The new student ~ ZarryStylik

Chapter 12 - the accident

When Zayn wakes up, he doesn't know where he is at first. Everything around him is quiet and dark. Strange. Yawning, he looks for his watch. Ten fifteen! He not only slept through dinner but also left for the night hike. "Shit," he swears. While he is frantically torturing himself out of the sleeping bag. If he hurries, he might still catch the group. He digs out the flashlight out of his rucksack and checks it. The light is already pretty weak. And Louis has the spare batteries. Great.

When Zayn tries to slip into his sneakers, a note falls towards him. "Hi Zayn, you slept so soundly that I didn't want to wake you. If you like, come to the meeting point at ten. See you then. Jannik."
Crap, crap, double crap.

The camp lies in front of him as if it was dead. No voices, no laughter, no nothing. Zayn feels like the last person in the world. He thinks it's pretty scary as he makes his way to the main entrance. When he passes the log cabin, he hears soft music. The night watch. Zayn exhales in relief. So he's not all alone after all. He knocks on the door. Lorenz sticks out his head. "Zayn? Did you miss the group? If you hurry up and follow the forest path, you can still catch up with the others. Do you have a flashlight with you?" "Yes I have." Zayn nods. "Always along the forest road? Okay, I can do that. Thank you very much."

He waves to the supervisor and sprints off. Lanterns light the way near the main entrance. But soon Zayn leaves their reach. He turns into the forest and suddenly finds himself in the dark. With a pounding heart, he takes out the flashlight and immediately regrets not having any spare batteries with him. The weak cone of light only illuminates the tips of his sneakers. How is he supposed to find his way around the pitch dark forest with it? He picks up his cell phone. Great, the battery is empty. Pull yourself together. Zayn gives himself courage. If you hurry up and always follow the path, nothing can happen. A large bird flies silently overhead. Zayn flinches. Oh man, why didn't he stay in his sleeping bag. Again and again he stumbles over branches and roots in the dark, but going further is better than standing still, says Zayn to himself. At some point the stupid forest has to come to an end.

When a low-hanging branch lashes painfully in his face, he howls. "Ouch, crap." he sniffs and holds his hands in front of his face. "I want to go home." He gropes his way step by step. Suddenly, pale moonlight falls and the leaves illuminate the path.

Zayn squints and suppresses an outcry. When he takes a step to the side, the ground suddenly gives way under his feet. He slips headlong into a ditch next to the path.
Zayn lies there, breathing hard. His left shin hurts like hell. He must have hit himself somewhere.

He moves his arms and legs very slowly, but the soft forest floor has apparently cushioned his fall. He sits up carefully. In fact, everything seems to have remained intact, except for his shin and the heel of his left hand, which he hurt while trying to hold on to something. Zayn goes over it with his tongue and tastes blood and dirt. Yuck. He spits. Something warm runs down his leg and slowly seeps into the sneaker. More blood. Zayn is glad he can't see it properly.

When he stands, the shin pukes and the heel of the hand burns like hell. Zayn grits his teeth. He slowly trudges through the ditch and feels the embankment to see if he can find a flat spot to climb out of.

Suddenly he hears a faint call.