Chapter Text
Jin Zixuan has never been more annoyed in his life. He hates the annual family gathering with all his heart. He hates having to humor people, let alone the Jiang family. He absolutely detests how now servants are allowed in the shitty cabin his family rented in the middle of nowhere, forcing him to adhere to his mother’s and Madam Yu’s commands.
He absolutely hates spending time in the kiddie section of the cabin with his cousins Jiang Cheng and Wei Ying. A-Yao is fine, he’s his brother and is never an inconvenience, always been an obedient brother and son ever since he was taken in when they were 12, after his mother passed away and he turned to their father for help. He hardly talks back to Zixuan or fights him like other brothers do so he’s good company.
Not so good company are those damn brats who are always ready to fist fight him behind a parking lot when they accuse him of being rude. Idiots. He’s nothing but rude, he’s just honest.
Jin Zixuan utterly detests the situation he is in right now, more than anything else happening in this damn vacation. The useless fathers forgot to bring enough water and snacks, so mother and Madam Yu tasked the boys with going back into town and fetching some, saying it would be good for them to bond, since they’ve been doing nothing but argue in the cabin. Because that makes so much sense.
So here he is, driving back in the pitch black darkness in the middle of nowhere, with A-Yao in the passenger seat and the Jiang brats in the back.
The road might as well be inhabited by ghosts because for the past 30 minutes or so of driving they have not passed a single car.
No street lights whatsoever, they’re relying on the headlights solely and Jin Zixuan will never admit it, but he is terrified of the horror movie scene before him. A deserted road with no phone signal and no trace of civilization in sight.
“We’re so lost, we are beyond lost, we’re gonna run out of gas and get killed here for sure,” mutters Wei Ying, dramatic as ever.
“Stop making him nervous you idiot!” Jiang Cheng, being the more tolerable of the pair elbows his brother. “Bad enough he’s a mediocre driver, we can’t have him panic on us or we’ll be even more screwed”.
Jin Zixuan takes his thought back. “You two keep your mouths shut or I will abandon you both here,” he growls back, not wanting to admit the truth in both statements. It’s true, he’s not the best driver out there, always more concerned about his precious Mercedes getting damaged than follow any road safety.
“Brother, are you sure you know where you’re headed? The signal is slightly off, but google maps says there’s a gas station up at the next exist.” Ah, A-Yao finally spoke up. That sounds sensible enough, and he does trust his brother.
“Hmm” was all he said back, not wanting to lose face or show that he doesn’t know what he’s doing. Mother and Madam Yu said he’s in charge, so he will act the role.
Twenty minutes later they finally reach a gas station, the tension the four teenagers felt before easing a bit. However, the beat up gas station wasn’t exactly the most reassuring sight.
It’s a complete ghost town. No people in sight. “It is past midnight, so perhaps there’s only a single employee in there, I’ll go inside,” sweet A-Yao always reasonable and helpful. Jin Zixuan isn’t having it however. Before A-Yao even touched the handle Jin Zixuan locks the door.
Three confused eye turn to him, confused by the sudden paranoid act. “This place is shady, it’s too dangerous for you to go. Wei Ying, you go down instead”.
Jiang Cheng attempts to hold his laugh but fails, while Wei Ying gapes like a fish for a full 10 seconds before what was said registered fully in his brain.
“You shitty peacock, why should I go? You’re so proud of being left in charge, you should go down instead!”
“Is the fearless Wei Ying scared?” was all Jin Zixuan said, and it it only took two seconds for Wei Ying to unlock the door and head out. Never fails. “You play dirty, peacock,” Jiang Cheng says, but the amusement can’t be hidden in his voice. Even A-Yao is giggling, impressed by his brother’s tactic. He should be, Jin Zixuan picked it up from him after all.
A-Yao’s giggles don’t last however, as his eyes suddenly go wide, and his skin pales. “Guys, we need to leave. Now.”
“What?” both boys say in union, confused. Jiang Cheng climbs up next to A-Yao to see what he caught, and Jin Zixuan squints as well, trying to catch whatever it is his brother caught, but he sees nothing.
A-Yao doesn’t wait however, he pulls the car into reverse and shouts at Zixuan to pick up Wei Ying and drive quickly. Jin Zixuan and Jiang Cheng exchange a look, both now terrified, but trusting A-Yao’s instinct anyways.
Seconds later Wei Ying bolts down from the store and jumbles with the car handle frantically, prompting Jiang Cheng to open the door for him. Wei Ying instantly jumped in and closed the door, yelling “Drive Peacock!” like a madman, and for once Jin Zixuan didn’t want to retort, he obeyed and sped up.
Once they were back on the road, Jin Zixuan and Jiang Cheng screamed at their brothers for answers. Wei Ying’s mouth moved so fast explaining what he saw. “The store, it was empty when I walked in. I asked if anyone was there, and got no response. I went around back, and I saw him, a man slouched behind a shelf, trying to blend in with the darkness! I pretended to not see him and walked straight back before I sped to the car!”
Jin Zixuan and Jiang Cheng were beyond mortified, but what A-Yao said next made the horror Wei Ying described even worse. “Wei Ying, he was only one part of a gang. I saw it in the distance, a group of people, trying to split up and hide behind different parts of the station. They thought we didn’t see them but the second you came out they moved faster.”
The three boys had nothing to say. What could they possibly reply to that. They would have been ambushed and murdered in the middle of nowhere. Jiang Cheng looked at his phone and gasped. It’s 2 am and they still have no signal and now no internet as well so they were more lost than ever. The gang felt even more scared by now. Unknown to them, other horrors were on the way.
For at least 20 minutes, they boys drove in silence. The atmosphere is tense, the idea of nearly losing their lives in the middle of nowhere shocked them into silence. At this point they just wanna find the cabin as fast as possible. But they had no idea if they're even headed towards it or not. A-Yao broke the tense silence by a terrifying sentence that sent chills down their spines.
“Guys, we’re being followed by a car with its headlights off”.