The Lake House

Chapter 11

"What is it?" I heard Hayley yell from the ground.

Ignoring her I took a step forward to the figure, wrapped up in a white sheet, and duct tape over his mouth. "Jake?" I said, trying to get his attention. He sat up.

I walked over towards him and took tha duct tape off his mouth. "What happened to you?" I aske him.

"I don't know. I was at my house and all of a sudden I felt this ache in my neck. When I woke up I was here. Can you help me get this sheet off of me?" He said. I helped him out of the sheet and then tried to helped him down the tree. He was weak and stubborn, and would not let a girl help him. I watched from the tree house as he climbed down the tree slipping every now and then. Hayley helped him down to the ground. I grabbed a few tools we could use for protection just in case.

When I got down Hayley gave me a questioning look. Then I realised she has no met Jake yet.

"Hayley, this is my... friend, Jake. Jake, this is my friend Hayley." I introduced them. He took her hand and kissed it. "Nice to meet you beautiful." Jake said with an arrogant smile. Hayley blushed.

"So what are you guys doing here? Obviously not going for an evening stroll in the forest?" Jake said.

I didn't want to tell him, but Hayley enthusiastically told him the whole story. He didn't seem to care much about what Hayley was saying, I knew he only asked because he is nosy.

I handed Hayley a few tools and offered Jake some too. He pushed them away and laughed. "These muscles are all I need to keep safe." He said, pointing at his biceps. I rolled me eyes.

"So you girls are out in the forest alone, looking for two of your friends? You need someone to protect you against the evils of the bush. Like mosquitoes and bugs." Jake said, laughing.

"Go jump in a lake, Jake." I said, hating his sexism. I started in the direction which I was certain the house should be. Hayley and Jake followed me, telling each other about their lives. Every now and then I heard them mention my name, but I couldn't care less.

We reached an opening in the bush, and I knew we were really close now. It was starting to get dark and I knew we would be there just in time. Though I had no idea what to expect when we get there. Would Megan be there? Would Pete and his family be there? Would the kidnapper be there? Would we find absolutely nothing there? My thoughts were interrupted by Hayley yelling out at me.

"Tess! Watch out!" She yelled. Her warning was too late. I was not looking where I was walking and I had walked right into a ditch. I slipped and rolled about two metres down the ditch. It was like the ditch appeared out of nowhere. It certainly was not there last time I was here. I cried out in pain when my ankle hit a rock. It felt like it was broken.

"Tess! Are you okay?!" I heard Jake's voice. Though his voice sounded concerning, I knew he was faking it, he did not care about me.

"I think I sprained my ankle!" I yelled from the bottom of the ditch. Looking up I saw Jake and Hayley's concerned faces.

"Wait, I'm coming down to get you!" Jake yelled back, carefully climbing down the steep wall of the ditch. If I could move, I would have told him to stay up there and I'll manage to climb back up, but given my condition, I was grateful for his help. When he reached me he examined my ankle. I rolled my eyes at him for trying to play doctor. "Just help me up, would you?" I said losing patience.

"Demanding much?" he snapped back. He picked me up and managed to carry me all the way back out of the ditch. He put me on the ground next to Hayley. Tearing off a piece of his shirt, he wrapped it around my ankle tightly, to stabelise is. "I'll carry you to the house." He said, raising a hand, as he knew I was going to protest, to silence me. "Fine." I replied obediently.