Rick's Joke

Chapter 2

Placed in foster care after the ' mysterious ' death of his father, Rick was now 15. He lived in the orphanage with a bunch of other kids, all troubled in a different ways. He woke up at night, hearing chattering in the hall. He walked out, only in shorts, and spotted a group of boys. " What are you guys doing? " He whispered. " We were about to go skinny dipping. "

 One of the boys said. " Why don't you come with us? " Javier said, another one of the boys. Rick hesitated, due to him being a loner. " Sure, I guess I'll tag along. " Rick said. He grabbed his jacket, and the group left. " Where are we going? " Rick asked Javier. " There's this little water hole a few hundred yards from here. " 

They walked for about 20 minutes until they reached the water hole. " This is the place? " Rick asked. " Yeah. " Javier said. They all got undressed and jumped into the water, except Rick. " What are you waiting for? " One of the kids asked. Rick dipped his hand in. " It's just a bit colder than I expected. " Rick nervously chuckled. " Come on, just jump in! " Javier said.

 Rick got undressed and jumped into the water. After about an hour, the sun started to come up. " I think we should start heading back. " Javier said. The guys got out and dried off. " You think we're gonna make it home before the nuns wake up? " Rick asked, putting on his shorts. " Probably, as long as we hurry. " 

As everyone got dressed, the sun rose higher. " We're gonna be late! " Rick said. Everyone rushed their way through the forest, and they suddenly approached a cliff. " Uhm, I don't think this is the way back. " Javier said. " Rick at him, and then over the cliff. " Yeah, you think- " Rick fell, managing to save himself by the tip of his fingers. " Javier, help me! " Javier reached out his hand, but at the last moment pulled back.

 " Ha! You think I'm really gonna save...you? " Javier said. " You're weird, and you always have been. You don't deserve to live. " Rick was slipping, struggling to hold on. " Was this whole thing just a ploy to kill me?! Do you all hate me that much?! For god sake, somebody help me! " Except Javer, everyone stepped back. " See you around, Rick. " Javier spit in his face and then stuck a knife in his hand. Rick managed to stay on, using all his life force to stay alive. " Jesus Christ, just die already! " He kicked Rick in the head, launching him back and making him fall down the long cliff.

When he hit the ground, his vision started fading away. 'Stay Awake' He thought to himself. He crawled through the forest ground, hoping for a nearby hiker to find him. " H-Help! " He struggled to yell as blood filled his throat. He was trying his best not to let his life go to waste. " H-Help! " He kept yelling, and yelling and yelling until his voice gave out.

 Realizing that there was nothing he could do, he sat up on a tree and pulled the knife out of his hand. He looked closely and noticed that it was a switchblade. He closed the blade and put it in his pocket. He looked up into the gray sky, with no hope of getting out of that forest alive. He closed his eyes and nodded away. 

'Don't die.' Someone said. " Who said that?! " Rick jolted awake, looking around for the source of the voice. 'In here, idiot.' It was inside Rick's head. " I may be dying, but I'm not crazy! " Rick said. 'Oh, but you are Rick. You've just never noticed until now.' Rick struggled to stand up, hugging the tree for stability. 'You don't know who I am, do you?' The voice asked Rick. " The hell do you think? " Rick yelled into the trees. 'Well, I'm you. In a way.'

 Rick stumbled forward but fell back down. " How about you stop being so cryptic! " Rick crawled through the forest ground, blood coming out of his mouth. 'Did you even think to check your phone? No! ' Rick widens his eyes, turns around, and pulls out his phone. Luckily, his phone was still charged and only a little bit cracked. He dialed 911 and told them about falling off the cliff. 'Spare them the details about Javier.' For some reason, Rick listened to the voice in his head and told him that he was there all by himself. After a while, a paramedic helicopter arrived and picked up Rick.