The Cabin ~ Harvey Mills

'We found it!'

☆No POV☆

"Okay, okay. I got one. Um, Hugh Jackman."

"The Greatest Showman." Max pointed towards Flo, a smile on his face.

"YES!" Flo laughed, Max cheered. "Wow. You're really good at this game."

"Well, what can I say? I know a lot of movies." The game was simple. Name an actor and the other person has to name a movie the actor was in. They had been playing it for quite some time now.

"Okay. Your turn."

"Um. Oo what about- OW!" Max screamed. He had been smacked across the tummy, resulting in the sudden scream.

"Sh!" Flo whispered. The pair had stopped walking. Flo was analysing the trees that had just moved on its own.

"Why are we whispering?" Max asked, leaning down towards Flo's ear.

"Shut up!" Flo whisper shouted. "I think I heard something." The sentence was mumbled but Max could make out the words. This part of the forest was slightly darker than the part at the beginning. More trees huddled closer together, creating an eerie atmosphere. The two teenagers listened out for the rustling of the leaves once again, taking it as a signal to run. As if on cue, the rustling came again, this time a lot louder and  closer than they liked. "RUN!" Flo screamed when they began getting enclosed in the sound. Max sprinted ahead. Flo having asthma, meant that she was naturally slower. But she pushed on, forcing herself to match up to Max's, clearly worked for, speed.

"I THOUGHT YOU HAD ASTHMA!" Max hollered, not stopping his run.

"I DO!" Flo wheezed, letting the wind glide through her hair. "BUT I'M NOT LETTING SOMEONE KILL ME!" Flo finished. Max understood Flo was struggling, she couldn't handle it anymore. Her lungs were burning.

"COME ON FLO! JUST A FEW MORE STEPS!" Max encouraged. Flo used all the leftover anger to her advantage. She blinked once and saw red, confiding in it to carry on moving her legs. She was pushing her body to the limits. Once they were far enough, they slowed down. Flo's chest heaved heavily, lungs hurting to the point that she had to sit down. Flo's body was tired and she was struggling to take air in. Max was slouched over, watching Flo reach her hand into her pocket, frantically searching for her trustworthy friend.

There it is.

Two puffs in and it was as if Flo's body was back to normal. As if she had never ran. "Are you okay?" Max asked, his breathing uneven but making its way back to its normal pace.

"Yeah." Flo mumbled, the back of her head resting on the tree trunk, eyes closed. "Are you?"

"You're asking if I'm okay?" Flo shrugged in response. "Flo, I workout every other day. Have done for the past two years. I've built up my stamina and my body can handle breathing when I'm running. You have asthma and clearly struggle to keep it under control when you run-"

"And your point is." Flo's voice turned cold, eyeing Max in the eyes. Max took a deep breath, his anger from before vanishing.

"My point is..." Max looked down at the ground as this sentence was spoken, the dirt beneath his shoes becoming more interesting. "...don't worry about me..." Max's head lifted up, looking at the girl still sat in front of the tree. "...when you clearly have other things to worry about." Max's voice was soft and soothing, the realisation of Flo possibly dying becoming more real. It sounded dramatic, he knows, but what if Flo didn't have her asthma pump with her? What if she got left behind because Max was running to quickly and not looking out for Flo? What if something would've happened to her? He would've blamed himself for the stupid mistake of running ahead, knowing full well that she struggles with her breathing. Heck, she even said it herself. Max wasn't prepared to have his thoughts overloaded, the girl a few inches away from him taking up all his brain power to think.

"I know." Two simple words brought Max back to reality. "I worry too much for others. It's just who I am." Flo shrugged. Max frowned a little.

"It's nothing to be ashamed off. You're just one of those people who care." Max smiled warmly, Flo nodding in return. "Right, come on. We have a shop to find." Max smiled, taking a few steps back.

"Be careful. You might trip over if you continue walking backwards." Flo chuckled, standing up from her spot by the tree.

"Me!? Pfft as i- AH!" Max screamed, the smug look in his eyes fading as he plummeted to the ground. Flo attempted to hold back a laugh. Max falling into some leaves seeming more funny.

"Are- you- okay?" Flo laughed inbetween words, waiting for Max's response. But it never came. "Max?" Flo's laughter started to die down. Max wasn't responding.

What if he hurt himself?

What if he fell into something?

What if he DIED!?

Okay, that last one was a bit dramatic but STILL!

"MAX!?" Flo shouted, running to where Max had fallen. She was greeted by a small drop, Max laying at the bottom of it. "Max! Thank god you're okay." Flo sighed in relief.

"Yeah. Just a few bruises and broke bones. But I'm fine." Max joked, earning an eye roll from Flo. "Come down here Flo. I think I see something." Flo looked for a way to get down, opting not to walk backwards and fall like Max did. She spotted some wooden steps that went from the level that she was standing at, to the level Max was currently waiting at. It was only a few seconds until Flo made it to Max, the drop not being that big and the stairs being a big help. "You good?"

"Yeah." Flo responded, dusting herself off. "What is it that you wanted to show me?"

"Look..." Max pulled a bunch of leaves to the side, revealing it in all its glory. Flo looked through the empty space created by Max, head quickly glancing to look at him.

"We found it!" Flo squealed.