Chapter 16
Jeff POV
"Our parents are gone," I said.
Riker turned around in a circle.
"Oh no. What do we do!?" Riker asked.
"We calm down, ok? We won't get anywhere until we're calm and we can think straight."
"Jeff-"
I put my hands on Riker's shoulders.
"Remember the water leak? Stay calm. Everything will be ok."
"We're lost! In the middle of nowhere!"
I took out my phone, and called dad.
"Hello?"
"Dad, it's Jeff. Where are you?"
"What do you mean, where am- What happened to you guys!?"
"Riker walked into a spider web and freaked out. When he finally calmed down, you guys were gone."
"Ok. We can't be too far ahead of you guys. Just follow the blue markers on the tree. We'll wait for you guys."
"Ok. Thanks dad."
I hung up. Riker was staring at me, looking very worried.
"Riker, everything's going to be ok. They said follow the blue markers, and they'll wait for us."
"What blue markers!?"
"The ones on the trees. See?"
I pointed to a tree with a blue spot painted on it.
"Oh..."
"Come on."
I grabbed Riker's arm, and started pulling him. One second he was next to me, and another, he wasn't.
"OW!"
I looked behind me. Riker was on the ground. He'd fallen flat on his face.
"What happened?" I asked, trying not to laugh.
"I tripped over a stupid tree root."
I helped Riker up, and we kept going. After about a minute of walking, we found our family.
"Thank goodness you guys are ok!" Mom shouted, hugging us both.
"Well I was fine. But if Riker ever gets lost alone, then you should worry," I said, looking at Riker.
Riker just kind of looked at me, annoyed. And his cheeks turned a light shade of pink.
"Why is that, Jeff?" Mom asked.
"He freaked out."
"Riker, what do I always tell you in an emergency situation? Stay calm!" Mom said.
Riker nodded, and we all started walking again. Riker and I were still in the back.
"You had to tell them that?" Riker asked.
"Look, you need to work on staying calm."
"But you didn't have to tell them! How do you always stay so calm?"
I sighed.
"What?"
"Riker, I don't like talking about this. But since you're my twin and everything, I will. Just don't tell anyone else, ok?"
"Yeah...?"
Riker walked slightly closer to me.
"When I lived in Ohio... Well, you know the situation with my parents... But when they'd hit me and stuff... The more I screamed, the worse it'd get. And the more fear I showed, the worse it'd be. I had to do my best to stay as calm as possible, and try to separate myself from reality until it was over. So whenever something bad happens, I always try to stay calm."
"Then explain freaking out when I pushed you and stuff."
"That's different. I was actually being hurt, and I was scared."
"I'm sorry I did that..."
"It's ok... Just... Don't do it again."
"I'm sorry about your past..."
"It's ok..."
"That should've never happened. You should've always lived here. No one ever deserves to go through that."
I looked at Riker.
"I seriously can't imagine my brother going through all that," Riker said, quietly.
"It is what it is..."
"Jeff?"
"What?"
"If you ever want to talk about any of it... I'm here, ok?"
I nodded.
"Thanks, Riker."
Later...
Riker POV
We'd finished our hike, and we were back at our cabin now. My siblings went to go play cards in the basement again. But Jeff stayed in the living room with me. We were just talking about random stuff.
"No, pirates are way better than ninjas," I said, grabbing my glass of water from the coffee table.
"They are not! Ninjas can kill you in your sleep."
"Whatever. I think pirates are better."
"Boys, it's time for dinner," mom said, coming into the living room.
"We'll be there in a second," I said.
"So after dinner, do you want to go exploring?"
"Exploring?"
"Yeah. Don't you want to see what's outside our cabin?"
"Um... Won't it be dark?"
"Yeah, but I have my phone flashlight."
"I don't know about this..."
"We won't go far."
"You know, when I first met you, you were all quiet and stuff. Now you're all 'let's go get killed!' I think I liked you better before."
"Riker, we're not going to get killed. We're just going to go exploring."
"Well then have fun."
"Ugh, you need to live a little!"
Jeff got up, and went to the kitchen. I rolled my eyes, and then followed him.
Later...
Jeff POV
After dinner, mom and dad wanted to play a board game with everyone. We sat down in the living room.
"Ok, pick partners," dad said.
Riker wrapped his arms around me from behind really tight.
"He's mine. Don't even think about it," Riker said, glaring at his siblings.
I laughed slightly.
"Why don't you let Jeff choose who he wants to be partners with," Rocky said.
Riker released me, and leaned back against the couch sighing.
"Fine. Who do you want to be partners with, Jeff?" Riker asked, annoyed.
"Um... I was thinking I'd be partners with Riker."
Riker sat up straight again.
"Really?"
"Yeah...?"
"Yes! Best brother ever!"
Riker wrapped his arms around me again.
"Hey!" Rocky shouted.
We all looked at him.
"I roomed with you your whole life!" Rocky said.
"Ok, ok. Let me rephrase what I said. Yes! One of my best brothers ever!" Riker shouted, hugging me again.
"That's better," Rocky said.
Later...
Jeff POV
I kept hearing Riker move around in his bed, which was still right next to mine. I sat up.
"Riker?"
"What?"
"What are you doing?"
"I can't sleep!"
"I know. You keep moving around!"
"Sorry..."
"We both can't sleep, so let's go explore."
"Now!?"
I looked at my phone.
"It's only about 1:00 in the morning."
"Jeff! You're insane!"
"I used to sneak out all the time when I lived in Ohio."
"Why!?"
"To get away from it all. I had a special tree I'd sit in at night."
"Well this isn't Ohio. This is New York."
"I'm going exploring. You coming?"
"Um no!"
"Alright."
I got up, and slid on my shoes. I opened the only window the basement had, and climbed out.
"Jeff, wait!"
Riker was at the window.
"What?"
"I'm coming."
"I thought you were too scared," I teased.
"Well I'm even more scared to be down here alone, so I'm coming."
I laughed as Riker climbed out.
"Scaredy cat."
"Quit making fun of me!"
"No. That's what brothers are for!"
I grabbed Riker's arm, and dragged him along. We went into the woods.
"H-how far are we going to go? How long are we going to be out here?"
I rolled my eyes. He's so scared, and I think it's ridiculous.
"Riker, I don't know. We'll just walk until it feels right."
Riker kept walking closer and closer until he finally crashed into me.
"Riker. Everything's fine. Why are you so scared?" I asked.
"I hate the woods! And I hate the dark! And mixing the two things is torture! Aren't you scared?"
"A little... But nothing's going to hurt us."
We heard a stick breaking, and Riker grabbed my arm tight, stopping me from walking.
"We're going back. Now," Riker said.
"Sounds good!" I yelled, taking off, running.
I ran as fast as I could back to the cabin. The stick breaking sound scared me. There was definitely something out there, and I wasn't taking any chances, even though it was probably just a deer.
We finally made it back to the window, and we both climbed in. I shut and locked it, and then got in bed next to Riker.
"We could've died! Why do you like doing scary things!?" Riker asked, going deeper into his sleeping bag so I couldn't see his head anymore.
"Riker, it was probably just a deer."
"You ran pretty fast for that probably just being a deer."
"Ok, I admit, I was a little scared. But it was probably nothing... Riker are you ok?"
"I'm scared to death!"
"Well what can I do so you're not so scared anymore?"
"You can let me move closer to you."
"Sure. Go ahead."
Riker scooched closer so he was on my bed now.
"Better?" I asked.
"Yeah."
"Try to get some sleep."
"Maybe..."
"Night, Riker."
"Goodnight..."