Caught

Chapter Two~Life Goes on, or Does it?

        After the downer with the news, we decided to get our mind off of it by going to the park across the street and brushing up on some of our well known soccer skills before the season starts up again. The street outside Septembers house was dark and cloudy looking from the rain the night before. It was a dirt roads like mine, but something about it always seemed different. Maybe it was wider or more gravely. Maybe someone had been murdered there where on my gravel, no one had; well to my knowledge. When our feet meet with the gravel, it crunched underneath us like, well gravel.
        "Okay, so should we start with three woman weave?" Teppy asks. Three woman weave is one of use starting out with the ball and the other two on each side of her. The ball is passed to either side, it doesn't matter, then the person who passed it, follows their pass and goes around behind the recipient. That continues until you reach the net and the last person with it shoots. Hailey starts in the middle with me on the left and Teppy on the right. The ball approaches my feet and I instinctively send it flying in the direction of September and chase my ball. As the game goes. Out of the corner of my eye I see a dark shape dart into the brush. The first thing that comes to mind is Ashley. It's so easy to find a place to hide here. The old beat-up, grassy ball hurtles into my stomach from Hailey and I stubble back.
"OHMYGODCHARLEY!" Hailey screams sprinting my way. I stand where I got hit like nothing happened and Hailey still thinks she accidentally killed me and should be responsible for Charley Mattington's death. But, luckily that hasn't happened yet. I crack a smile then double over screaming. Now September rushes to my side. I start moaning and I feel Hailey's hands on my back. I can't take it anymore and start cracking up. I turn over and look up at Hailey and Teppy. Hailey's face is now flushed with confusion. Teppy has a smile spread across her face and is staring at Hailey.
"Charley?" She asks.
"Yes," I respond mischievously.
"What was that?"
"What was what?" I say.
"Oh my god, seriously?" Hailey looks at me.
"Oh, I'm very serious about my acting, yes. I'm glad you noticed. I start laughing and stand back up. September is laughing her head off and twirling around like an idiot. I join her and Hailey looks at me and jokes,
"Charley Mattington, I don't know if I can forgive you this time."
"Oh really? And what do you mean 'this time'?" I glance over at September for back-up but she is still in the midst of spinning and hasn't seemed to stop laughing yet.
"Ah, well I guess you with have to, us being best friends and all," I propose.
"I suppose so," Hailey giggles. Behind us we hear a bundle of twigs snap. It's not that uncommon, being in the mountains, but after seeing the dark figure I'm not taking any chances.

        My sholders fling in the direction of snaps. Nothing. I look to Teppy ad Hailey only to be returned with the same worried, confused stare. I feel a shiver slither up my back. Still staring into the trees I step closer to my two halves.

        "Um, do you think we should check that out? It could be some lost hiker, right Teppy?" I mutter, my voice lacking confidence.

        'Uh, yeah totally. There's a trail just a mile in, it totally could be a hiker," Teppy's voice shakes just as much as mine.

        "So I guess we sould go help that person," Hailey can't help be add. Okay so stop. I know, you see a dark figure, go run and hide right? Well, usually. But sometimes, even knowing what could happen there is nothing that stops curiosity and desire to become a badass heroine like in the books. It pumps through your veins, edging you closer, and closer until the tips of your tattered, slate blue and neon yellow soccer cleats align with the edge of the tree line. And it propells you to take that final step into something that could end catastrophically. And by taking that one step, your world could end indefinitly.