Forlot: Forgotten Forest - Book Eight {Completed}

Chapter Seven

"Help! Help me!" the boy cried, waving his arms frantically. The lower part of his body was covered by the quicksand.

I did not have time to take in what was happening in front of me or decide if he really was in trouble. I acted in a flash.

I got close to the edge of the quicksand, careful to not accidentally slip in, and held out my arms and hands.

"Quick! Grab ahold of me!" I instructed.

The boy grunted, shifting the upper part of his body a bit, and grasped my wrists.

The quicksand was fairly small, but just as deadly. It blended in well with the ground, the tree lines, and the sky. I had to squint to see the quicksand clearly.

I stepped back and used all the strength that was in me to try to pull him out. But it was no use. The keyword here is "try."

I pulled his hands off me, and he continued to sink.

"Help! Please!" he pleaded. "My life cannot end like this!"

I cupped my hands around my mouth. "Hang in there!" I told him. "Relax yourself. Your body. You will sink slower."

He listened to me and calmed himself down. He breathed heavily. "Okay...now what?"

"Let me think." I surveyed the trees and the ground, hoping to find something that could help the situation.

That was when I saw it.

In one of the trees was a long, green vine. It dangled from the tree.

"I can use that vine," I said to myself.

The tree that had the vine was very tall, so I had no choice but to climb up. Though, that was not a problem for me. I had climbed trees when I was younger. Back when my family and I lived in Miami, Florida, our backyard had a couple of trees, and I would always climb up and down those trees.

It was fun!

I started climbing.

"W-where are you going?" the boy demanded.

"Not far. Do not worry," I reassured him. "I have a plan on how to get you out of there."

"And what would that plan be?"

"You will see."

I sat on a branch that was closest to the vine, snapped the vine off the tree, and quickly climbed back down. I hurried back to him and the quicksand.

"Raise your arms up," I commanded.

"Why? And why do you have a vine?"

"I will tie one end of this vine around your waist and tug with the other end to pull you out."

He shook. "That vine does not seem sturdy."

"We have to give it a shot. It might work. Now raise
your arms."

He sighed. "Okay..." He finally did what he was told. "...but if it does not work, I will say that I told you so before I die."

"You will not die." I got as close to him as I could and wrapped one end of the vine around him. I stepped a few inches away from the quicksand and gripped the other end tightly. "Ready?"

He held onto the vine. "As I will ever be."

"On the count of three, you push the best that you can. I will pull. One...two...three!" I pulled with all my might.

The boy moaned loudly as he pushed himself. "Not...working!"

"Keep pushing!" I pulled more.

And more and more.

And...nothing.

Nah. I am just kidding.

A minute later, the boy sailed out of the quicksand and hit the ground. I fell back and made contact with the ground as well. The vines slipped out of both of our hands and disappeared out of sight.

I could feel heavy breathing on my right cheek and slowly turned my head.

It was the boy. He was lying next to me and breathing hard.

He smiled at me. "Hi."

My cheeks were getting hot. "You are hot..."

Whoops!

I gasped and covered my mouth.

He chuckled. "You are right. I am hot." He got on his feet and helped me up. "Just look at me. I am sweating like crazy."

I giggled softly. "I see."

I examined him. He was indeed handsome. He had short, black hair and wore a black, short-sleeved shirt and black pants with brown boots.

The boy dusted leftover quicksand off his pants and looked at me. It was as if he were looking into my eyes.

"Looks like that your plan worked after all," he remarked. "Thank you for saving me."

"You are welcome," I replied. "I could not just stand there and do nothing. I had to help."

"I am forever grateful. By the way, my name is Kyle. I have no last name. It is just Kyle."

"Nice to meet you - or in this case, save you - Kyle. What a wonderful name."

"What is your name?"

"Oh. Uh, it is Ari. Ari Samson."

"What a beautiful name for an attractive lady."

I giggled again. "I-I am not that attractive."

"You are to me."

Kyle held my face in his hands. His hands felt so warm and comforting against my skin, especially for someone who had been in quicksand.

"Ari. Ari!" a voice shouted my name.

It was Melinda.

Her voice broke through my thoughts, and I stumbled back.

"Ari? Are you alright?" Kyle asked.

"Y-yeah. I...I have to go."

"So soon?"

"Yes. My sister is looking for me."

He took my hand into his. "Want me to guide you out of the forest?"

"That would be great. Thanks."

Kyle made his way around and led me back to the campsite. He let go of my hand and vanished into the forest before I had a chance to say anything.

Melinda ran over to me. "Ari," she said. "Have you seen Sheila and Valerie? They were not in the cabin when you and the girls were unpacking."

That was when I noticed the trail of blood leading from the campgrounds to the forest.