Crash Course

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Chapter 4

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The cabin consisted of two small sized rooms and a bathroom. The first was a main room/ kitchen area with a few couches, tables, chairs, and cabinets. There was also a small counter with a sink. The other room was a bedroom with two bunks and a bureau.

"This place doesn't look too abandoned . . ." Brian spoke up. "What if someone lives here, Kev?"

Kevin shot him a look. "No one does, Rok. Look at it." He glanced around the room. It was obvious no one lived here. Or if someone did, they hadn't been home in awhile, judging by the layer of dust covering all surfaces.

The five guys were spread out in the main room. Brian and Kevin each had a chair, as did Howie. Nick was sleeping restlessly on one of the sofas, as he had since the moment Kevin settled him there. AJ was occupying the other couch, lying on his back.

"We need to find a phone," Brian continued. "Howie, do you have your cell?"

"It's dead."

Brian frowned. "Great. And what're we gonna do for food?"

"Don't mention food," AJ growled from across the room. He still felt dizzy and the aspect of eating was nauseating.

"Brian, why don't you calm down a little." Kevin looked at his cousin with a small smile.

"Calm down?" Brian rolled his eyes. "We're in the middle of nowhere, my best friend is unconscious-"

"He's sleeping, Brian," Kevin interrupted. "He lost a lot of blood."

"Still. And . . ."

Howie laid a hand on his shoulder. "You need to just relax. We're gonna be fine, Bri. Believe me."

Brian took a deep breath and let it out slowly. "I know. I'm sorry; I'm just a little worried, that's all."

"We all are," Howie reassured. "But we're gonna be fine." Howie D wasn't the peacemaker for nothing.

Kevin sent him a grateful glance.

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Nick awoke to the sound of bickering. He ignored the still shooting and aching pain in his leg and listened.

"No, move it that way . . ."

"Brian, I know what I'm doing!"

"No, you don't, cuz! It's not working, is it?"

Nick squinted at them tiredly. Brian and Kevin were adjusting an old 'bunny-eared' antenna on a television equally as ancient. The only thing gained was more static on the screen. "You both suck," he said softly.

"Hey, Nick!" Brian greeted cheerfully. "What's up, buddy?"

Nick groaned. "What're you doing?" he asked in a pain filled voice.

"Well, genius here," Kevin started, motioning to Brian, "found this old TV in the closet and decided it could work. Which it's not."

"If you would just-"

Kevin ignored his cousin good-naturedly. "So how's the leg, Kaos?" Nick gave the older man a thumbs down. "That bad?"

Nick sighed. "If I don't move, it only feels like someone's hacking at it with an axe," he offered.

Kevin grimaced. "Alright. I was gonna head back to the bus for a few things. I'll bring you some painkiller or something. Anything else?"

"Coats," Brian offered. "It's freezing."

Nick nodded. "Yeah. And . . ."

"What?" Kevin smiled.

"Nintendo?" Nick asked in a hope filled voice.

"Nick, it probably won't even work on this TV." Kevin sighed as he saw the pout on the younger's face. "No promises, okay?"

"Okay."

Kevin glanced at Howie and AJ's sleeping forms. "If they wake up, tell them where I went."

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Half an hour later

Kevin stepped back inside the cabin, shaking water off himself. On his way back from the bus it had started to drizzle again and in the distance a low rumble could be heard.

"Kevin!" AJ's voice greeted him and he saw all four of the boys awake. He threw a jacket gently to each of them.

"It's raining out."

"Guess that means we can't play b-ball, huh, Frack?" Brian teased. Nick was staring at Kevin.

"Nintendo?" he asked hopefully. Kevin shook his head and Nick's crossed his arms over his chest, frowning.

"I got something better," Kevin returned. "But first . . ." He handed Nick a bottle of Tylenol.

"Ah . . . I think thirty should help," Nick said aloud.

"Try two," Kevin warned. "At most three."

Nick took three and then passed it over to AJ. "What'd you bring that's better than Nintendo, Kev?"

"Gameboy!"

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Chapter 5

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Howie listened to the sound of the rain on the roof grow heavier. There was a crash of thunder as lightning illuminated the windows and he frowned, wondering if the cabin would be able to withstand the storm. The wind sounded like it was howling and he could just imagine the cabin being blown away. Brian must have been thinking the same thing.

"Kevin, I think the cabin is gonna collapse," Brian said after another boom of thunder shook the whole foundation. He glanced at Howie. "Don't you?" Howie just nodded.

Kevin rolled his eyes. "Come on, guys. Can't you think of better things?" They shook their heads and he sighed.

"It's kinda like that fort we built when we were kids, Kev," Brian started again. "Remember we stayed in it during a storm and it blew away?"

Kevin laughed. "Rok, that was a lean-to, cuz." Brian stared at him.

"And your point?"

"None of the pieces were even attached to anything! This is a cabin," Kevin said slowly. "We're not gonna blow away." Brian rolled his eyes.

"Whatever."

"D, how's your wrist," Kevin spoke up.

"It's just kind of aching," Howie said honestly.

There was a crash from the bedroom and they looked at each other. "Bone? What're you doing?" Howie called.

"Looking at stuff," came the muffled voice.

"I thought his head hurt," Kevin said.

Howie shrugged. "You know Bone. He doesn't care." A second later AJ came out of the room, a fishing rod in one hand and a radio in the other.

"Who wants to go fishing?" he said with a grin. He threw it aside and set the radio on the table.

"Where'd you find that?"

"Closet. There's tons of stuff there," AJ said. "Whoever lived here was whacked."

"Maybe you should leave the stuff alone . . . What if they come back?" Brian looked anxious.

AJ rolled his eyes. "But I found the radio," he said proudly. He plugged it in. "And it works!" He took a bow.

"Congratulations," Brian said dryly.

"Thank you." He looked up. "Aw, Nicky's still asleep."

"Leave him," Kevin warned.

"I know." AJ started searching for a station, eventually finding a good one.

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Nick awoke to the sound of music playing and opened his eyes. He recognized it as one of their songs, Quit Playing Games With My Heart. Someone had found a radio. He groaned.

"Are we home yet?"

Brian looked amused. "Hiya, Nick. Welcome back to the world of the living. How may I take your order." Nick had a mischievous gleam in his eye.

"You can make me some hushpuppies."

"Shut up, Carter," Brian growled good-naturedly. Nick grinned. Then he frowned.

"Kev, my leg in kinda numb, is that bad?"

Kevin looked at his panicked face. "I don't know, pal, can you move it?"

"I don't want to."

Kevin nodded. "I don't think it's bad," he said, trying to sound sure. He honestly didn't know and started to worry. "The pain med's probably kicking in," he covered.

"Oh." Nick seemed to accept the older man's answer. There was silence as their song ended and the DJ came back on.

"That was another great hit this time by the Backstreet Boys with Quit Playing Games. Speaking of the Backstreet Boys, there's a rumor surfacing that the boys are missing." A pause. "They were on their way to their next venue and the bus seems to have disappeared. More updates will follow on the accuracy of this news."

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Chapter 6

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"Well, that's good news," Howie spoke up. "At least now we know that someone's looking for us . . ." The anxious looks around the room were beginning to seem slightly reassured.

"Yeah, but how're they ever gonna find us?" Brian spoke up.

"They will," Howie answered. "I know they will." His look told Brian not to argue with him. "Right, Kev?" Howie looked to the older man for support.

"Of course," came the reply.

"So are we just gonna sit here and wait for someone to come?" Nick asked. He looked at them, worried. "How long's that gonna take?"

"Until the end of time," AJ said with a hoarse laugh. "And I'm not gonna wait."

Kevin raised an eyebrow. "Oh really?"

"Yes, really."

Brian looked skeptical. "What are you gonna do then?" he questioned.

"I'll go back to the road and try and find someone," AJ answered, crossing his arms over his chest. "I can hitchhike and then get help." He looked at them expectantly.

"I don't know, AJ . . ." Kevin looked doubtful.

"What else can we do but sit here and wait then?" AJ asked defiantly. Kevin sighed, knowing he had no answer for the younger man. "You see? Now who's with me?"

"I'll go," Howie volunteered.

"If I could walk," Nick started, "I might just take you up that idea." He pouted. "But I can't."

Kevin nodded. "You're definitely not going anywhere until we get help, Nick."

Nick sighed. "Just don't leave me here, guys. Ok?" He gained a worried look on his face and Brian gave his head a rough pat.

"Poor dude. Would we do that to you, Nicky?" he teased.

"That's what I'm worried about," came the quick answer.

"I think me and AJ can handle it by ourselves," Howie started. "So don't worry."

"Be happy," Brian sing-songed.

"Whatever. I just wanna go home," Nick said ruefully.

"We all do." AJ looked at Kevin. "So what do you say, bro? Can we go or not?"

There was a pause. "Yeah . . . But if you die or get kidnapped or something like that I will really hurt you, got it?"

"But if we're dead already-" AJ was cut off as Howie elbowed him in the side. "Okay, fine."

"We'll be careful, Kev," Howie reassured.

"Come back in like an hour if you don't find anyone," Kevin directed. "Do you have a watch?"

"We'll be fine!" AJ exclaimed. "Relax."

"AJ, listen to me carefully, buddy, okay? You wanna go right?"

"Yeah."

"Then just do that for me, okay?" Kevin took off his watch and handed it to him. "If you don't find anyone in an hour, come back. I just wanna make sure you'll be okay."

"Okay."

Howie got his coat and threw AJ his. "Don't worry, Kev."

"I try," Kevin said with a smile.

"We'll see you later." They were silent as they watched the two leave. Kevin let out a breath.

"They'd better be okay."

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