Author note: I probably won't post another chapter for a while, just because this Act is almost done and I want to drag it out for as long as possible so that you guys still have something to look forward too :) Again thank you all so so so much!
CHAPTER 13
A week and a half had passed and on a particularly warm day, Junius presented the idea of having lunch out in the back field. It was outside of the courtyard, about 100 yards to the right, and surrounded by four walls made of old bricks. There was a small door allowing us entry, and at the other end of the field there was a large, wrought iron gate that kept us closed in.
Three blankets, stolen from the music room, had been laid out in the field, and we had spread the food around, eating, laughing, and forgetting about our situation for just a little bit. This did make me a bit wary, considering the last time we let down our guard. But, the house was out of sight, so for now, I put it out of mind.
We had eaten all of the food but no one wanted to go back to the house. The sun felt so nice and the grass was warm, in between our fingers and on our bare feet.
Ben had found an old soccer ball in one of the sheds in the courtyard and he, Asher, Eli and Opal were in a very intense two-v-two match with Jonah acting as referee. Asher was better than all of them combined and he and Ben were leading against Opal and Eli with a score of 15-1, the one goal having been an accidental score from Opal. Juniper was lounging in the grass, her face tilted towards the sun with Junius sitting next to her. My head was in Rhody's lap as she ran her fingers through my hair.
"Wanna take a walk?" she asked.
I opened my eyes and used my hand to shield my face from the sun. "A walk?"
Rhody and I were currently acting like whatever had happened during the tea leaf reading hadn't happened. I was okay with that.
"Yeah, just around the field?"
I nodded and sat up.
We began our walk and Rhody fixed me with an inquisitive stare.
"What's on your mind?"
"I just want to know why we are here," I said softly. "Maybe Eli is right."
"You're going to listen to him?" Rhody asked, her tone light-hearted.
"I'm starting to, yes," I replied coolly. Her smile faltered. She seemed discouraged. "And you are, too, aren't you?"
"You read people too well. After the whole incident with Eli and the food, I have had an uneasy feeling that I can't shake," she replied quietly. "I feel bad for getting so mad at him, but I just wish he would have talked to us first. It was a good idea, but we have to work as a group."
We continued to circle the perimeter of the enclosed field. We came to the solid gate keeping us from whatever was outside of it. I glanced over at the rest of the group.
I bit my lip. Then I finally plucked up the courage to say something. "Hey, about the whole tea leaf thing," I started.
"I wonder what's outside these doors," Rhody whispered and paused in front of it. I don't think she was listening. "I guess there's only one way to find out."
"Rhody, no," I reached forward grabbing her hand as she attempted to grab the handle. She pushed my hand away and grabbed the handle despite my warning.
"Kira, relax. It's probably locked any-" she stopped. The door clicked and then opened to both of our surprise. "Let's go," she said mischievously, running out of the door.
"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.
"What?" Jonah asked.
"I just wanted to say," Eli began, his tone calm. "That you're stupid for thinking I wouldn't do this!" Eli wrapped his arms around Jonah's chest and pulled him into the water.
Jonah popped up from the water, soaking. "You asshole!"
"Takes one to know one," Eli chuckled as he splashed water onto Jonah.
I laughed as Jonah swam after him. Rhody had come up next to me and under the water, she laced her hand into mine.
"Your hair looks pretty when it's wet," she whispered, tucking a stray strand behind my ear.
"So does yours," I replied sarcastically.
She laughed and ran a hand over her buzz cut.
There was a very intense battle going on between Opal and Junius. Opal was perched on Eli's shoulders and Junius was on Asher's, the two of them trying to push the other off.
"Would you guys be careful!" Juniper called from the side. "There are rocks at the bottom!"
"Shut up!" Junius and Opal called in unison.
Ben was leaning against the shore, looking up at Juniper as the two of them talked. He nodded towards the water, asking her to get in. She shook her head gently, a grimace on her face. He shrugged and they continued to talk.
The afternoon passed by us quickly, small drops of sunlight resting on our faces as they passed by the earth. Water splashed and laughter echoed around the forest and bounced off of the water. Shrieks of happiness were heard when someone got playfully pushed under the water and then retaliated by pushing their offender under as well.
I was floating on my back, Rhody's hands supporting me as she pushed us in slow circles. I felt the water dancing through my fingers and my toes as we spun on our axis. For the first time since we got here, I felt like I could breathe.
I moved to an upright position and noticed we had moved down the creek and were quite a ways from the rest of the group. I could no longer feel the floor beneath my feet.
Rhody and I waded in the water. She smiled at me and leaned in to kiss me, but I pulled back and shook my head.
"Not here," I whispered, stealing a glance at Jonah who wasn't paying any attention to Rhody or I. Still, I couldn't risk it.
She nodded, not understanding, but accepting it nonetheless.
"About the tea leaves," I started. But I got cut off. Again. Something, under the water, had wrapped around my ankle and had begun to pull me down.
My head was yanked under the water so quickly that I didn't have time to gasp for air. I tried to fight the water, to pull myself back up, but whatever was grabbing onto me wouldn't let up. Bubbles sputtered out of my mouth as my oxygen ran out. Everything was so cold now, the water swirling in dark circles around me. I didn't know what to do. My arms were tired and my vision was going black, but there was nothing I could do. I only had two options. Fight or give up. Right now, giving up sounded pretty good. Water was all I knew now. It surrounded me and all I could think about was letting it take me. I felt remorse wash over me, every bad thing I had ever done came rushing back to me. Everything. Rhody and Jonah and Antoni. I had made a mess of things, and now I was drowning. I fucked up everything. I'm so sorry.
I never thought it would end like this. I couldn't tell if I had been under for ten seconds or ten minutes. It didn't matter though, because I wouldn't be able to fight for much longer. I couldn't breathe and everything was so heavy, the weight of the water collapsing onto my body. And now, I couldn't feel anything. There was no more pain, no more anything. It was just water. Water was all I knew.
Then I felt two hands grab mine, trying to pull me up, reminding me to push, and to fight. My head was growing fuzzy as dots filled my vision. I kicked at whatever was pulling me down with my other leg, willing it to let go. The thing, whatever the hell it was, released me but not before chills were sent up my entire body. And the chill had nothing to do with the cold water. Hands wrapped around me and pulled me up.
I coughed and sputtered as my head surfaced. Deep, shuddering breaths came as I gulped in the oxygen that I so desperately needed. I was shaking from the cold, my head spinning a thousand miles an hour as I tried to stay conscious.
"Back up, MOVE!" Asher's voice thundered. I clung to his shoulders as he carried me to the bank of the creek.
When I felt the ground below me I rolled to my side, still coughing and trying to catch my breath. Everything ached. My chest, my legs, my arms. I opened my eyes, and my vision blurred. The unmistakable red of the blood that was dripping off the ankle that had been trapped was all that I saw before passing out.