One of Nine

CHAPTER 13

"Rhody!" I yelled at her.

"What are you two doing?" Eli had appeared behind me. The rest of the group was close behind him.

Rhody poked her head around from behind the door. "You guys won't believe this. Come on, come on!"

Junius was the first to start to follow her, but Eli grabbed his arm.

"We don't know who or what is out there," Eli warned.

"Yeah we do, there's a fence and that's it," Ben said matter-of-factly, leaving the no-longer enclosed field.

Junius pulled his arm out of Eli's grip, sneered at him and then followed Ben out. The rest of the group exited the field, even Eli, and that left me and Jonah standing in the field, alone.

I looked up at Jonah, who was pale. "Are you okay?" I asked.

"Mhmm," he grunted. "Are you- are you going to go?" he stuttered.

I paused for a moment. Then without even realizing I was moving, I marched out of the gate. I wasn't going to back out this time. This time I was going to go see what everyone else was seeing. I wasn't going to repeat what happened the day they went out to the fence.

Jonah followed me and I followed Eli's back, pushing through the low hanging branches. That's when I heard it. The quiet, but unmistakable sound of flowing water.

The rest of the group was standing at the edge of a small creek. The afternoon sun was pushing through the leaves and dancing on the surface, making the water look as though it was glowing yellow.

Junius was taking off his shoes and hiking up his pants. He waded into the stream and laughed with delight before plunging the rest of his body in.

"Come in," he laughed as he resurfaced. "The water's fine!" He pulled off his shirt and threw it onto the banks of the water. His pants followed suit.

Rhody glanced over at me, her eyes gleaming with excitement. She pulled off her shoes, and then her shirt, and then her pants before joining Junius in the water. I couldn't help but stare.

"Oh, you liar!" she shrieked as Junius splashed her playfully. "This water is freezing."

Ben and Asher were now stripping. Asher took the time to fold his clothes into a nice pile while Ben just threw his clothes onto the bank. Opal jumped in and so did Eli.

I glanced up at Jonah who was biting his cheek. Then I looked over at those in the water. They looked like they were having so much fun.

I made sure that Rhody was distracted before I nudged Jonah.

"I'll go in if you will," I said quietly.

He shook his head. "I better not. I don't do well in water."

I shrugged. "Suit yourself." I pulled my clothes off and waded into the water, slowly, allowing myself to get comfortable with the freezing temperature.

Juniper was sitting on the side of the water, laughing and splashing at Ben playfully, but not getting in.

When I was shoulder deep in the water, Eli swam past me.

"If you don't get in the water right now, I will drag your scrawny ass in," he called to Jonah, as he grinned like an idiot.

"Eli, don't," Jonah warned. "I don't want to get in."

Eli beckoned for Jonah to lean down so he could say something. Jonah bent down and put his hands on his knees so that he was face to face with Eli.