Chapter 13
Morning...
Riker POV
"Guys. Wake up. We're here," I heard my dad say as I opened my eyes.
I tried sitting up, and almost screamed in pain. I stayed where I was.
I could hear Jeff sitting up next to me.
"Riker. Get up. We're here," Jeff said.
"I'm up... But everything hurts!"
"What hurts?"
"My back, neck, butt, legs, shoulders..."
"Come on. Let's go see the place."
I yawned.
"Riker. Come on. I'll help you."
"This is going to hurt..."
I felt Jeff's hands under my shoulders. He gently lifted me while I tried not to cry out in pain. He got me to sit up straight after about a minute.
"Riker."
I stayed completely still. Everything was stiff and sore, and hurt like crazy!
"It hurts! Everything hurts!"
"Let's get out, and you can stretch."
Rydel, Ross, and Rocky had already gotten out of the seats in front of us. Jeff climbed over, and then offered his hands to me. I took them, and slowly tried to get myself over the seats without causing too much pain. I stopped about halfway over.
"Riker."
"What?"
"Keep going."
"It hurts."
Jeff wrapped his arms around my middle, and pulled me out of the van. When he put me down on the ground, I stumbled backwards, and fell over.
"Ow!"
Jeff knelt down at my side.
"You have some serious problems."
"Just help me up, please."
Jeff helped me stand again, and kept his arm around me for support. We walked inside the cabin, and were directed downstairs in the basement by mom. She said we'd be staying down here. I turned the light on as we walked down the stairs.
The floor was cement, and the walls were made out of cinder blocks. There were 2 beds over by the wall, a bathroom over near the corner, and not much else besides the heater and all the normal creepy basement stuff. There were spider webs all over the place, and I was already dreading sleeping down here. But I knew enough not to argue with mom about it.
"Riker, do you want to go lay down, and I'll tell you when we're done unloading the car and stuff?"
"Sure..."
Jeff helped me lay down on the bed, flat on my back.
"I'll be back..."
As I laid there alone, I started noticing everything around me. There were spider webs everywhere. And there was a second door down here. It wasn't the bathroom. I could see the bathroom because the door was open. And I was wondering what the second door was.
I'll admit, I was a little scared being down here. This cabin just seemed creepy...
I closed my eyes, not wanting to look anymore. And I fell asleep.
Later...
Jeff POV
I was finally done helping unload the van. I'd brought Riker's and my suitcases and backpacks down. And I was pretty sure Riker was sleeping...
I went over, and shook his arm gently.
"Riker."
"AHHH!"
Riker grabbed onto my arm, and his eyes were wide. He looked terrified.
"Riker, are you ok?"
"I just... Yeah..."
"Nightmare?"
"Yeah..."
"It's ok. I know what it's like."
Riker went to sit up, and I could clearly see he was still in pain.
"Riker, lay down on your stomach. Let me see if I can help your back."
I sat down on the edge of the bed, and started pressing on different areas of Riker's back and shoulders.
"Does it feel any better?" I asked after a few minutes.
"I think so..."
Riker sat up a little more easily this time.
"Yeah, definitely a lot better. Thanks," Riker said, stretching his arms.
"No problem. My roommate at my old school taught me how to do it. I'd come back to school in pain from sleeping weirdly, and he'd help me feel better."
"What do you mean, sleeping weirdly?"
"Riker?"
"What?"
"Can you keep a secret?"
"Yeah, of course."
"I don't know if mom told you, but my old parents used to hit me. It could get really bad sometimes. And... My parents did other things too. And one of their favorite things to do would be to lock me in closets. I'd have to sleep on top of shoes, and I wasn't able to stretch out. So..."
"Are you serious?"
"Yeah."
"I want to kill them."
"Riker, they're in jail."
"Aren't you mad at them!?"
"Of course I am, but I've let it go. I live with you now."
"But they hurt you!"
"I know. But I let it go."
"I don't see how you can let something like this go so easily."
"They can't hurt me anymore, Riker. It's over. And I won. They're in jail."
Riker shook his head.
"I can't believe they hurt you..."
"Kids! Breakfast!" Mom yelled.
"Come on, Riker. Let's go eat."
Later...
Riker POV
After we'd had breakfast, mom said we could do whatever we wanted to. I wanted to explore the outside a little bit, so I took Jeff along with me. There was a path in the backyard which we were now walking down.
"Ok, there's 2 paths. Which should we take?" Jeff asked.
We'd come to a fork in the path. We could either go left or right.
"Um... Right?"
"Ok."
We went right, and within about a minute, the trail ended, and it had brought us to a lake.
"This is so cool! We have to tell mom and dad and go swimming!" I shouted, running over to the water.
I stuck my hand in the lake, and it felt kind of cold. It was only April, but that wouldn't stop me from swimming.
"Alright, well do you want to go back so we can change into our swimsuits and stuff?" I asked.
"Sure."
We walked back, and it only took us about 10 or 15 minutes.
"Mom! Guess what we found!" I shouted.
"What?"
"A lake! Can we go swimming!?"
"Oh, did you go down the trails?"
"Yeah!"
"We'll all go swimming after lunch. It's still pretty early, Riker."
"Fine..."
Later...
Jeff POV
Riker seemed slightly off today. His attitude was better and stuff, but he wouldn't go near the basement door...
"Kids, why don't you go get changed, and we'll go swimming in the lake," mom said.
Everyone nodded, and went to go change. But Riker stayed where he was.
"Riker, come on," I said, pulling his hand.
"Um... Wait."
"What?"
"Could you go get it for me?"
"Why can't you go down?"
"I don't like it down there..."
"Aw, Riker. Come on. You'll be fine."
I pulled at his hand until he followed me down. It was almost as if he was hiding behind me.
I opened my suitcase and found my swimsuit.
"Do you want to change out here while I change in the bathroom?" I asked.
"You're going to go in there!?"
"Um... Yeah? It's a bathroom. That's typically a place where people change."
Riker looked at me like I was crazy.
"Riker, it's just a bathroom. I don't know what you're so freaked out about."
"It's creepy down here!"
"Riker, it's fine. You change out here. I'll change in there. You tell me when you're done, ok?"
"Fine..."
I went into the bathroom and changed.
"Riker, you done yet?"
"I'm not getting changed."
I walked out to find Riker still in his pajamas.
"Why didn't you get changed?"
"I feel like I'm being watched..."
"By who?"
"I don't know! Maybe a ghost or something."
"Ugh, Riker. You're being ridiculous."
"I am not!"
I picked up Riker's swimsuit, and then dragged him into the bathroom.
"Jeff. Let me out!" Riker said, panicking a little.
"Riker, step in the shower, and pull the curtain closed. And then get changed. I'm not letting you out until I see you in a swimsuit."
"But Jeff-"
"No! This is stupid. You're not being watched!"
I handed Riker his swimsuit, and pulled the shower curtain back, motioning for him to get in. He glared at me for a second, growled a little, and got in.
I closed the curtain, waiting for him.
"You'd better be getting changed in there," I said, leaning against the door.
"I am, I am..."
Riker stepped out again, wearing his swimsuit.
"Great! Let's go swimming!"
Later...
Riker POV
"Riker, come on! Hurry up!" Jeff said.
I was slowly inching into the lake water. It was freezing! I was up to about my knees. Jeff came over, and grabbed my arm, pulling me slightly.
"No! It's cold!"
"Riker, come on! Everyone else got in 5 minutes ago!"
He was right. Everyone was swimming.
"It's not cold once you get used to it. I promise."
I stared down at the water.
"Fine. If you want to be like that..."
Jeff splashed me continuously, until he was satisfied that I was soaked.
"Jeff!"
"Come on, Riker!"
Jeff grabbed my arm, and pulled me in deeper. And he was right. It wasn't so cold now that I was used to it.