THE BLAME

Sunrise.

Lucas safely seated in his round back chair with everybody else holds a secret along with four others. The same thought crossed their minds, the same feeling shiver through their bones at the realization of what they've done meant as a prank. Luckily, Cassidy picked up on this group's immediate reaction upon the announcement. These were the people then later interrogated.

"What exactly happened last night when you guys turned up at the crossroad?" Jamie questioned, once again all of them lined up next to the other with their heads hanging low with guilt and shame. Lucas still too ashamed of possibly being the reason why his girlfriend isn't present, remained quiet and unmoving.

The only ginger boy, Cory, spoke up, clearly not able to keep such information to himself, "We-we thought it'd be funny," he sneaked a glance to the rest of the boys with a lowered head expecting enmity from them. "We wanted to prank the group behind us-  but we didn't know that it'll end up this way!" The freckled ginger defended himself and his fellow pranksters, more so protecting Lucas.

"Who insisted on the prank between you lot?" Cassidy thought better to prove only one guilty as to blame them all. If the tension wasn't already high, it had increased with one hundred percent right then and there; ear-deafening silence fell upon them, all thinking the same. Jamie was about to lose his cool, pressuring the boys to speak up when the ginger continued to betray his troop. The one word filling the emptiness of speech left everyone disturbed.

"Lucas," at Cory's confession, Lucas clenched his jaw whilst closing his eyes, afraid of the truth that had been shared.

                                                                                  ***

Mirah felt the swelling starting, and traces of future bruises were evident. Sighing she got up, carefully testing the amount of weight that could be applied to her ankle. Knowing that she had to keep moving, she did exactly that. She carried on, one limb hurt and limping along a trail after her group who may or may not have forgotten about her.

She arrived at the narrow pathway, walls of branches, and sticks pointing in all directions. Her only way to the other side would be through the tightly squeezed thin twigs. And so, mindful of her injury and her ability, hands stretched outward and elegant fingers clasping the elderly twigs, splintering them as she trotted. She kept on like this, aware of many sticks that are too young and green, too supple to do any good and of the parched that could snap with ease.

Caught off guard, the largest branch appeared before her, thick enough for her entire palm to envelop the wood. Ensuring that the ground beneath her was clean, she crept beneath the arm, her hands holding grip onto it and swinging her lower body to stand the ground ahead. A gust of pain surged through her being as her ankle took an impact on the ground. Instantaneously, she loosened her hold to reach for her wound, leaving her without any support allowing gravity to take its toll on her.

With another whisk she had hit the moist surface of the earth, other twigs caught within her hair and scarping her skin to leave the red embedded marks of scratch wounds. Small droplets of thick deep red liquid started dripping. With the few arm muscle she possesses and along with the little energy of the lack of food, she pushed herself from the ground into a semi-crouching position. Then grabbing onto the former branch, she outstretched her weakest ankle furthest away, pressing her entire body weight on her good foot. Together with hoisting herself upward and forcing her leg to push her, she got to her feet once more.

Clinging onto everything strong enough to hold weight, she got through the pathway onto the other side. By then, two hours at most had passed and the clouds started to gather in the sky, concealing the natural source of light from her.

                                                                                       ***

He already knows which route leads him through the night walk as he had done it not too long ago. He started uphill, slowly picking up his pace in a desperate need to find her and get her back. Back to me, or back to the camp?

The former would be terrific, but Asher's only priority is to ensure she's safe and well. He hadn't picked up any signs of the camp leaders coming after him or Mirah, for that matter. Surely, they had noticed he was gone by now. Whether or not they are inspecting the case or trying to find the lost campers, I don't know.

In the midst of the darkness, albeit not having had dinner yet, he kept on. He soon forgot about his hunger altogether, moving onward to find his love. When the forestation-like trees appeared before him on his journey, he knew where to go. He walked to the left, squinting his eyes in hopes to see any movement. If he had been left behind in the pitch dark, after a long day had already passed, he'd surely want to nap somewhere. I doubt she'd still be awake anyway.

Through the night he walked, as his torch shun the way. In every crook he peeked, behind every tree he looked, expecting to find a sleeping beauty within the wild vegetation. He turned away many times, disappointed that he couldn't find her yet. This, however, didn't keep him from continuing his mission.

His head started pounding, and his stomach growling he was tempted to eat the food he brought for Mirah. His eyes droopy, he'd blink the need for sleep away and occasionally even shine the mobile bright light into his own eyes. From time to time the battery of his torchlight seemed to die, and he'd switch it off.

It wasn't long until the battery died completely, but fortunately, the sun started creeping out from behind the mountains and he'd see the morning in its full glory. Little did he know, he and Mirah were looking at the same sunrise that morning, she was closer to him than she was the night before.