“What are you doing?” I cry.
He presses a hand to my mouth, and panting, we both go silent. A moment later, torchlights flash past the barn and into the paddocks, and loud voices can be heard. If we don’t get into the woods soon, we’re not going to get Kendric and Samson out of this. Mykel releases my mouth and snarls low, “They’re lookin’ for us. We don’t have long.”
When the light disappears, we move again, this time without our flashlight on. At least until we reach the woods. When we do, Mykel turns his phone torch back on and I rush down the path that leads to where we buried Bennett. I recall it pretty clearly; I have a good memory like that. Not to mention every now and then, I see the marks I left so I’d know how to find it again. Thinking of it now, that probably wasn’t the smart thing to do because the cops will be led right to the body.
We run until we’re sweating and panting, a solid fifteen minutes. I recall having to help drag that body down here, and it wasn’t easy. I push the memory from my mind and finally, we reach the spot where Dax and I buried Bennett.
Kendric and Samson are both hard at work, digging the body up. They’re covered in dirt and when they see us, they stop and their eyes narrow. “What’s goin’ on?” Kendric asks. “Why is Waverly here?”
“The cops are here. It was all a fuckin’ setup,” Mykel tells them, his voice strained. “You gotta leave. You gotta get the fuck out of here.”
“What?” Samson barks. “You’re fuckin’ joking?”
Voices can be heard, seemingly getting closer. Police yelling to each other, though I don’t know what they’re saying.
“We have to go,” I say, frantic. “If they find us here, we’re going to prison.”
“We’ve got a body exposed,” Kendric growls. “I can see his fuckin’ arm. What do you want me to do with that?”
“Leave it,” I say. “Just leave it.”
“I can’t fuckin’ leave it. I need to fill it back in.”
“She’s right; leave it. It doesn’t matter,” Mykel tells him, looking behind him.
“I have to clean up at the very least. Samson and I have been sittin’ here; I need to make sure nothin’ is left behind. You go. I’ll get out,” Kendric says, taking the shovel and shoving large scoops of dirt back onto the body.
I feel sick.
“I’m not leaving you here,” I cry. “Please Kendric, we have to go.”
“Leave me here,” he growls. “Go. Now. I’ll get out.”
“He’s right. We gotta go,” Mykel says, taking my arm. “Samson, let’s move.”
“I’m not leaving him here!” I yell, jerking my arm from Mykel’s.
Kendric walks over and looks down at me, his face hard. “Mykel will throw you over his fuckin’ shoulder and carry you out if you don’t do as I’m askin’ right now. Go. Get the fuck out of here. I’ll catch up.”
I want to shake my head, to fight him, but I know there’s no point. Mykel will most certainly carry me out of here. I step forward and hug Kendric so tightly, it hurts my sore and damaged body. He hugs me back, and then Samson, Mykel and I start running.
I know we’ll reach the fence boundary soon, and we’ll be able to get out. It’s not going to be easy, but we’ll make our way out before the cops find us.
I just pray to god Kendric makes it too.
Please, please let him make it out.
It simply cannot end like this.
18WAVERLY
My whole body hurts. Every piece of me aches, right down to my toes, as we run through the thick woodland that makes up Dax’s property. Only when we reach a fence, and we know the cops aren’t close behind, do we stop and take a breather. We’re all panting, all of us exhausted, but I feel like my body just might not make it any farther. Once we’re at the road, we should be able to get a ride home.
I just pray the cops aren’t there already, because if they see us like this, they’re going to know that we were in on this, and we’ll have nothing to fight back with.
“I don’t know if I can run anymore,” I whisper, pressing my fingers to the dried blood on my face. The wound on my head hurts, god, does it hurt, and I want to curl up and feel sorry for myself, pretending none of this ever happened.
“I can hear the road,” Samson says, his voice strained. “We’re not far.”
“I’ll call Alarick, have him come get us,” Mykel murmurs.
“Kendric hasn’t caught up,” I say, my voice shaky. “Do you think he’s okay?”
“Kendric can take care of himself.” Mykel grunts. “We need to focus on getting out of here.”
I nod, and rub my arms. I’m sweating, and yet I feel cold. My whole body is aching so badly I don’t think I can take another step. I know I have to, but everything inside of me is screaming just to lie down and be done with it.
“Come on,” Mykel urges me, taking my arm gently. “We’re nearly there.”
I take a step, and I can’t help the sob that rips from my throat. I’m in so much pain, but I’m not going to let it beat me. I take another step, and the sobs keep coming, but I don’t stop. I fight through every single bit of pain because I’m going to get out of here. Dax is not going to win. We’re going to be stronger than this.
“I got you,” Mykel says, his voice kinder than I’ve ever heard it. “I won’t let you fall, you hear me?”
He hooks his arm around my waist, and then, without being asked, Samson steps up to the other side of me and does the same. Together, they keep me moving. Together, they hold me up. Tears run down my
