Stranded

Chapter Six

Vesper couldn't believe her eyes. Giant bat-like creatures flew towards the group. It was like nothing any of them had seen before.

"Ves! Watch out!" Ash yelled as she tackled Vesper to the ground in an attempt to stop the giant creature from sinking its claws into her. Ash landed on top of Vesper on the ground.

"Well, this is comfy," Vesper joked. Despite the situation, Ash laughed a little and then hauled her friend up from the ground and began running away from the creatures.

"What about the others?!" Vesper yelled as she ran, slightly ahead of Ash, being the more athletic one.

"I'm sure they're right behind us!" Ash replied hopefully.

But the three Cimorelli sisters weren't behind the two friends.

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"Was that a scream?" Lisa asked, dropping the wood she was holding.

"It sounded like Kath," Lauren said, her eyes wide. Lisa looked at her sister for a moment, pure worry on her face.

"Right well don't worry, Mo and I will check it out," Nate smiled. Mo looked up from the ground and quickly nodded his head.

"Wait, that might be our sister. We're coming with you." Lisa said sternly as Lauren gave a firm nod and followed the two boys in the direction of the scream.

"Don't worry bud, everyone's probably fine," Xander assured Riley once she noticed the scared look on her friend's face. Riley nodded unsurely. She had a horrible feeling something was wrong.

"They just wanted to leave the work to us," JJ said bitterly, his cold blue eyes meeting Xander's glare for a brief second. Riley shook her head ever so slightly at Xander.

"Don't," she whispered. Xander took a deep breath and unclenched her fist, then she got up and went to gather some wood. Riley sat on the ground and listened to the birds. It reminded her of home. She wondered if she'd ever see her home again. Her parents. They must be so worried. Her mom had made a song with Riley a while ago. She remembered how she would sing to Riley when she woke up, the birds would chirp along just outside her window.

"And we go round this merry go round, in this circle known as life," Riley sang quietly to herself, "And to make it to the finish line you're gonna have to fight."

"Sounds good, songbird."

"Reese? What the bloody heck are you doing here?" Riley exclaimed, jumping up from the floor.

"Well we kinda maybe followed you guys because we were bored," Owyn said as she popped out from behind a tree.

"Owyn you too? Nugs and Ash are gonna be pissed." Riley laughed but it was soon stripped away from her when they heard shouting and swearing a little way away from them.

"Oh God," Riley muttered quickly walking in that direction, Reese and Owyn followed behind her.

"Whatty?" Reese asked.

"Xander. I left her alone with bloody JJ." Riley said. The twins bumped into her as she stopped suddenly.

"You fucking dick!" Xander screamed as she landed yet another punch onto JJ's face as he lay under her. The three younger girls watched in awe as bloody spurted from his nose and down his chin. Riley quickly rushed forward and pulled Xander off of the blonde boy.

"Dude what are you doing?!" Riley exasperated, holding onto Xander's wrists, "You've got to calm down."

"I am calm," Xander yelled. Riley flinched a little.