He smiled sadistically, his eyes wild, darting to and fro, his silver pistol glimmering in the sunlight that broke through the thick trees over top. “It’s up to you, Carrie. Would you rather come with me, or die?”

It was an eerie spot in the woods that he had taken her. There were no cheerful sounds of birds chirping like there had been on the way. It was quiet, just the sound of the leaves above them rustling with each breeze.

“Please, Anthony. It doesn't have to be like this,” Carrie begged, desperation filling her body. “I won’t tell anyone what I saw.” Tears welled up in her eyes as she glanced over at the two bodies lying in a motionless heap on the ground. Their blood was pooling around them. The bodies were her boyfriend, Rick, and her best friend, Aimee. She had watched both of them get shot just moments ago.

Carrie didn't know what had snapped in Anthony. He was one of her best friends, or at least she thought he was. What Carrie did know was that she would be next. He lured them all here on this “hike” to kill each and every one of them. This plot was sinister. There were no witnesses and they had hiked miles from town in an attempt to get to Anthony’s cabin. But why?

Anthony snorted. His face was cold now, like stone. “Don’t give me that crap, Carrie. If I let you go free, you’re going straight to the police. I can’t let that happen, not when we’re so close.”

What the hell is he talking about? Carrie thought. They stood there, surrounded by tall evergreens, neither one of them moving. The sunlight reached down to them through openings between the trees, dotting their faces with its warmth. Carrie broke the long silence.
“Do it then, Anthony. Shoot me,” she challenged, her icy blue eyes cool and defiant. She hoped he couldn't see the fear and panic that was coursing through her body. A crow shot out of a tree, sounding a loud alarm. Then there was silence again.

Anthony’s expression grew softer.

“Carrie, I don’t want to have to do this.” He began approaching her slowly.
Carrie started to back away.
“Carrie, please hear me out. I have been crazy about you since we first met. Those two have just been in the way of our love. They were holding us back. Carrie, I know you were just scared to leave Rick. I know that he and Aimee were holding you back from loving me.”

Carrie’s eyes grew wide with fear. Her mind screamed at her, Get out of there. If you go with him now, this insane b*****d will never let you escape.

Anthony’s voice grew frantic as he realized what Carrie was about to do. “Carrie, do not run away. I love you, and if you just come with me, your life will be spared. You will be safe, and we will hike to my cabin. Nobody will ever bother us or find us,” he paused and flashed that sadistic, twisted smile again, “and we’ll live happily… ever… after…” Anthony took the final few steps towards Carrie and grabbed her face roughly.

Carrie spit in his face and he let go, disgusted. Carrie staggered backwards, her shaking finger pointed at Anthony.

“You’re insane.” she cried.

Anthony glared at her furiously. There was no longer any trace of softness to him. He raised his gun slowly at Carrie and aimed it directly at her head with ease.

“That was the biggest mistake of your life, Carrie.” Anthony growled, his eyes burning with fury. His mouth curled into a dangerous smirk.

This is it, Carrie thought, it’s now or never. She lunged at Anthony.

They tumbled to the ground. Anthony easily overpowered Carrie. He had her pinned in only a few moments. He chuckled savagely. Anthony moved his mouth close enough to Carrie’s ear for her to feel the warmth of his breath.
“Oh, Carrie. You actually think you can win against me?”
Carrie kneed him in the groin and he curled over in pain. She used his distraction to quickly reach for the gun. They struggled for a few moments. Anthony held on, fighting for his pistol, but Carrie was using all of her strength to hold the gun. She panicked when she realized Anthony had managed to turn it in her direction, but before she could turn it around there was a loud bang. A white flash of excruciating pain made Carrie look down at her bleeding leg as waves of agony coursed through her body.
Anthony backed away, looking down at her. His eyes were wide with shock, as if he couldn’t believe what he had just done. His grip on the gun had loosened. Carrie watched as he dropped it to the ground and didn’t even make a move to pick it back up. She slowly forced herself to her feet. Weakly, Carrie limped over to where Anthony had dropped the gun. She looked Anthony in the eyes for the last time, and then pulled the trigger. There was another bang. Then silence. Anthony’s body flopped to the ground like a rag-doll and he lie limp in a pool of his blood.

Carrie’s knees buckled and she fell to the ground, no longer able to stand. The pain was almost too much to bear. Carrie crawled over to where Rick and Aimee lie; the blood from the gunshot wound on her leg making a crimson trail behind her on the grass. She curled up next to Rick, overcome with anguish. She sobbed with grief over what was lost: the love of her life, her best friend, and her peace of mind. She will never be able to get over what happened to her in these woods. Tears spilled freely from her eyes and fell onto the body of Rick. Her blood was pooling onto the ground, but she didn’t notice. The world was growing dark around Carrie. The boundaries between reality and fantasy were blurring. The pain began to ebb slowly away and Carrie smiled, at peace. She thought she saw Rick and Aimee running through the trees, calling to her.

They didn’t find the four bodies until five months later.