The Sixteenth Summer

Chapter 10

I sat up in a cold sweat, with tears in my eyes.

Whoa. That's got to be the trippiest dream I've ever had.

　

I glanced at the clock. 9:36 pm. I had to figure this out.

I got out of bed and pulled on a pair of basketball shorts and my old volleyball t-shirt.

I raced to the door, and opened it quietly so no one would hear me. I ran out across the yard and out into the pasture until I got side stitch. I turned and looked all around, trying to see where I was. I couldn't tell. It was too dark. I ran in the direction I thought was the horse barn fear creeping up inside me as I listened to the sounds the night animals were making.

Finally I stumbled into the horse barn, tired and scared. I saddled up Xena in total darkness, and climbed on her back.

"Ya, Xena. Ya!"

I said, riding her out onto the pasture. I rode towards the treeline until she wouldn't go any farther. She stopped and protested, so I got off. She took off immediatley, towards the barn.

"Xena!" I choked, terror gripping my vocal cords.

I started to step forward into the forest. If you confront a fear, it's not scary anymore, right?

I started into the dark forest, adrenaline frosting over my veins.

"What do you think you're doing?"

I nearly jumped out of my skin.

"Didn't I tell you to stay out of there?"

"Didn't I tell you that it was none of your bussiness?"

"Are you stupid?"

"What?"

I turned towards him. Even in the darkness, I could see his face, the moonlight reflecting off his pale skin.

"Why can't you just stay out of there? Didn't I tell you it was dangerous?"

"You know what's really gonna be dangerous? If you keep telling me what to do."

"I'm being serious. Stay out of that house."

He took me by the wrist and started dragging me.

"Hey! Oww. Stop it!"

"Quit your whining! It wouldn't hurt if you just cooperated!"

Awkward silence.

"Hey, this isn't the way to my house!"

"No, really? I hadn't noticed."

"Where are you taking me?"

"Somewhere you can be watched so you don't do stupid stuff."

"Great. I'm being kidnapped."

"No you're 'spending the night with my sister'."

"Kinda. You are spending the night, and I do have a sister, but there will be no eating cookie dough and painting fingernails. We're going to try to talk some sense into you."

I just looked at him.

He pulled me along in silence for a while, and eventually I just started following him.