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I just laid there on my side watching as the guys tried their hardest to pry off the remaining boards from the window. It turns out my little tumble knocked the top board almost off. Once that one came off it was easier for the guys to get in between the wood and the glass to knock the other boards off. I wanted to help but I was so nauseous and dizzy all I could do was lay still and watch. I had thrown up about three times since my knock on the head. Every time I even thought about closing my eyes one of them would come over and slap me. I think they enjoyed it actually. Especially AJ.

I was bummed when I came to the realization that my dad and Mom were nowhere near me and we really had been stuck in this cabin for going on three days now. I could see Kevin coming over to me a few times, probably to lecture me or scream at me before stopping himself turning around and walking away. Poor guy. He was anal enough, I guess my little acrobatic stunt was putting him over the edge.

I closed my eyes because another wave of dizziness threatened to overtake me and I had made a promise to myself that I would no longer vomit in this hell hole. Within minutes I heard those familiar footsteps approaching, which meant I would get a friendly smack in the face.

"Nicky wake up" Yup, there it was. This time it was Howie's turn. I opened my eyes to see him sitting right next to me watching the action.

"I'm awake, just nauseous"

"You need to throw up again? Cause if you do we should start making our way to the bathroom"

"NO, I'm okay"

Kevin was holding both of his hands on the one plank of wood that separated us form freedom anchoring himself with his leg which was pushing against the wall. When that thing came off he was going to go sailing across the floor. He looked over to me, "Why don't you sit up for a while squirt?" Before I had time to even decide if it was something I wanted to do, Howie was grabbing me and hoisting me up to a sitting position. It actually helped my stomach.

"Kevin, what if Jim comes back while we are doing this?" Kevin looked over to Brian as if he had just called him a stupid dumbass.

"He won't"

"Brian has a point. What do we do if he comes before we actually get ourselves out?" AJ had decided to take a break and sit and eat a peanut butter and jelly sandwich.

"If you are so concerned about that maybe you should get off your ass and help a little more" AJ didn't move but Howie did. He walked next to Kevin and began pulling. You would think the force of two grown men, well almost grown men, would have gotten that vital board free but no luck. See, the boards were thick. Extremely thick and heavy.

"Guys, maybe Nick's idea wasn't so bad afterall" Brian said giving me a smile. That guy rocked he really did.

"Oh yeah, can't you tell by looking at him what a great fool proof plan that was"

"No, Kev, I mean maybe one of us can climb up there now. Since the top board is gone, it will be easier to balance and then hoist up and over" Kevin stopped pulling and motioned for Howie to do the same. Brian as if making a sale walked over to the window to demonstrate. He grabbed a chair, placed it on the table and stood on it.

"Careful cousin okay?" Brian nodded and held Kevin's shoulder for support. He looked for something to anchor himself with. I wanted to say, "see that's the hard part" but I decided to just remain a silent witness, besides that wave of dizziness had found it's way back. Kevin being the overprotective guy he was, also went to stand on the table with Howie soon following. "Hold onto me Kevin and don't let me fall" Kevin and Howie both supported him when he took a step onto the bottom board. Howie being smart enough to go grab another chair and stand on it to get a better grip on Brian.

With Howie's hand firmly on Brian's back for support, Brian was able to hoist himself up onto the board and open the latch to the small top window. When I heard that thing click I wanted to explode with applause. It was like watching an action movie. Kevin took Howie's lead and took the remaining chair and stood on it.

Okay folks here was the tricky part. Now that he was standing on the board with Kevin and Howie holding him in place, he had to try to get himself up and through the window. Brian was able to successfully open the window as far as it would go, which turned out to be not far at all but trying to get his legs through the window proved to be a bit hard. Once again it was a comical scene. Brian was almost upside down, holding onto Kevin's head for dear life, while his legs were in a sitting position on the sill, his body was just kind of hanging upside down. He looked like a bat. How in the heck did I think I could do that by myself?

After a few minutes of hanging upside down he gave Kevin the sign to help him get down. By sign I meant "Kevin get me the hell down now!"

Just like me, Brian lost his balance and started crashing towards the floor but luckily Kevin caught him in time although they both did go and fall off the table. "You guys okay?" I asked holding a paper towel filled with ice to my head.

"We're all good" Brian said standing and shaking off the dust that had gotten all over him from the top of the window. Howie jumped down from the table and once again sat next to me. "We aren't going to be able to get out of that window" Kevin sat on the table. He looked so frustrated. I wanted to console him and tell him everything would be alright but I couldn't do it.

"How are you feeling Nick?" I guess he could tell I was feeling woozy again.

"I'm okay"

"You look kind of pale"

"We all look kind of pale. We have been stuck inside for three days now"

Kevin rolled his eyes at me and came over. Squatting down, his eyes met mine. He stared at me for what felt like a small eternity and then he finally moved away, "Maybe we should try again" I must have looked that bad to him. I was feeling kind of sleepy and decided maybe it was time to lay back down. I slide down and wrapped my arms around the pillow. "Stay awake Nicky" I heard Howie say off in the distance. He was sounding farther and farther away now. In his place was my dad. We were at the beach this time. Sitting by the waterline and watching the waves. Leslie was burying my feet and legs in the sand. When she would approach me with another bucket to drop on top of me, I would roar at her. She laughed. She had the cutest laugh in the world. It melted my heart. I loved those outings on the beach. No matter what would happen in our lives. The fights, the drama, no food or money, a simple trip to the beach made everything worthwhile. That's why we moved to Florida in the first place. To be closer to the water.

And water was what I felt just then. My eyes burst open, "Holy shit!!" I screamed as my face was met with freezing water. "I told you to stay awake kiddo, you were drifting off again" Howie said holding a water glass. Now empty. I sat up and wiped the water from my face with my hands. "I miss my family" I heard myself say. Great Nick's about to have another episode people. Prepare yourselves.

"We all do Nick. Don't worry we'll get you home to see your family soon. Just promise us you won't fall asleep okay?" I nodded at Brian.

AJ stood up and made his way over to the table. "Let's see if I can get us the hell out of here" He said smugly jumping onto one of the chairs. "Even if you do, remember that I was the one who loosened those boards" I felt the need to remind them all it was my act of heroism that was inching us closer to freedom. Well, heroism or stupidity, depending on how you wanted to look at it.

"J, don't bother. You are too short. There has to be another way" Kevin said jumping on the table and forcing AJ down to the ground. AJ walked dejectedly back to his seat. It was Kevin now that wanted to be the hero. I could tell by his eyes. He wore the same look that I found myself wearing when it came to family matters. The solver of all problems. The one with the cross to bear.

He stood on the table for a few minutes. None of us said anything, then suddenly he laughed. We all watched him as if he was going nuts. "Duh, how stupid can I be?" He asked himself. Jumping off the table, he pushed it away. Then he moved to the cabinets and got out the frying pan. "Kev, what are you doing?" Brian asked him in a let's not get the crazy man mad at us voice.

"Watch" He said and then he moved to the bottom window, to the part that was exposed and hit it with all his might, using the frying pan as if it were a bat. The glass shattered on impact. "God, how come we didn't think of doing that sooner?" Howie asked smiling.

"No idea, I guess we were just so panicked we didn't think about it" He hit the pan against the window once more knocking some more glass out of the frame. "D, hand me a towel would you?" Howie walked over and gave him a towel which he wrapped around his arm. Kevin reached in between the board and the window to try and push some of the glass out of the way. "It will be a tight squeeze, but I bet we can all get out of this window.

"AJ, you first" He said looking over his way. J moved towards Kevin and looked over the situation. "I'm gonna have to lift you up to get you through. Do you have a problem with that?" AJ smiled, "Only if you pinch my ass"

Kevin lifted J, "Watch the glass" He warned AJ as he carefully made his way out of the window. Once through, Kevin immediately looked over to Brian, "I think Nick should go first" He said. "No Brian, you go. We are going to have to have at least three of you on the other side to help Nick through" Brian looked my way, walked over and tousled my hair, "Looks like you'll be seeing your family sooner then you thought" I nodded and watched him make his way over to Kevin and get lifted through the window.

Howie was next. He was so small that it was very easy to get him through. Once he was gone, Kevin waved me over. I stood up but got very dizzy and fell back onto the bed. He came running over, "You okay?" I nodded. He was about to lift me up when I refused him, "No, I can walk over there" I said stubbornly. He lent me a hand and helped me to a standing position.

Brian's face suddenly appeared by the window, "We have a problem, Jeremy is coming" He said in a panicked whisper. Kevin ran over to the window, "How close?"

"Close"

"Then get the hell out of here now!" He yelled to Brian, who just stood there unmoving.

"Go! We will meet up with you"

"We can't leave you guys here"

"Either you go or we are all caught again"

"We'll go get help"

"Good, now go! Hurry!!"

Brian disappeared and Kevin glanced back over to me, "It's going to be okay" He said. I didn't believe him. He grabbed the frying pan and stood behind the door, "Nick..no matter what happens, when I hit him, you run out of here. Understand?"

I didn't have time to answer because within a minute of him saying that Jeremy busted through the door.