Kismet

Chapter Seventeen

   I was the first to let go, suddenly embarrassed at myself. I turn around and try not to let him see my red face. I wipe my eyes.

   "Let's go," I say softly. I could sense him pause, then slowly turn around and walk towards the tracks. I turn around behind him and follow through the evergreens, pushing them out of the way. Ethan slowly walks along the tracks, which walk into a large clearing with knee-high grass. Mid-calf, if you were Ethan. Even I could easily tell Chris' tracks cut straight across the clearing, because of the bent grass making a path.

   We walk in silence for a while. I started to feel bad for drawing away so quickly. I try to read his face from the back, which was hard. The way he walks. . . how his head is held up straight. I don't think he was mad. But that doesn't mean he isn't annoyed.

   I try to listen, besides the crunching of our feet as we walk back into the forest. Listen for signs of Chris.

   I can't hold it in anymore, just like me crying. "Chris!"

   I startle Ethan, who dodges his head like a bird flew over it. He looks back at me, his eyes wide. "What?"

   Instead of answering or looking at him, I scream again, "Christian Barton! We're here!"

   I expected Ethan to tell me to shut up so he can concentrate, he also shouts in his deep voice, "Chris! It's Ethan! Show your face, dude!"

   No answer.

   Ethan counts down on his fingers, signaling we should both do it. I wait. Three fingers. . .  two. . .  one, and we scream together in loud harmony, "CHRIS!"

   No answer again, but he smiles down at me faintly. I look away.

   "We'll find him," Ethan says, for the one hundredth time.

   I only shrug.

   I freeze just as I am about to say something. My shoulders stiffen, and I concentrate on the sound again, not sure I actually heard it.

   "What?" Ethan asks when he sees me.

   "Shh," I say, turning my head. Shuffle. Then a snap. Ethan hears it too this time it seems, because he also turns his head towards the sound. "Chris?" I call cautiously.

   Then the sound of feet running away. Two feet. Without pause, I immediately chase after it, whatever it was. If it was him, he wasn't getting away from me this time. I make loud crashes through the forest as I chase Chris, or whatever it was. I amaze myself as I jump with agility over objects, and dodging branches. 

   Through the haziness of the chase, I feel Ethan a few paces back from me, also running. Up ahead, I see a foot disappearing behind a huge rock, confirming my suspicions. They were the edges of black and white Converse.

   I run behind the rock, but not as fast as Chris. He's already forty feet in front of me, which I can see fully now. I wasn't sure that I saw this, but I could've sworn he was sniffling and wiping his eyes as he ran. I chased after him anyways.

  "Please stop!" I pant out. "Chris! I just want to talk."

   He doesn't answer, yet keeps on running through the shadows. I am now troubling to keep up, and find myself slowing down bit by bit. Fifty feet away. . .  sixty. . .  one hundred.

   I am aware there is no sound of feet behind me. Ethan has left, wherever he went. My hopes drop of catching Chris, but I don't stop. I put on another last burst of engergy that my legs are storing, and pray for the best. Chris disappears behind a wall of trees, right in front of my gaze. I run forward, almost sure that I had him now.