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Here's the second to last Cabin chapter. Enjoy :)

I awoke to the sound of snoring in my ear. At first I thought maybe I was just under some very warm blankets, but it turned out that instead of warm blankets, I was under two very warm Backstreet Boys. Kevin's arm was still blanketing my shoulder and his head was slung down so that his side was squishing my head. Brian, who was responsible for the snoring, was pretty much laying on top of me. He was using me as his pillow at least my legs up to my hip. If I were to let one rip, he wouldn't have been too happy with me.

I moved my way out from underneath them, Kevin literally falling down to where I was sleeping, without even stirring. I wonder if he did indeed stay awake all night? I stood up and stretched. My muscles were so sore, but one thing that was no longer sore, was my head. Thankfully. I decided to go try to find us something to eat for breakfast since I was so hungry my tummy was far beyond the growling stage and more like yelling at me to feed it. I also felt like it was the least I could do to find these guys, who tried their hardest to keep me calm, some breakfast. So I ventured out of our little hiding spot.

The rain had stopped at some point that night because now, it was very sunny. I had a hard time adjusting to the morning sun, squinting my way out of the entrance of the cave. I walked a little off into the small thicket to find some berries to eat. I really had no idea how to distinguish the poison ones from the good ones, I figured one of the nature boys would do that. My job would simply be to pick as many of them as I could find. I found a patch of blackberries and started picking them and tossing them into my shirt which I had formed into a basket. I stopped when I saw a family of deer standing up a little ways from where I was, eating and minding their own business. I sat down and watched them.

It was so bizarre how even in all this madness, something as tranquil as a family of deer could be right here in the middle of all of this. The leader, looked over at me and I could swear he smiled before signaling the others to run away. I continued to pick my berries until I heard rattling. Not a rattle snake kind of rattling but a person type of rattling. More like a shuffling of feet cracking twigs in it's wake. I stepped closer to the sound, hoping it was a rescue crew. Ready to throw up my hands and shout if need be. But instead I found myself dropping to the hard dewey ground instead, sounds of blackberries squishing under my weight.

"Stop stalling and keep it moving we haven't got all day. If the two of you had just cooperated with me in the first place we wouldn't have had to sleep out here last night"

I luckily had fallen next to a bush so I was able to shield myself from Jim. That was the guy who was speaking. And the two people he was talking to..

"Jim, why the hell don't you just let us go? I mean don't you think this is getting a bit old?"

"Shut up AJ! You know, if all of you had just stayed the hell put, this would probably be over now. But NO"

Jim was shoving AJ along with one hand while holding a gun to Howie's back with the other. What was wrong with this guy?

"Why won't you tell us about the other's?" Howie asked sounding very nervous but mostly tired.

"Because it's none of your damn business"

"I think it is our damn business"

"You can ask them yourselves when you get back to the cabin"

What a big fat hairy liar that guy was! No wonder he was a manager. I tried my best to get a good look at the guys, mostly to make sure Jeremy was not with them. Of course he wasn't with them, if he was, then the guys would know Jim was lying. I swatted at my face where a big beetle had landed and slapped it hard, not meaning to make as big of a sound as I did. Immediately Jim stopped and looked around. I ducked my head back down.

"What was that?" He asked rhetorically. "Is there anyone out there?" I didn't even allow myself to breath. That was the worst feeling, knowing someone was hunting you down but being unable to sneak a peek to see if he was standing right over me, which I was terrified that he would be. I heard him take a few more steps closer to me. "Hello?"

"We're in the damn woods Jim, what do you think a gopher is going to answer you?"

"Shut the hell up AJ, I have had just about enough of your mouth" He pushed AJ and he landed on the ground. I almost stood up and charged at him with my ever popular Nick growl I had perfected since being held up in the woods, but my brain over rode my desire to do that. Howie walked over to his fallen friend and gave him a hand getting back up, that's when he spotted me.

Not Jim but Howie.

"Are you okay?" He asked AJ, then as J nodded he whispered and suddenly AJ's eyes came my way as well. Okay stop staring before Jim takes a look, I wanted to shout, but I figured I'd get my chance after this whole fiasco was over with.

"Let's go we don't have all day" Jim said grabbing a hold of Howie's collar and shoving him along, "What the hell are you looking at anyway?" I quickly ducked my head down once again, "Oh it's nothing, just a rabbit" I heard a few more steps coming towards me, "Where are you going Jimbo, let's go! I am freezing and about ready to starve to death" AJ tried to push Jim back towards where he had shoved Howie earlier, "Well if you saw a rabbit, I say I shoot it and we eat it now"

My eyes widened in terror at the thought of being shot and eaten by Jim and my own friends, once again the rational face of fear talking.

"NO!" AJ screamed, very smooth J very smooth. "Let's just go"

"Why are you suddenly so all gung ho about going back to the cabin? It seem's like you couldn't get far enough away from it yesterday"

"I give up okay? White flag. Besides we just want to see our friends and make sure they are okay" Howie said for good measure.

"Okay fine, let's go" He said and then I heard his footsteps moving away from us, I looked up one last time to see AJ staring at me, worried expression on his face. I smiled to assure him everything would be okay. He nodded and then turned and continued to walk.

Once they were gone from my sight, I tore ass back to the cave, I forgot about the little incline that led to our sleeping spots and fell right off the edge and tumbled into both Kevin and Brian, "Nick what the heck?" Kevin asked sleepily opening his eyes and yawning. His movement caused Brian to stir and open his eyes. "We have to hurry!" I screamed standing up. Kevin was still half asleep until he got a look at me, "Oh my God, Nick what happened? Why are you bleeding?" He popped up onto his feet and grabbed me. I forgot about the blackberries that were smeared all over my shirt, "I'm fine, it's just berries"

"Oh" He said taking some on his fingers and smelling it for reassurance I guess.

"We have to go. Jim has AJ and Howie! He is taking them back to the cabin"

"What?" Brian sat up still half asleep.

"I just saw them, he has them and they are going back to the cabin, we have to help them! Hurry!!" I knew if we waited much longer, we would never be able to find them again and it would be my fault.

"You said you saw them? Are they okay?"

"I think so Kevin but I didn't get to talk to them or anything, we just need to go and NOW!" Kevin and Brian stood up and together we all ran out of the cave. They had a hard time adjusting to the light just like I did. I pointed in the direction they went, "Come on, they have a good head start" I started running.

"Nick! Wait up" I heard them yell behind me, but I couldn't lose my concentration. I nodded to AJ, assuring him we would help. I couldn't let them down now. Even if he was mean to me all the time. I don't really know where I found all this extra energy since I was achy and starving half to death. I guess the guys really meant that much to me. It didn't take long for both Brian and Kevin to catch up and all three of us kind of half sprinted along the woods careful not to trip and fall along the way.

"They couldn't have gotten that far ahead of us" Brian said taking a little breather. He was slightly bent holding his hands on his knees. Kevin stood looking all around him with his hand over his eyes to shield the glare of the ever brightening sun. Me? Well, I was growing impatient with them both. All I wanted to do was keep moving. We were losing them and stopping wasn't going to help any.

"Come on! We have to go!" I said urgently.

"Nicky, we will do them no good if we are too exhausted to fight" That's right, duh! We didn't even think about what we were going to do when we found the guys. "Maybe our best bet would be to just go back to the cabin and catch them there" It sounded like a good idea but there was no way in hell I was ever going near that place again. Sure in a moment of total weakness yesterday, I thought about giving up and going back but not now. We go to the cabin, we are back where we started from.

"I think our best bet is to get them BEFORE they get to the cabin. Besides, would we even be able to find it?"

"Yes"

"You know where the cabin is Bri?" Kevin turned his attention to his young cousin who nodded.

"We actually aren't that far away from it now"

"But that's impossible, I mean Kevin and I were walking forever. I thought we had gotten so far away"

"Nope, I would say we are about five miles away from the cabin" five miles seemed far enough for me. But then again, I wasn't a hiking boy.

"Still I think.." And then I was interrupted, ah just like always. Glad to see some things didn't change.

"I think we go back to the cabin and ambush Jim" Kevin said smiling.

"But.." I tried again, this time it was Brian's turn

"Yes! Great idea, we could maybe wait right outside the cabin and when Jim comes we can hit him or something" They high fived. I rolled my eyes. Did I have to do everything around here?

"Um..what about Jeremy?" I asked rasing my eyebrows and crossing my arms. They both looked over at me with questioning eyes. Yes finally I had the floor. "You think Jeremy won't hear the noise and come out with a gun?"

"Well, let's keep walking up that way anyway, maybe we'll find them before they hit the cabin" Brian started walking and when he got to me he pat my head, "Good thinking Tonto"

"Tonto? What's a Tonto?" They both laughed.

Luckily, we didn't have to wait that much longer because about a half mile later, we heard the unmistakable sound of AJ yelling. By instinct, Kevin made Brian and I stand behind him as we all tip toed closer to where they were resting.

"Wait here!" He whispered to us both as he belly crawled ahead. Brian and I sat quietly Indian style with our heads bowed down.

"I thought you were in a rush to get back to the cabin" Jim said standing there gnawing on some berries. Howie was sitting and rubbing at his feet while AJ yawned scratching his really dirty neck.

"I was, but poor Howie's feet were killing him."

"Jeremy is going to think we died out here"

"So? Let him"

"But if he thinks that he might get all mad and hurt your friends, now we wouldn't want that to happen would we?"

"Oh please! It's not like they're even there anyway" Howie shot AJ a look of death, but the words were out before he could stop. Jim sprang up, "What do you mean by that?"

"Nothing"

"No, why did you say that?"

"Damn AJ and his big mouth!" I whispered to Brian.

"I just doubt you guys even caught them"

It was a good attempt at recovery, but unfortunately, the damage was done. Jim was now looking around furiously. "Come on, we have to get moving again" He pulled Howie to his feet. "Alright, I'm going I'm going" He walked a little farther then stopped when he heard leaves crunch very close to him. He turned to see Kevin there. Before he could react, Kevin sucker punched him and he went sailing to the ground.

"MOVE!" He yelled at both Howie and AJ.

"Shit!" Kevin yelled under his breath. He had wanted to get the gun away from Jim by knocking him out. The punch only made him fall but didn't do what he had intended. Now Jim was bleeding and mad but still holding the gun.

Kevin, Howie and AJ were running at us at full speed, closely followed by Jim. Brian pulled me up and together we started to run while Kevin screamed, "GO! GO! GO!"

All four of them quickly passed me since my legs were so much smaller then theirs and I actually felt Jim's arms swishing for me as I ran slightly ahead of him.

"If you don't stop I'll shoot" He warned.

That made me pick up some speed. Kevin stopped to see where I was, and by the look on his face, I knew my position didn't please him much. "Nick duck!!!" He screamed as I heard the sound of a gun go off...