Chapter 3

I woke up in a pool of sweat, I was wrenched in pain. Dry heaves and small cries until the pain finally diminished. "Mack, is everything alright?!" Del called and knocked on the guest bedroom door. I couldn't even say a word to him. My throat closed up and was tight. My side was in pain and I wrapped my arm around my waist and clenched my jaw tight in pain.

The next morning, I still hadn't woken up. I was in a forest, I heard Del's voice as he raced after me. "I bet you'll never catch me", I ran away as fast as I could. I looked down and my feet, legs and arms were a fast blur. Del yelled something but I couldn't hear him, then I stopped quickly before hitting the edge of a cliff, I stood over the edge and looked down at the same lake that killed my friend, Lily. 

Del caught up and then completely tackled me into the lake in a fun play way. I felt something grab my foot, it wrenched me down and I tried to fight it, I waved and wiggled my legs and arms, trying to keep my breath but finding only water in its place. Del grabbed my arm and I just wanted him to let me go, let me be. He yanked me out of the water with his arms wrapped around me. 

I woke up and yelled and realized it was just a dream. I looked around and tried to make sense of where I was, then remembering that I am at Del's. I walk out into the living room quietly and I sneak into the kitchen to get something to eat. Del coughed and tapped on my shoulder, I jumped. "Woah woah, a little jumpy this morning I see. Is everything ok?? You were in a lot of pain last night." He takes an apple and bites a big chunk out of it. 

"Yeah, no, I am fine, everything is okay. I just had….." I couldn't exactly figure out what it was. "I just had some… uh… muscle pains. Yeah! Some muscle pains… nothing too serious." I grabbed a box of cereal and grabbed the milk. 

"Are you sure?" He stroked my cheek a little as he moved a bit closer. I blushed a lot and looked away, backed up and went to the couch to eat. "Yes I am sure" voice sounded hoarse and like it wasn't even my own. He stared at me, in a concerning way, I finished eating and set my bowl on the bar and then sat back down. I looked him in the eye to be sure and he looked me up and down slowly which made my stomach flip and tingle, in a way I haven't felt in a long time. 

"How about let me drive you home and then I will see you at school… but you should honestly get some more rest" He grabs his keys and jingles them. I nod softly then remembering he had a beer early this morning, or maybe it was two beers? I am not even sure. But his breath smelt of booze and a slight hint of the granny apple he ate. 

"Yeah… okay you're right." We head to the car and he gets on the road. I told him my parents are out of town for a while, he just drove around and we talked about the cougar incident. His hands gripped the steering wheel tight and he swerved into a ditch and ran into a tree.

"Mack!!!" darkness fell upon me and I blacked out. The muffled sounds of his voice fading as I move into black forever moving forest. "Mack wake up, c'mon please wake up!!!" I woke up and he picked me up and carried me away from the truck for safety as he grabbed his cell and wallet and some other survival tools that are considered necessary. 

"I am so sorry Mack…. I…. I didn't know what happened… I…." I cut him off and I kissed his cheek. "It was an accident that neither of us could stop Del, but we need to make a shelter and then try to get some food and then find some help." I tried to sit up to reach the water bottle and then winced badly and fell back down. "You're hurt…." He reaches for me. He lifts up my shirt and there is a deep wound in my side. He grabbed the first-aid kit and got some rubbing alcohol and some stitches.

After Del cleaned my wound, he wrapped his jacket around me and then he wrapped his arms around me and we slept on the cold ground for the rest of that night, I heard something snarl in the background and then it all fell silent.