Bloodsick

CHAPTER ONE: PRESENT DAY.

  Tobias Madison; Toby for short, was your average nineteen year old boy. He was just starting college and was getting ready for an upcoming trip to Massachusetts, which wasn't too far away from his place in Road Island. Maybe an hour and a half drive. However, the trip wasn't really his choice. He had to pick something exciting to do for a collage paper he was assigned to. Everyone was assigned a place near their location, in which they had to pick something to write about; extra credit if they actually went there. Toby got Massachusetts, and after some research, he found that one of the most beautiful uphill hiking trails in the U.S. was located in Massachusetts. So he decided that's what he'd do. He wanted to start his first year of college out with some good solid scores, and he already had a camera for photographs so he figured why not. The hike was fourty miles up, and fourty miles down. He figured he'd do twenty miles the first day, twenty the second. He'd take pictures once he got to the top. Then do the same thing coming down. He'd been doing the math, twenty miles would take him roughly six hours. So that would mean six hours of hiking a day, for four days. It was going to be ruff,  but he knew he could do it. Toby lived alone, in a little apartment building four miles away from his college. He had his own car, so he could get around for the most part. However, he still wasn't completely ready for his trip yet, he still had some supplies he needed to pick up. Like food he could travel with, lots of water, a tent... maybe even a mini cooler. No, a mini cooler was probably to much.

  Toby grabbed his keys and headed out the front door to his car.  A light silver Saturn he'd bought after saving up for a solid year and a half. It was a cheap little thing, and if he ever wrecked it he'd probably die, but  it did it's job. He started the car and began his drive to a small local store called "GoMart". It was the place where anyone going hiking would always go to. They sold all kinds of tools and supplies.  However, if he was being completely honest with himself, there was another variable in pull. The main reason he wanted to go too that store specifically, was all tied up into one person. Sarah Keen. She worked there, and she just so happened to have been his crush all through out high school; ever since freshman year. Unfortunately he of course, never had the courage enough to tell her.

  They had been friends when they were kids, and they'd basically grown up together because their parents had been friends too. However later on the friendship between their parents broke. Toby and Sarah stopped taking, and eventuality they grew completely apart. Somewhere along the line she became popular and beautiful. All the while he stayed average. Their friendship broke too. Toby wasn't exactly what you'd call "popular".. He wasn't necessarily considered a geek, but he wasn't a jock either. He was more less, forever floating somewhere in the middle, just another quiet kid, who daydreamed to much. Which was of course, polar opposites to his friend Phillip, who was a lot braver than him. When Phillip liked someone, he'd just march right up to them and tell them. No fear at all. And nine times out of ten, that confidence is what got him into trouble. However, that didn't change a thing between them. In fact, Toby and Philip weren't just friends. They were best friends; ever since third grade, when Phillip punched some kid in the face for bullying Toby. They were basically brothers, nobody had a stronger bond than them. They told each other everything and they were practically inseparable. Toby would be lost without him, and vice versa.   

  Toby pulled into " GoMart" and came to a slow as he wondered the parking lot for a space. Circling around the second row, there was a nice wide one between a red Ford pick up, and blue Malibu. As he slowly pulled into the parking spot, he noted how nervous he actually was. He got that way every time he went around Sarah. It was difficult for him to start  actual conversation with her. Sometimes he even went as far as wondering if there was something wrong with him. Maybe anxiety? Probably not though, just nerves.

  He pulled the keys out of the ignition, and stepped out of the car. But not before he used his hand to brush the dark brown hair from in front of his eyes, check for any food or obstructions in his teeth, and straightened out all his clothes, brushing  them off and getting rid of any dust or wrinkles that may have resided on them. He had to make sure everything was in place, after looking at himself in the silvery reflection of the car door one last time, he finally went inside. Straight to the travel section. Slowly making his way up, down and across the isles; the first thing he grabbed was a large red travel bag with all kinds of straps, pockets, pouches, and compartments on it. He could probably fit almost everything he needed in it. How convenient. Then as he started down a new isle, he saw a large assortment of bright colored tent packages; neatly displayed  all along the left of the tent section. There was scarlet red and neon orange, emrald blue and navy green, and then there was bright sunshiney yellow. Toby looked them all over, contemplating his decision. The blue was nice, the red was pretty cool too. Nevertheless, he was drawn to the yellow one more. Not only because it was his favorite color, but because it was so undeniably vibrant compared to the others. Yellow was all around, a happy color. So he fumbled with a bit, turning it about, observing the price and other details. Finally he tossed it into the cart and strolled on to the next isle. Food. He picked up one twelve pack of water bottles first. Then moving along down the produce section, he picked up bread, hotdogs, marshmallows, and a pair of seven dollar headphones for his mp3 player. Soon he was all ready to go.