly obstructed by clouds. Between the dancing light of the moon and soft Jack Johnson music playing from Stiles stereo, I felt myself dosing.

“Hey, don’t fall asleep on us.” Scott nudged me slightly, instantly I was awake.

“Right,” I stifled a yawn. “So Stiles, what is the plan?”

“Oh, ya know….” He said evasively.

“Oh, right. Good plan.” Scott agreed mockingly. I snorted but hadn’t really expected a solid answer form him.

We sat in silence for a few minutes until Stiles yelled “We’re here!” unnecessarily loud. We all hopped out of the jeep and set off into the dark, dense forest.

“So which half of the body are we looking for?” Scott asked after a couple minutes of walking.

“Dunno.” Stiles grunted.

“And what are we going to do if the murderer is still here?” I whispered tauntingly. Scott stopped and shivered as Stiles glared at me again.

“I didn’t think about that.”

“’Course you didn’t.” I sighed. There was a menacing crack and we all turned with a singular gasp.

“What was that?” Scott whispered, his countenance frightened. His inhaler was out in a flash as he gasped for air.

Stiles shook his head rapidly. I glanced around, surveying the darkness that had suddenly turned unfriendly. I thought I saw something move in the distance, but instead of wanting to worry the others, I tried to convince myself it had just been the dark playing tricks on my eyes.

“Just the wind….” I muttered. It sounded unconvincingly cliché to me, but Scott and Stiles seemed to accept this solution and we set off again, our ears alert to any sound this time. Scott kept his inhaler in hand, using it frequently.

“How are we supposed to find the body when everyone is out there looking for it?” I asked, crouching under a branch.

“It’s about the adventure, not the logic.” Stiles said a-matter-of-factly.

“Right. I can’t believe I hadn’t seen it before. Get murdered in the dark now, think later.” I said sarcastically. “That should be our motto.”

Stiles chuckled, throwing an arm over my shoulders. “Loosen up, Mase. You’ll have all the time in the world to be a grown up after high school.” I leaned into him as we walked, falling silent.

“Guys.” Scott took another hit of his inhaler. “Maybe we should just head home.”

“We can’t go home until we find the body!”

“Let’s just go up this ridge and if we don’t see anything, we’ll head back.” I compromised.

Scott nodded with another breath from his inhaler. Stiles dropped his arm and mumbled nonchalantly, running up ahead.

Scott and I had almost met up with Stiles when he ducked down suddenly.

“Shit.” He groaned. His eyes were shut in contemplation.

“What?” I questioned, but as I looked over the edge I could see lights and police dogs.

“Awesome.” Scott moaned (breathing through his inhaler).

“We’re going to get arrested. This was such a good idea.” I whispered sarcastically.

“Don’t be stupid. My dad’s not going to arrest us.” Stiles said, peering at the lights. “But just in case….”

“Run?” Scott offered.

“Run.” He confirmed and we set off, getting split up in the dark.



“Stiles?” I whispered urgently, “Scott?”

I listened for any reply, or the sound of someone blowing on an inhaler, but neither came. I had always felt at ease in the forest, especially since Mayfield is practically one big sunny forest.

Tonight, however, something was off. There were no animals, no chirping grasshoppers, and no warmth. It was like I was in some spooky forest I had no claim to and, for the first time, I was afraid. Every snapping twig sounded like some crazed murderer coming to kill me and every sway of a branch made me feel like I was stuck in a horror film. Something was in this forest that didn’t belong.

“Stiles?” I tried again. No answer. “Scott?” Silence.

My breath sped up as terror engulfed me. Another twig snapped and I whipped around so fast I felt my neck kink. Rubbing it, I squinted to see if anything was there or if it was my mind playing terrible tricks on me.

Another snap.

“Hello?” My voice broke. If this was some sick joke Stiles made up, he was going to die. Painfully.

Then, I heard a growl that made my heart freeze. I choked on my breath, holding as still as possible. In the looming darkness I could make out something like an overgrown dog in the mess of trees. Its yellow eyes beckoned me to come closer.

Just one step couldn’t hurt…

I pushed three steps forward…

The dog was striding towards me…

One more and then I could go back and find the boys. Just one—

A hand grabbed me from behind, “Mason Mayfield, you better get home before your daddy finds out you’re gone.” A stern, fatherly voice reprimanded me. I turned to see Sheriff Stilinski and his son. Stiles looked shaken but otherwise okay.

“Where’s—” I started but Stiles quickly jerked his head, causing me to change my question. “You been?” I finished lamely.

“Take her home, Rupert.” Sheriff Stilinski ordered Stiles (who cringed at the use of his real name). His gaze swept the outskirts of the trees and he headed back to the others.

“Where’s Scott?” I asked once the Sheriff was out of earshot.

“I dunno. But he’ll be alright.” (Though Stiles didn’t look too sure.) “Let’s get you home.”

He held out his hand.

I looked behind me, searching for the beast, but saw nothing. “I hope Scott gets home safe.”