I dare you {YA romance}

10. Bits and pieces

The spot that I found was perfect, not too far from the start, not too dense with leaves so they could not find me. It would definitely not take long before they would see me. I sat on the ground, still covered with dry leaves from the fall and leaned with my back against the trunk of the bush.

After a few minutes the talking and screaming faded and the sound of the forest took over. In the distance a chainsaw hit another run and accelerated when it encountered wood. I looked at the card in my hands. It could be any moment now before they would find me.

Sitting there with nothing else to do then wait, my thoughts went back to Bones, Julie's brother. What an earth could have happened that he had to leave the premises? Violence? Drugs? Sex? Actually, that could have been the reason. Guys like him were always surrounded with pretty girls, practically throwing themselves upon those types, bad boys. It bothered me that he did not had the decency to control his emotions, that he took advantage of the situation... I shook my head. Stupid me! I didn't even know what had happened and already I was judging him. My mom would give me a lecture if she knew. Why couldn't I stop thinking of him? Get out of my head!

I scratched my back. Another mosquito bump that I had not discovered yet? 

'Ouch!' 

Something bit me. I jumped up. 

'Ouch!' 

Damn, that really hurt! I dropped my gaze. 

My legs were covered with fire ants, awful reddish creatures with too many legs and claws! 

Ouch! 

I screamed, but it didn't help. I tried to get them off, slapping my hands against my legs, but the panic had broken out and they all started biting me at once.

I started to run to try to shake them off. 

Slapping my hands against my back and belly, I kept running and running. 

Oh gosh ,they were everywhere!

Left, right, straight ahead, screaming for help. I heard water tumbling over rocks. 

Drown them!  

I ran as fast as I could, my feet barely hit the forest ground. Brighter sunlight filtered through the forest, there was an open spot in the distance. I squeezed my eyelids. Something on the ground flickered like diamonds. 

Water! 

I jumped over a rock, jumped at another one and on an even bigger one, from there into the river. My body hit the water with a sharp slap.