The Wilderness

Chapter Five

​"Andy, they might be poisonous!" Stephan warned. That was enough for Chris and the others to drop the berries they had picked. Only Trevell and Lola kept theirs.

​"Or they might be good!" Andy contradicted. Stephan shook his head.

​"You see what the hunger is doing to you Andy? You're beginning to lose your mind! Just listen to me: don't eat them," Stephan commanded. He wasn't sure why he thought the berries were bad, but something told him that they were. And he decided to listen to his hunch.

​To show his refusal to listen to Stephan, Andy popped the berry into his mouth and chewed it exaggeratingly. The feeling of food in his mouth, despite its slight firmness, was good. He ate another, and another. Seeing his friend eat them eagerly, Trevell started to eat his. Lola was about to eat hers as well, but Stephan slapped them out of her hand.

​"Hey!" Lola pushed Stephan away. She bent down to pick up the fallen berries, but he stopped her.

​"Don't eat them," Stephan said. The rest of the group watched as Trevell and Andy ate the berries in pleasure, and were moments away from picking up and eating the berries themselves. Knowing this, Stephan decided to lead the group away from the threatening berries.

​"Guys come on! We need to find that city!" Stephan said as he started to shove the kids away from the berries, in the opposite direction of the mountains. Andy and Trevell continued to eat the berries, oblivious to Stephan and the rest of the group. Jackson and Jason looked at them longingly, chewing on their tongues, wishing that it was a berry. Stephan had to give them a reprimanding push before they followed Chris and the others. Stephan looked at Andy and Trevell; both had a crazed look on their faces as they frenziedly ate the berries. Then he too followed Chris. Andy and Trevell were left behind as they ate.

​Chris had only walked thirty feet before he stopped, realizing suddenly that he had no idea which way it was to city. He looked around, trying to see something familiar, but the trees and occasional rock cluster looked all the same. Stephan came up alongside him.

​"Which way is it?" Stephan asked Chris. The strong, fair-head boy looked around and gave Stephan a look which said it all. Stephan blew through slightly parted lips, and started off in what he hoped was the right direction. Chris followed, with each direction being as good as the rest. Only Jason and Ally hesitated, glancing constantly back to where Andy and Trevell were.

​"What about them?" Jason asked the leader, referring to the two tall boys.

​"We'll-we'll come back for them later," Stephan said, ignoring the glare Chris gave him. Jason gave Ally a hopeful look and the two hurried to catch up with the group.

As darkness descended, Andy and Trevell finally made their way back to the group. None of the kids had bothered to go back for them, as Stephan had said they would, but they were glad to have the two boys back. Andy was holding his stomach and walked past the group, behind a large rock. Trevell sat down beside Jason, looking drowsy and weak.

​"Wow, are you okay?" Jason asked Trevell. The tall, dark boy gave Jason a what-ya-think look and rested his head against a tree trunk. A couple minutes later Andy came back from behind the rock and lied down on his back near Trevell. A foul smell emitted from behind the rock, and the kids scooted away from it.

​"That was bad," Andy finally said. He sat up and suddenly gagged, and quickly turned his head away from the group and threw up. The kids looked away, while Trevell threw up too. He wiped his mouth with his sleeve and looked around at the group.

​"Anyone got some water?" Trevell asked.

​"I don't know if you should drink water after puking," Jason said.