Crash Course
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Chapter 10
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Nick woke up with a sigh. It seemed like all he ever did lately was wake up. But this time, he was startled at the silence. He heard nothing. Usually Kevin or Brian would be talking or play fighting over something when he woke up. Sitting up a little more on the couch, Nick looked around. His stomach twisted when he didn't see anyone. They wouldn't leave, he told himself. Maybe they were in the other room.
"Brian?" he called out. There was no answer. "Frick!" he yelled louder. Still, no one answered. "Kevin!!" he called, even louder. "This isn't funny . . ." His voice broke. He had told them not to leave him, didn't he? He felt like crying suddenly, but wiped his eyes hastily.
Sitting up all the way, Nick pulled his legs down to rest on the floor. He felt the pressure rush to his injured leg immediately and his eyes filled. The axe-like pain was back. He cursed silently, but stood up slowly, using the table for balance and a lever. He started toward the end of the room, each step feeling like a million daggers. This was hell.
They weren't in the other room. They weren't in the cabin, period. Now he was scared. He leaned against the wall and took a couple a heaving breaths. Why did this happen to him? His whole leg throbbed and broke his concentration. He decided to look outside.
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"It's cold," Brian whined, jumping up and down to keep warm. He tried not to drop the sticks and logs he was carrying. He glared at Kevin. "Why're you laughing?"
"Cause you're funny, honey," Kevin teased. He was freezing, too.
"Stop . . ." Brian laughed. He paused. "Nick!" he exclaimed suddenly. He dropped his armful of wood and rushed to his younger friend. Kevin was less than a second behind. "Are you okay?" Brian touched his arm gently. "What're you doing?"
"What the hell, Nicky? Didn't I tell you not to move?" Kevin demanded. He looked at Nick's pale face and cursed. "You're gonna kill yourself." It wasn't anger at the kid, just being upset that he might've hurt himself worse.
"You guys left," Nick cried. "Why'd you leave?"
"We didn't leave you," Brian soothed. Kevin moved past him and lifted Nick off the ground easily, carrying him back inside without a word.
"You promised you wouldn't leave," Nick continued, voice shaking. Kevin rested him back down on the couch, careful of his leg. Crouching down, he cupped Nick's chin in his hand gently and looked him in the eye.
"Move anywhere off this couch and you'll be sorry," he warned softly, looking him over. He softened. "Sh . . . stop. We didn't leave you, baby, we were right outside."
"You left. I woke up and nobody was here and I called you but nobody answered and I . . ." Nick trailed off, eyes filling. Kevin reached forward silently and wrapped his arms around the younger boy in an embrace. Nick hugged back tightly. "I thought you left . . . " he whispered, burying his head in the older man's shoulder.
"We would never leave you, Frack," Brian assured him. He ruffled his hair. "Don't cry, little guy." Nick sighed. "I'm sorry we scared you . . ."
"We were getting wood to make a fire to warm this place up," Kevin explained. "And you know what a baby Brian can be, so I had to go with him . . ." He patted Nick's back softly. "We okay?"
"Yeah . . ." Nick said softly. He took a deep breath, less shaky. "Sort of . . ."
"Is your leg alright?" Brian asked worriedly. "How did you walk on it?" Nick shrugged.
"Is it okay? Same as before?" Kevin questioned. Nick looked at him solemnly. "Worse?" Nick shrugged. "Nicky . . ."
"It hurts a lot," Nick admitted. He saw Kevin's face. "It goes numb after awhile though," he said quickly. "I mean, you can't feel it anymore."
"That's not what I want to hear," Kevin sighed. He dug through his coat pocket, coming up with the Tylenol. He passed it to Nick. "There's some candy for you," he teased.
"Yum." Nick rolled his eyes.
"Don't talk about food . . ." Brian moaned and fell to the floor. "I'm so hungry . . ." He started singing softly.
"Brian, get off the floor," Kevin advised, amused.
"He's cw-azy," Nick joked.
"That's me," Brian laughed. He got off the floor and sat on a chair. "I'll stay here and you go get the wood, Kevy-Kev." He grinned. Kevin just rolled his eyes. As he left, Brian turned to Nick. "Are you sure you're okay?"
"No . . ." Nick sighed. "I'm scared, Brian. What if AJ and Howie don't come back?"
"They will. Kevin said probably tomorrow morning or so."
"He did?" Nick sounded relieved.
"Yeah." Brian gave him a pat. "So it's all good."
"Yeah," Nick repeated softly. "It's all good."
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Chapter 11
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AJ awoke to the sound of being on the road. The constant whizzing of the tires on the highway accompianed by the ever so often bumpy road was almost comforting. Without opening his eyes, he could almost imagine he was back on the bus, safe with the other boys. In the refuge of his bunk and surrounded by familiarity. But his throbbing head proclaimed a different story, breaking his reverie. As he let out a sigh, he felt Howie turn.
"Hey, buddy." Howie's voice was soft and AJ could faintly hear soft blues music playing on the radio.
"I almost forgot what happened," he whispered. "I thought it could have been a nightmare or something."
Howie nodded, giving him a squeeze. "I wish, AJ. But it'll be okay soon." The constant reassurance. He watched AJ's face as he nodded. It was one of the few times the younger man's expression let out that he was vulnerable. Usually, the well-known facade took place that told the world he was in control and able to handle any given situation. Not this time.
"Kev must be flipping," AJ continued, voice still low. "I can just imagine. And I hope Nicky's okay. Poor kid. I wonder if anyone else will find them at the cabin before we come back with help . . .?" Howie just let him ramble, not commenting. There was a pause. "Howie?"
"Yeah, Bone?"
"Where are we going?" It came out in a hiss. AJ's eyes were focussed on the window, where it appeared they had pulled off the highway and were making their way down a dark woodsy road, seemingly leading nowhere. Howie sat up abruptly, accidently jarring AJ's head, who had still been resting on his shoulder. AJ let out a muffled cry.
"Aw, geez, sorry." Howie looked at his younger friend worriedly. He laid a hand on his head gently. "Still hurts from before?"
"I told you and Kev- I broke it," AJ whined. Howie gave him a light pat, unsure what to do. AJ let out a soft moan and moved away to lean on the window.
"Joe, where're we going?" Howie asked. The grey-haired man turned to glance at him a second before his eyes went back to the road.
"We need gas," the man said after a minute. "I thought you boys were asleep?"
"No." A pause. "This road leads to a gas station?" Howie's voice sounded skeptical.
" . . . Eventually. Why don't you go back to sleep. I'll wake you both when we get there." The man's voice suddenly sounded decieving and Howie's stomach churned. Looking out the window, he noticed some faint lights futher up ahead in the distance. Much further. Howie hoped it was in fact a town and that Joe was telling the truth. He kept telling himself that until he felt the car begin to slow.
"Why're we stopping?" AJ asked softly. No one answered and he panicked. "Why the hell did we stop?"
"Calm down, boy," Joe said as he pulled to car to a complete standstill. "I just need to get something."
"What?" AJ demanded, voice breaking. "Keep going . . ."
"Calm down," the man repeated, voice almost a growl. He undid his seatbelt and turned to look at them. Howie noticed something behind his twinkling blue eyes that he hadn't seen before. Malice. He scared him. "I just need to get something out of the trunk," Joe continued, opening the driver side door and stepping out. He slammed it shut and the boys could see him making his way around the car in the dark.
"Lock your door," Howie directed. AJ did as he said, hands shaking. They heard the trunk open in the back and without thinking, Howie climbed over the seat to the front, careful of his wrist, which had started throbbing again. He locked the passenger and driver doors with his good hand, shaking all the while. Settling into the driver's seat, he stared at the wheel. Please God . . . The keys were in the ignition.
Howie jumped as the trunk slammed shut and he hastily turned the keys in the ignition. The car engine stalled and sputtered once before finally roaring to life. They could hear yelling and muttered cursing from outside. A rapping came at the back window and AJ sobbed out.
"Oh my God, he has a gun, Howie. Holy . . ." AJ trailed off, in shock. Howie slammed on the gas pedal and the car jerked forward.
He drove down that road faster than he had ever driven in his life, aiming toward the faint light in the distance and steering shakily with his good hand. AJ sobbed in the backseat until a gun shot rang out from where they had left. The empty sound echoed through his aching skull and he fell silent, too shocked to even cry. This was definitely a nightmare.
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The fire was mesmerizing and the warmth emanating from it was comforting. Brian curled up in the arm chair and tried to sleep. Kevin had finally slipped into a light doze after starting the fire in the large stone fireplace for them and the cabin was at peace. Brian's eyes were almost closing when he heard a whimper come from Nick. He was immediately awake.
"Frack? You okay?"
"Fine," came the tired voice. "I'm fine." Nick stared at him with sleep filled blue eyes and a pained expression on his pale face. He shivered.
"Bull." Brian moved toward him, bringing the blanket he had been using and covering his younger friend with it. "You still cold?" Nick nodded.
"Don't you want it?" Nick asked. He already had a blanket and immediately felt guilty. "You can have it."
"No, I'm hot. And I don't want you getting sick . . . If you're cold?"
"I'm freezing," Nick admitted. He let Brian rest a hand on his forehead.
"You're burning up, Nick. I'll wake Kev," he started.
"No, I'm fine," Nick protested. He sighed. "I'm okay. Everything's gonna be okay." Brian frowned and ran a hand through Nick's blonde hair.
"You sure?"
"Yeah." Nick started to cough and Brian rubbed his back softly.
"Sh . . . It's okay," he soothed. Nick moaned as the spell jarred his leg and his eyes filled with pain. "Let me go see if I can find you something to eat or drink, okay?" Brian offered. Nick shrugged. "Don't go nowhere."
"Yeah, okay," Nick said sarcastically.
Brian headed toward the kitchen and started going through the cabinets. Nick sat up higher on the couch to watch. It made him cough less than lying down, he told himself as Brian sent him a look. The search was proving fruitless until Brian made it to the cabinets over the sink. Yanking them open, he was immediately toppled by a load of boxes and cans. The loud commotion combined with Brian's exclamation of triumph woke Kevin.
"What are you doing?" came the immediate reprimand as the oldest rubbed sleep from his eyes.
"I found food!" Brian exclaimed, doing a little victory dance. "Who's the smartest guy in the group?" He grinned at his older cousin's serious expression. "Go me."
"Go Brian," Nick agreed, though not as enthusiastic. Kevin glanced in his direction.
"Bro, you better not be moving," he chided when he saw the boy sitting up. Nick rolled his eyes. "Serious, Nicky."
"Does it look like I'm moving?"
"Just don't." Kevin turned back to Brian as Nick stuck out his lower lip. "What kind of food?"
"Crackers . . . crackers . . . crackers . . . peanut butter." Brian grinned up at him.
"My type of food," Kevin said with a smile, getting up from his chair. He made his way over to the kitchen, ruffling Nick's hair gently as he passed. He paused when he realized how hot the boy's head felt. "You're burning up, Nicky," he remarked as the boy pulled away from his hand.
"No, I'm not."
"He's getting sick," Brian argued.
"No, I'm fine."
Kevin shook his head. "Fine, Frack. You're perfectly healthy, okay? Let's just eat."
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Chapter 12
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"I'm never trusting anyone again, Howie."
Howie was startled at the comment. Not only at the content, but by the fact he had assumed AJ had fallen asleep by the ongoing silence. "Don't say that, Jay," he said, even though his thoughts were mulling over the same subject.
"I mean . . . he seemed so nice, didn't he? Who ever thought that he . . ." AJ left the sentence hanging, voice barely a whisper. "You can't trust anybody."
"Sh . . . try not to think about it like that, okay?"
"How can I not when all I hear is that frickin' gun going off. Bang." Silence. "Just like that, Howie. What if he had a better shot? What if we never suspected anything? What if-"
"AJ . . ." Howie interrupted, trying to calm him down. "Don't think about what if's, okay? We're still here, aren't we? We're okay. It's me and you, buddy."
"Yeah, D." AJ sighed. "Oh, God . . . I feel like someone punched me in the stomach a couple hundred times," he muttered. "How's your wrist?"
"Been better," Howie admitted.
AJ let out another sigh as they stared at the unwelcoming scene before them. Howie had parked the car at the edge of the small town they had finally reached in their escape. It seemed like hours had passed while in fact only minutes were behind them. They debated what to do.
From what they could make out, it appeared to be a mostly residential part of the town they were in, with scattered cottages up and down a few dirt roads. No shops or offices were seen, but Howie assumed they were up a little further ahead.
"I could drive a little more," he spoke up. "But since it's such a small town everything's probably closed, y'know?" He watched AJ nod in the back seat silently. "We could go to one of the houses . . ."
"But what if . . .it . . they could be . . .uh, like . . ." AJ trailed off.
"Yeah, I know," Howie's voice was strained. "But we need help. They could show us where a police station is or something. What do you think, bud?"
"I think we could spend the night in the car."
"I don't want us to freeze to death, AJ. It's starting to get really cold in case you haven't noticed." Howie ran a hand through his curly hair and shivered. AJ looked cold too.
"I guess so. You decide then. Pick a house or something," he muttered.
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"We really are stupid you know," Brian was saying. "We sit in this place, starving to death for a couple of hours, and don't even bother to look in the kitchen for food." He continued spreading the peanut butter on a cracker with his finger, due to a lack of untensils. You can't have everything.
"Okay, Brian . . ." Kevin laughed. "We're dumb, okay?"
"Except for me," Brian corrected. He scooted away as his cousin swatted at him playfully. "You know it. Right, Nick?"
"Huh?" Nick looked up from the couch, not paying attention. He had been silent ever since the two of them brought the food over to where they were sitting and started making stuff to eat. His longish hair was tousled as if he just woke up, making him look younger than his seventeen years.
"You hungry, Nicky?" Kevin asked.
"Nah . . ."
"How about some peanut butter and crackers," Brian offered, holding up his messy creation. "Mmmm."
"No," Nick repeated softly. "Not hungry."
"You gotta eat something," Kevin directed. "Nick?" He noticed Nick's face suddenly stare at the window with a look of fright. "Carter?"
"Something just moved past the window," the youngest said in a whisper.
"What, Frack?" Brian frowned.
"Something was at the window."
"Nothing's there, buddy," Kevin said. "You probably just imagined it." He wondered if the fever was making the boy delusional. He looked out the window, seeing a lot of shadows playing in the darkness. "Don't worry about it, okay?"
"No, I swear," Nick protested. He clutched Kevin's sleeve tightly. "Something was there."
"Was it the abominable snow man?" Brian asked in a playful voice. Kevin hit him in the arm and Nick got upset.
"Brian . . ." Nick whined.
"Sorry." Brian saw how alarmed Nick really was and felt bad. "Don't worry, Frack. It was probably just a shadow of a tree branch or something."
"You think?" Nick looked from Brian and Kevin and they both nodded. He sighed. "Lock the door though," Nick said in a shaky voice. "Just in case." He pushed at Kevin but the older man didn't move.
"The door doesn't-" Kevin broke off. "Sure, Nicky." The kid was too feverish anyway to know the difference. Why not calm his fears. He got up, and going to the door, jiggled the knob a little and then came back. "Now, how about some peanut butter?" Nick shook his head again and Kevin sighed.
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