Changing the Leaves

The Combat Angel

"Alicia, stop!", I yell. But of course, she doesn't. Alicia is not one to listen. So, I just followed her...pretty typical, huh? 

I catch up with Alicia within seconds, because my legs are longer than her's. We run over to the dark shadow, but immediately stop when the shadow doesn't light up or move. "Marissa?", Alicia said with her eyes squinting with curiosity. 

A white hand with dirty fingernails reached out of the darkness and wrapped its long fingers across Alicia's chin. I gasped, but Alicia stood there trembling and afraid to move. I tried to pull her back, but before I knew it the person had her in a headlock in dragged her into the darkness. 

I ran into the darkness and immediate light came. I saw Alicia clawing at the arm that was around her dark neck, "Let me go!" 

I scanned the person and saw that it was a boy around fourteen. He had swift light brown hair, ivory skin, dark freckles, and deep blue eyes; almost periwinkle. He wore mud under his eyes, brown cargo pants, and an earth green shirt. He looked like a combat angel (sounds weird, I know)! But his face held a serious, fearless scowl. 

"What are you doing here?", he said in a husky voice pointing a knife to me. 

"We are looking for our friend," I said shaking. 

"No one enters beyond the line!", he snapped. 

I look down to find this line, and see an imprinted line that is right behind my heel. Oops! I was about to take a step back but then remembered Alicia. 

"Um, okay? But I'm not leaving without my friend," I say. 

"I haven't seen him or her," he replies annoyed. 

"I have more than one friend. I'm talking about the one who you have in a chokehold," I point to Alicia. 

"Oh, well," he apparently forgot about Alicia also,"take her." He released her and I linked my arm into her's.  

Once Alicia got a good view of the guy, she got her flirt on. That is a typical thing Alicia would do. 

"What's your name?", she drooled. I don't blame her. 

"Alicia, this guy just had you in a chokehold! Why do you care about his name?" 

She gave an innocent shrug. 

"My name is Connor Phillips. And you are?" 

"I'm hopeless and this is desperate," I say pointing to me and Alicia. 

"Wow, okay!", Alicia said jokingly offended,"My name is Alicia Crump," 

"My name is Brooklyn Battle," I mumbled. 

"Oh! Nice to meet you," he casually stated. 

"My pleasure," Alicia giggled. 

"So what are you doing-", I was saying before my phone rang. 

Jenna was texting me. Oh please, have good news! 

Jenna: hey, Marissa just arrived with Max. 

Me: oh great! (: max? 

Jenna: the dog! It's in therapy ;) 

Me: we're keeping it? 

Jenna: we'll talk about this l8r, just come back! 

Me: ok we might bring someone back with us... Just telling ya 

Jenna: k? 

I put my phone up and I look at Alicia and nod my head to the direction of the car. She sighed and we headed out of the woods. I stopped in mid-walk and turned to Connor. "Would you like to come with us?", I ask.