Lost But Not Forgotten (NaNoWriMo 2013)

9.

*Three Weeks Later*

The past three weeks have been the happiest since the start of the war, Cameron and Jesse were finally getting along with each other, something I had wished for since I met Cameron.

And guess what! He asked me to be his girlfriend! I obviously said yes, he is so sweet and kind and would never hurt a fly, Jesse can finally see that.

"April Catch!" I didn't turn in time so the icily cold ball smacked into the side of my head, knocking me out of my own thought/ and back into the game. I looked over to see who had thrown it, Virginia, the twelve year old girl who lived in the town; she moved her around three years ago, her family had been residing in an old abandoned city but when supplies ran out, they were forced to move here but I think she is so much happier here, I remember when she had just arrived, she was skin and bones and the dark circles under her eyes looked like great big bruises. Every since then her health has improved drastically, the Color is back in her cheeks and she's gained a few pounds.

Virginia had a older sister who didn't make it though, Karen, she was sixteen when they arrived and was very sick with cancer, thee was nothing that anyone could do but just love her and help her enjoy her last few weeks in this life. She passed away shortly and was buried up in the mountains as I was told she loved to trek and it had been her passion. I always feel bad for the sick, if your really sick, you're already guaranteed death as we don't have the equipment or medicine to help people in that way, resources are very limited.

I quickly ran to retrieve the ball and threw it as hard as I could in Cameron's direction, he caught it swiftly as if it were a piece of fluff. Show off.

We were on our annual camping trip, it had been postponed until this morning as everyone wanted me to go but I had needed to recover from my horrible concussion which kept me bed ridden for several days because I couldn't do anything without barfing, it definitely wasn't pleasant.

Though when I was up and running, we left immediately, Jesse had already packed everything for me, he was going to be our chaperone/ leader, no one else volunteered so it was just him and 9 kids:

Me

Bethany

Cameron

Virginia

Andy

Jenny

Millie

Joseph

Jake

They were all between eleven and sixteen (excluding Beth, Cameron and I), Cameron and I were the oldest but definitely not the most mature- that medal went to Millie, she is what you could call a 'goody two shoes' and was so careful in everything she did, she would suck the fun out of anything she could get her hands on, it was definitely a surprise to hear she had signed up for the week long trip.

We set out at nine o'clock sharp, we always trek to the lake first, it's a tradition. It's noon now and we've been here for the past two hours eating our lunch and playing with a frozen ball we were able to sneak from town. It only takes roughly an hour to get to the lake, we were lucky enough this year for it to be extremely cold, cold enough for the lake to freeze about an inch thick which according to Jesse is 'safe' enough to ice skate on but I knew I wasn't getting anywhere near the ice because of what happened last year.

As we approached the lake, I held onto my nose subconsciously, feeling the bump that had been left even after it had fully healed, a mark of my stupidity that would stay forever.

I really didn't want to skate but I knew Jesse wouldn't take no as an answer, he always wants me to enjoy the experience. As I sat in the snow covered banks watching the kids including Cameron (he was definitely a popular one between them) ecstatically slide on there shoes over the ice, I was also in my own world wondering what everyone else was doing back at the town and how long my happiness would last for. My eyes searched for Jesse but he was no where to be seen and before I realized what he was planning, I felt the strong muscly arms that I recognized to be Jesse's grab me around the waste and slowly drag me towards the ice.

I was completely and utterly terrified "Ahh! Let go of me Jesse! I don't want another broken nose!" I struggled with delight but he was just too strong for me and I simply just gave up. He laughed and I just wanted to smash my fist against his face, that'll teach him.

Jesse plants me firmly on the ice but the moment I touch it all he'll breaks loose and I slip and fall face flat on the floor. I feel the same throbbing sensation from last year on my nose.

Not again.

Luckily it wasn't as painful as most people would find it, I've learned to deal with pain and broken bones.

I groan an pull my face out the ice, a small river of blood trickles from my nostrils. No one except Jesse seems to notice, they are all having too much fun. Furious, I stand up and punch Jesse in the face but my weak fist just bounces of his cheek making no mark, he doesn't even flinch.

He giggles and says "Come on squirt, it isn't that bad, actually, I seem to have fixed your nose! You haven't got that hideous abnormal numb on it anymore!".

Even though he had done something good, I was still mad so I stomped off bank to land being very cautious but still slipping every now and then. I really suck at this.

As I approach the bank I hear a sound that I dread so much coming from the direction of the village, it's so loud I know everyone on the ice can hear it.

The invasion alarm.