"Hey, Bubba," Stacey sang out cheerfully.
Her brother sat on the couch, immersed in his drawing while music played in the background through his headphones.
"Yes?" asked Leo, looking up from his phone at his sister while removing his headphones.
"My friends and I are planning to explore an abandoned building. Would you like to join us?" Stacey asked sweetly.
"Ace, we've barely recovered from that horrendous camping trip a few weeks back!" Leo exclaimed, his voice laced with a touch of apprehension and concern.
"I know, but it sounds fun. What's the worst that could happen?" she said.
Leo exhaled deeply and glanced at his phone, "It's dangerous; those buildings could contain so many hazards."
Stacey sighed; her concern for her brother had been growing. His severe injuries from the camping trip had left numerous scars. He became paranoid and increasingly tense, plagued by nightmares of the incident. Consequently, he could no longer enjoy a good night's sleep and was perpetually exhausted. His mother had enrolled him in therapy to assist him, but he consistently declined to discuss the trip. He was aware that sharing the true events would lead to disbelief and ridicule. The notion of being attacked by shapeshifting giant wolves seemed far-fetched. He had no intention of facing the same skepticism that June's girlfriend, Lilly Anne, encountered.
"Please, Bubba, you never go out anymore. Besides, it could be fun, and it might help you relax," Stacey pleaded, giving her older brother her best puppy dog eyes.
"No, Stacey, people often go missing while exploring buildings. They get injured or encounter unexplainable things. Haven't you experienced enough? Didn't the camping trip teach you anything?" Leo remarked.
Stacey positioned herself in front of Leo, continuing to give him her best puppy eyes. "Please, bubba? You could just drive us there! You don't even have to come inside with us if you don't want to!" she pleaded.
Leo bit his lower lip, trying not to succumb to his younger sister's adorable expression. Eventually, he relented; after all, she might be right. What's the worst that could happen—they go missing?
"Alright, alright, fine! I'll go—just quit it with the puppy dog eyes," Leo conceded.
Stacey beamed and leapt up with joy. "Yay! I'm going to grab my bag and camera!"
"Camera? Ace, why do you need a camera?" Leo inquired, puzzled.
"I'm bringing a camera to take pictures, and record. This way if we see anything unexplainable, we have proof." She explained.
Leo nodded and entered his room, packing a bag with supplies: flashlights, cameras, batteries, snacks, water, solar-powered chargers, headphones, and his sketchbook. He surveyed the room to ensure he hadn't forgotten anything. Heaving a sigh, he slung the bag over his shoulder, turned to his dogs—a German Shepherd and a Pitbull-Black Lab mix—and affectionately patted the latter's heads. Ace entered the room and observed the young dogs, each about three years old. Leo and his father frequently took the dogs with them on hunting trips.
"We should bring Max and Artemis," she said, gesturing towards the dogs.
"What? Why?" Leo asked, puzzled.
"They'd never let anything bad happen to us. You know that bubba," she explained.
"But what if they get hurt?" he countered.
"You and Dad always take them on your hunting trips. If they can handle that, they can handle this," she said with a smile.
"What if they run off? They're always off-leash when we hunt." Leo spoke.
"If they don't run off during a hunt, they won't run off now." Stacey sighed, becoming aggravated with her brother.
"But what if they don't respond to commands? It's been at least a year since our last hunt," Leo countered.
"Bubba, relax." She rolled her eyes at him as she spoke.
"But what if they get lost?" He inquired, concerned about his dogs.
"They won't; we'll keep them with us at all times," she assured.
Leo regarded her skeptically before sighing and relenting. "Alright."
Leo glanced around the room once more, exhaling deeply as Stacey picked up a small bag of dog food along with four bowls—two for food and two for water. As Stacey exited, Leo walked to his closet, retrieved a gun from his safe, and sighed as he concealed it in his waistband, covering it with his shirt. He scoffed quietly, incredulous at his need for the weapon. Next, he gathered his dogs' leashes, attaching them to their collars. A slight smile crossed his face as their tails wagged, eager for an adventure with their owners.
"Hey Ace, which vehicle do you want me to take?" Leo asked.
"Let's take your SUV; it has enough room to comfortably fit everyone and the dogs," she suggested.
"Alright." He spoke.
Leo guided the dogs to his SUV and paused to retrieve his keys. He then opened the backseat door, permitting the dogs to leap inside. He tossed his bag into the trunk and then walked over to the driver's seat. Stacey was already seated in the passenger seat, patiently waiting for her brother. They began their journey, with Stacey providing Leo directions to all her friends' houses. Once everyone was gathered in the car, Leo turned to look at Stacey.
"Where am I taking you and your friends?" Leo inquired of his younger sister.
"Well..." She paused, giving her brother a skeptical look.
"I don't like that look," Leo said, frowning.
"We saw this long road leading up an overgrown hill," Stacey continued.
"And?" Leo asked, confused.
"My friends and I looked into it," she said with a sweet smile.
"Go on?" Leo urged.
"There's an old, abandoned building at the end of that road," Stacey said.
"What kind of building?" Leo asked, growing worried by the way his sister seemed to be avoiding telling him what it was.
"It's an old abandoned mental asylum we spotted a few days ago while riding the bus home from school," she explained softly.
"Why on earth would you want to go there?" Leo asked, concerned.
"Because it looks cool, and there's a chance we might discover some really interesting things," Stacey elaborated.
"Oh my God, Stacey," Leo said, placing his hand on his forehead.
"Please, Bubba?" Stacey implored, resorting to her puppy dog eyes once more in an attempt to sway her brother.
"Alright, fine!" Leo exclaimed. "Just quit it with those fucking puppy eyes already!" he added in a softer tone.
He always hated when she gave him that look, she could get away with murder from that look.