Chapter 3

    Ezekiel did not imagine spending his night in the woods being bait to a few members of their Schools football varsity. He walks alone on the dirt road heading to Devils Dive, holding his smartphone in front of him, using it as a flashlight. it’s located deep inside the Darkshine woods just at the edge of town. Devils Dive is a famous hangout for teenagers during summertime. Kids regularly held parties at the clearing beside the river on the bottom of the waterfall. The waterfall stands 70 feet high and people (mostly kids and drunk teenagers) usually jump from the top of the waterfall just for fun and adrenaline. If this is one of those regular days when school is out he should be hearing the sounds of music and kids chatting from a party around perhaps a bonfire. However, Tonight there is no party, no music, no bonfire. It’s a regular weekday and Kids are not allowed to have a party on Devil's dive during schooldays. Tonight, only the loud gushing of the waterfall can be heard ahead. Oh, what have they gotten themselves into again this time, Zeke thought as he walked on the path towards the clearing.

     “This better work Zac.” He whispered under his breath, feeling pretty nervous. The cold breeze coming from the waterfall up ahead sends a shiver on his spine, as he walks through the pathway. He pointed the light from his phone to the ground, Fresh tire tracks can be seen on the dirt road, proof that Rick and his buddies are just up ahead already waiting for him.

     He continued walking, up Ahead he can see a faint glimmer of a vehicle’s headlight. ‘This should be Rick’s car,’ he thought to himself ‘all I need to do is stick to the plan.’ nervously he gathered up his courage and approach the bunch that awaits him. In his head he is trying to remember the plan that Zach has told them earlier, kept repeating it again and again in his head, this actually helps him gather his wits and hold his fear inside.

    “This could be a bad idea. Zeke.” He said talking to himself to keep his courage under check, as he steps closer.

    Approaching the clearing, step closer to them and stopped about when he was about 20 feet away. He saw the six varsity boys standing there, their shadows casting down on the road in front from a vehicle’s headlight behind them.

    Silence as he faces the six huge boys, loud gushing of the waterfall just beside them, nobody uttering a single word. “Hey guys, it's a very lovely evening we’re having.” He nervously waved at them.

    “Well, you guys look like you’re all a good sport, right guys, this is just a misunderstanding, oh c’mon, that was just an accident.” He explained, Rick and his buddies kept their silence just staring at him. “We could just put this behind us, right? And just go home. Oh! Look it’s pretty late, isn’t it.” he said pointing at the clock on his phone, scratching the back of his head.

    “We could not just forget about this you little prick. Where is he?” Rick finally spoke, deep anger from his voice, cracking his knuckles in front of him. “Where is Zach? Did he run and just leave you to rescue Emma? That coward.”

    “Well yeah, let’s just say it’s that, so no hard feeling then? c’mon fellas, is there any way we could just talk about this? You know, what you are doing to Emma is called kidnapping and illegal right?” he said trying to smile. “I mean you could get in jail for this, so let’s just forget all about this and just call it a night, shall we.”

    “If you are smart enough, you will not tell anybody about this, if you know what’s good for you.”

    “He even went alone Rick, he is either brave or just stupid.” One of Rick’s buddies blurted out. Rick ignored him, “I’ll tell you what will happen here. we are going to beat you up till your head sinks to your skull loser, as payback on what you did earlier.” Rick said now started walking directly to him.

    “Woah!” Zeke held both his hands in front of him “That was just an accident buddy old pal rick, c’mon.”

    Rick ignored his pleas and just continued walking towards him, he lifted both his hands “OK. Ok! Wait, just wait here Rick!” he shouted. “Hey! here look I have a peace offering for you.” He put his hands inside his backpack pulling something out of it. Pulled out a big bottle of Soda, bubbles showing on the top part of the transparent container, which means that the bottle has already been shaken up. Rick wide-eyed and confused, just stares at it. Taking advantage of Ricks’ confusion, he quickly opened the cap

     “This is a bad idea,” he muttered as the cap flew off the Soda. “Here you go rick!” The Soda splashes all its content towards Rick stunning him. Rick took fully all of the blasts, his hands in front of him unable to stop being soaked by the Soda, stopped in his tracks. His buddies all shocked, a few of them gives a snigger.

     All the Sodas content has been emptied all to Rick, now dripping wet, his face Red in anger. “Oh, you are going to die tonight you pipsqueak.” He said as he lunged toward Zeke. He dodged and Rick missed him. He looked back, Rick picked himself up. “Get him!!” He shouted a command for his other buddies to help him catch Zeke.

    “Oh, oh, gotta go boys.” Zeke did not waste any time and started running towards the woods. Rick and his buddies now scrambling to chase him.

    He jumped inside the woods beside them, looks back on his shoulders to see his pursuers, saw that the four of his buddies also started to run towards him. except one of them, Russ. It seems that we will be staying behind the vehicle and will not chase him like his others. “Well what do you know, these guys are not as stupid as we think they are, it’s up to you now Zach, you owe me for this. This better work or I swear man I’m gonna kill you too for this.” He mutters to himself as he ran as fast as he can.

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    Zack holds his hands in his mouth just to hold laughing out loud, he is hiding in the bushes across the entrance of the clearing where he watched as Zeke splashed a bottle of Soda on Rick. Rick lunged at him but missed, now they are chasing him to the woods. Zeke did a good job as bait, he reminds himself to give him a compliment later for that. however, there is still one of Rick’s buddies Russ, which was left behind to guard the car.

    Inside the vehicle he can see vaguely a figure of a person, it’s probably Emma moving inside.

    He went out of hiding at a crouch, quietly head towards the vehicle from behind. He reached the back compartment ducking behind it. stood slowly to view where Russ is, he can see him leaning on the car, his back on the driver’s side door. Suddenly a loud bird noise sounded from the woods behind Zach, ‘It’s joe, good job bro.’ he said to himself, knowing that joe probably finished setting the trap on his side. Russ heard it and turns in that direction of the woods. He ducked back, immediately avoiding detection.

    A few seconds passed he lifted again his head to take a look at Russ. He sees that Russ has gone back to his old position on the driver's side door. He started to move carefully to the right side of the vehicle. approaching silently the right passenger door and stood up a bit to look inside, there she is, he saw Emma ungagged, she turned her head his way and saw his head bobbing on the window, she smiled.

    He reached for the door handle opening it, careful not to make a sound. Emma is sitting at the Driver's seat, her hands in front of her tied by tape, she does not look hurt or anything, he guessed that Rick doesn’t really have any intention of hurting her, just wanted revenge from what happened on the football field.

    She looked straight at him, her eyes are wide and surprised. Zach lifted his right index fingers to his lips telling her to keep quiet. He went inside, slid down the passenger seat, Russ’s back on them against the driver’s window not moving, and does not have a clue on what he is doing. He noticed that her foot is also not tied, good! He thought. they can just run out of there. Taking great care not to make any noise he reached for her tied hands his other arm around Emma’s waist, he pulled her closer to him, Emma moved and followed him, lifting a foot across the passenger side then the other foot. All this time his hands trying to help her, pulling her closer to him. She lost her balance and falls to his chest. Surprised, both their eyes met, staring at each other. He can smell the perfume on her hair, her warm breath he can feel against the cold breeze. Suddenly getting lost at moment not noticing her whole weight being transferred to the leather-covered passengers sit, it gives a sudden Squeeaak!

   Russ heard it, turned to look. Surprised he catches Zack carrying Emma sitting on the passenger’s seat.

   “What the…. How did you? Where did you…?!” unable to finish his sentence Russ cried, rushed to open the door. He immediately placed his hands around Emma, jumped out carrying her, and quickly Kicked the door shut behind him. Then placed down Emma to stand beside him.

    “What now?” Emma said to him.

    He looked back, Russ rush forward tries to push open the door in front of him. He pushed against the door, put all his weight to keep Russ from opening it, holding the door shut. Surprisingly, he was stronger and Russ cannot push open the door.

    “Now you need to run!!” he shouts as he does not know how long he can hold the door.

    Emma hesitated “What? What about you?” she said not making a move.

   “It’s ok, I will be just hanging out around here for a while, you know it’s pretty nice here with the waterfalls and all.” He said sarcastically, while he struggles to hold the door close, Russ trying to push it open.

   “I can’t just leave you here.” She said furiously, trying to decide.

   “Of course, you can, me and Russ you know we're good friends. he could even ask me to make out later through the night, first base.” He continued joking, sweat forming on his forehead. “You better go now, I don’t know how long I could hold him.”

    Emma getting angry, and not finding his jokes funny, “That’s not funny, you better be behind me Zachary Pogromca when I look back, or I will kill you myself, next time I see you.” She cried angrily at him. Then with a last look at him, she runs towards the woods, not looking back, she disappeared beyond the tree, as Zach still struggles to hold the door.

    “Great even Emma wanted to kill me. Great day.” He said.

    Russ gives up on pushing the door open, turned, and went back to the other door on the driver's end.

    “Oh boy, he suddenly grows a brain. here he goes,” Zach said, Russ stood up outside the other side pointing at him, his face filled with anger.

    “I’m gonna get you Pogromca, you are not gonna get away with this.” Russ rant to the front, making his way around the hood of the car to reach him.      

    Zach suddenly had thought of this wild idea, he jumped above the hood of the car, then slid down towards the bumper stretching both his legs in front of him, pushed with all his might. At the right time as Russ is coming around the hood. Both his feet hit Russ full on the chest, Bamm!! He was successful, He got him with both his feet. Russ was surprised, lost his balance, stumbled, and fall back. He falls heavily rolling towards the river just beside them. Splash!!

    Zack Saw it, stopped short, thinking of helping Russ. But then he saw him stood up, soaked in river water on the shallow side of the River, he looked up at him, shouted, and Ran towards him again. “Oh, Oh!” He scrambled to his feet jumped down from the hood of the car, started running heading the same way where Emma entered the woods.

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    Zeke Ran as fast as he can inside the woods zigzagging here and there trying to outrun and shrug his pursuers. ‘I hope I’m in the right direction, where is it? where is it?!’ he thought to himself trying not to panic. He kept on running at the same time trying to see any familiar path or tree. Zach and Zeke are not strangers to the Darkshine woods. Back when they were kids they have spent countless hours traversing these woods, playing around, exploring by themselves, or just hiding from someone. In daylight these woods usually are playgrounds for them However, it’s different in the dark, and is pretty hard to a landmark or anything at all. Earlier the three boys went inside the Darkshine woods first before meeting with Rick and his buddies, preparing for Zacks’ plan.

    Now relying only on the light of the moon Zeke finds his way inside the woods, trying to follow the plan for them to get away.

    After a few minutes of running and wandering in the woods, finally, he found something familiar, a large fallen log, yeah! He shouted in triumph. He glanced over his shoulders, he hears Rick and his buddies shouting curses at him far behind. On the ground, he looked at the big log ran towards it, and jump over. He crouched behind it, he looked around looking for something, Zeke shouted a bird sound, no response. Silence. It was a Bird sound that the tree boys agreed on as a signal, to know where each one is, especially in this dark of night.

   “where are you joe?!” he said. Then as if on cue Joe jumped out the trees beside him.

   “Sorry for being late. I just finished with the trap on Zacks end.”

   Without wasting any time, they put distance between them and the huge Log which they used as a landmark. They separated, one heading left and the other on the right, each one of them hiding behind a tree, reaching down on the foot of these trees looking for something. They found it, the thread that they left here moments ago. Both pulled at the same time, invisible thread tightens at least 30 feet between them tied on the other trees in middle zigzagging here and there like a poorly made spiderweb.

    Both boys tied the thread tightly on their end. Then made their way past it. meeting at the farthest end of the web-like thread trap that they made.

   “Why didn’t we just set it up earlier before you went to be bait?” Joe asked him.

   “If we did it beforehand, in this darkness if we got lost, we could be trapped on it ourselves silly. This way we are already past it and only Rick and his buddies will get trapped.”

   “Oh, That’s smart.” Joe realized

   “Your brother is the one that thought of it, he is the smartest among the two of us. Anyway, let’s go.”

   Both boys, continue to run. Then they a few moments they can hear Rick and his buddies shouting getting tripped and falling into the web-like trap. It would probably take a few minutes for them to escape it. Enough time for the boys to make their escape.

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    Emma slowed down her pace, looking behind her waiting for Zac to appear. How far did she run already, how long was it? She does not know if she is even in the right direction to get out of these woods, it’s like a maze. She stopped toucher her knees, panting, catching her breath.

    A rustle of noise sounded behind her, ‘is it him? Is it Zac?’ she wondered. The way she is running, he probably would have cached up to her by now, knowing Zac.

    Emma is not a very fast runner, even before when they were kids, Zac used to tease her on the playground during recess, and she ended up chasing him, not able to catch him at all. Ow, what did Zac do to Rick this time that made him so angry that he even held her hostage?

    She was on her way home walking alone when suddenly Ricks's car pulled beside the sidewalk beside her. Two of his huge buddies force her inside. Rick said to not worry he will not hurt her if she cooperates in bringing Zac to him. She was furious and decline to be part of these “boys’ games.” she said to Rick.     

    Rick tied up both her hands he said for safety measures that she would not do anything crazy for her own good, then searched her bag for her phone. Coincidentally Zack sent a text message to her at that moment. Ricked grabbed the opportunity to respond back, then placed her phone back in her bag.

    Now here she is, caught in the middle of a boys quarrel, lost in the woods and scared. The noise behind getting louder. She stopped, trying to see if it’s Zack. Far behind a shadow figure appeared moving towards her. “Zac?!” she cried.

   “Emma! Don’t move” the shadow figure shouted, it was Russ! “Where is he?”

   “Eeep!” Emma covered her mouth, she ran again trying to get away from him.

   She ran and ran, not caring which direction she is running to, just wanted to put distance in the middle of her and Russ. She is not getting back again to that car.

   She Suddenly bumped into a body in the dark, she shrieked. A hand went to her mouth silencing her “Ssshhh! It’s me, Emma.” It was Zac! She felt relieved, he is safe. Zac pulled her to him inside a bush at the foot of a huge tree.

   “It’s alright I got you.” He whispered to her. his arm around him held her close as if to secure her, while they hide in the bushes.

   “How did you cache up on me?” She asked.

   “You're just running in circles, all I did was cut you off. Both Me and Zeke used to play around these woods all time, remember. I know these parts like the back of my hand.”

   They heard sudden noise coming from behind. It’s probably Russ, the noise gets louder and louder. A few feet away from them, Russ appears, she can barely see him from the light of the moon, but it was him alright gasping for breath, now running slowly. “Where are you, Zac! You coward!” he shouted as he ran past them.

   “Not yet. Stay silent,” She heard him whispered in her ear gently. Goosebumps forming on her arms as Zac’s warm breath tickles her gently. She lies still, Zac’s arms around her waist and shoulder, hiding her from Russ, she felt safe.

   What is happening? This is just some games this silly boy is playing, I’m not supposed to be here, she thought. She always hangs out with Zac; however, this is the first time that he held her so close to him, his strong arms held her tight and closer to his chest, as if to secure her. She feels safe, that he can protect her. She trusts him. She can feel the warmth of his body close to her, his heart beating fast. Her eyes adjusted to the dark as she continued staring at him, they had been friends for a long time and have already memorized his face by heart. Even in this dim light, she can clearly see his stoic face, his green eyes matched with a playful smile, his short dark hair. What is this? Why is she thinking about all these things and during this time? he did not notice her staring at him, Zac’s eyes focus on where Russ ran to.

   They heard a loud rustling noise and Russ screaming. “Hah! it got him.” Zac said to her. “let’s go! The trap got him, hurry, this way.” Zac pulled her behind him, guiding her into the woods.