Jaci and Ricky: The Untold Story

Chapter Twelve: Jaci

Jaci and Sara walked ahead with Ricky the next day while Amanda and Neal lagged behind. Hungry and tired, no one in the group had said much, and they marched along with just the snapping of branches to serenade them.

Sometime in the afternoon, with the sun high overhead, Sara came to a stop. "Listen."

Jaci drew up beside her, ears straining.

A man was talking, not more than a hundred yards in front of them.

Ricky grabbed both of the girls and pushed them against tree trunks. Then he dropped down to his knees and peered through the bushes.

"I know they're around here. I smelled their fire this morning. The girls picked up two hikers, two boys. Right, I'm trying to keep them out of this. I'm backtracking to the fire now. When I find the fire, I'll follow their trail."

Jaci couldn't hear the response, only static-like words that burst from the radio.

Ricky stood up. He pressed himself against Jaci and breathed in her ear, "I have to warn Neal and Amanda. Don't move."

Jaci panicked, gripping the tree trunk. She watched Ricky slide to the ground and crawl away. Breathe, she told herself. Her face was hot, sweat beading along her hairline.

The bushes next to her trembled, and a man stepped between the trees. His camouflaged vest and green turtleneck helped him blend into the surrounding foliage. If he turned around, or even glanced over his shoulder, he would see her and Sara. Jaci sank against the tree, willing him to keep going forward.

A hand touched her arm, and she jerked her head. Sara motioned around the tree.

Jaci gave a slow nod. As quietly as she could, she moved to the opposite side of the tree. Sara did the same. The hiker's footsteps moved off, but Jaci and Sara stayed that way, staring, motionless, until Jaci let her legs give out and sank to the ground.

"What do we do?" Sara whispered. "Should we run?"

"Ricky knows where we are. He'll come back for us."

"Okay." Sara dropped to the ground, nearly disappearing in the leafless brush.

Jaci had no idea how long they sat there, nerves taut, when she heard someone approaching. She peered through the bushes, catching sight of dark green pants. Not Ricky. Jaci drew back. Please don't look down, please don't look down, please don't look down, she prayed.

Sara covered her face with her hands. It was a small movement, but it was enough. The man turned his feet in Sara's direction. Sara tensed.

Jaci knew at any moment the girl would try to run. Jaci's hands dug around the twigs and roots, searching for a weapon. Her fingers closed on a heavy branch.

"Ah-ha," the man murmured, bending toward Sara's bush. "Looks like I found something."

Jaci stood up and hit him over the neck as hard as she could. He turned to face her, his mouth open in surprise, and she smashed the branch into his nose. He stumbled backward, blood streaming. His hand fumbled in his pocket.

"Help me!" Jaci cried. She swung again. The man reached a hand up to block her, and she kicked his leg. He tripped over a stump behind him and fell backward. She swung the branch down with all her might, again and again and again. Then strong arms gripped her shoulders and jerked her up.

"Oh!" She gave a startled cry.

Her captor spun her around. She stared at the man in front of her, at his snarling, angry face, the camou vest.

There were two men. Why had she not expected that?

He gripped her wrist until it went numb, and Jaci felt her fingers open, dropping the branch. She lowered her head in defeat.

Behind him, Sara screamed, the high-pitched shriek echoing through the trees.

Neal crashed through the trees, several rocks in his hands. "Jaci, duck!"

She did. Most of the rocks missed, but one smashed into the man's head. He swore and let go of Jaci. If he had a gun, he would go for it now. He made no move to grab one, just covered his head and started running.

Ricky burst in, followed by Amanda.

"We can't let them get away," Jaci cried, still trembling with fear and adrenaline.

"Amanda," Neal barked, "move Sara and Jaci away from there." He took off after the man. Ricky, brandishing his spear, followed.

"Jaci, come on." Amanda had Sara up, and now she reached Jaci, grabbing her arm and pulling her closer. "We shouldn't stay here. I'll take you where we were hiding."

#

Neal and Amanda had found an outcropping of rocks almost deep enough to be a cave.

"The plan was for me to hide here while Ricky and Neal went back for you guys," Amanda said, settling in next to Jaci and Sara. "Then Ricky came back because he couldn't find you."

"Amanda," Jaci whispered. She wiped the tears that flowed freely. "It was awful."

Amanda reached her arms around Jaci and squeezed her tightly.

Neal and Ricky returned hours later.

"Let's go," Neal said, helping Sara to her feet. "We need to get out of here. Everyone close together." He took up the lead, setting a death march pace.

Ricky dropped to the back, prodding Amanda when she slowed. "We have to hurry. Go."

The boys' urgency kept Jaci's adrenaline flowing. She wrapped her arms around herself and marched after Neal.

After several hours of walking, the first brief sounds of civilization began to waffle in through the trees. They could hear the rush of cars, though it wasn't frequent. Finally, Neal began to slow their pace.

"Ricky?" he asked.

"Good," Ricky called back.

Jaci's legs burned from their mad dance through the trees. She slowed, grateful for the change. "We'll be out soon," she said, surprised at how anxious she was to get out of the forest. Unexpectedly, her knees gave out. Jaci grabbed at a young cedar, feeling the bark dig into the palms of her hands. "Can we rest? Just for a bit?"

Neal didn't want to stop. She could tell in the way he hesitated.

"I'll stay with her," Ricky said. "We won't be long."

"Hurry," Neal said. "Don't lose sight of us."

Jaci leaned against the tree and closed her eyes. Her head ached. She swallowed, noting the dryness in her throat. "Ricky? Do you have the water?"

"Yeah."

She opened her eyes and watched him pull a bottle from the orange bag. "Here." He handed it to her, then reached up and touched her forehead before pulling his hand away.

"Are you scared?" he asked, zipping the bag and swinging it over his shoulder.

Her stomach tightened. "Yes. Are you?"

"Yes," he whispered, looking away from her. "Let's go. We can't lose the others."