Long Lost Brother

Chapter 16 : The woods

Chapter 16

Jeff POV

"Our parents are gone," I said.

Riker turned around in a circle.

"Oh no. What do we do!?" Riker asked.

"We calm down, ok? We won't get anywhere until we're calm and we can think straight."

"Jeff-"

I put my hands on Riker's shoulders.

"Remember the water leak? Stay calm. Everything will be ok."

"We're lost! In the middle of nowhere!"

I took out my phone, and called dad.

"Hello?"

"Dad, it's Jeff. Where are you?"

"What do you mean, where am- What happened to you guys!?"

"Riker walked into a spider web and freaked out. When he finally calmed down, you guys were gone."

"Ok. We can't be too far ahead of you guys. Just follow the blue markers on the tree. We'll wait for you guys."

"Ok. Thanks dad."

I hung up. Riker was staring at me, looking very worried.

"Riker, everything's going to be ok. They said follow the blue markers, and they'll wait for us."

"What blue markers!?"

"The ones on the trees. See?"

I pointed to a tree with a blue spot painted on it.

"Oh..."

"Come on."

I grabbed Riker's arm, and started pulling him. One second he was next to me, and another, he wasn't.

"OW!"

I looked behind me. Riker was on the ground. He'd fallen flat on his face.

"What happened?" I asked, trying not to laugh.

"I tripped over a stupid tree root."

I helped Riker up, and we kept going. After about a minute of walking, we found our family.

"Thank goodness you guys are ok!" Mom shouted, hugging us both.

"Well I was fine. But if Riker ever gets lost alone, then you should worry," I said, looking at Riker.

Riker just kind of looked at me, annoyed. And his cheeks turned a light shade of pink.

"Why is that, Jeff?" Mom asked.

"He freaked out."

"Riker, what do I always tell you in an emergency situation? Stay calm!" Mom said.

Riker nodded, and we all started walking again. Riker and I were still in the back.

"You had to tell them that?" Riker asked.

"Look, you need to work on staying calm."

"But you didn't have to tell them! How do you always stay so calm?"

I sighed.

"What?"

"Riker, I don't like talking about this. But since you're my twin and everything, I will. Just don't tell anyone else, ok?"

"Yeah...?"

Riker walked slightly closer to me.

"When I lived in Ohio... Well, you know the situation with my parents... But when they'd hit me and stuff... The more I screamed, the worse it'd get. And the more fear I showed, the worse it'd be. I had to do my best to stay as calm as possible, and try to separate myself from reality until it was over. So whenever something bad happens, I always try to stay calm."