Brave

Mixed Emotions

My feet crashing against that ground, trees and branches wiped past my face. Slapping and clawing at my skin, it almost felt like nature was trying to clasp on and hold us back for the bloody jaws of that very unnatural creature that is now gaining on us.

We sped out into a clearing, the monster hot on our heels. "COME ON! FASTER!!" A cry screeched from my lips. Zach momentarily grabbed Grey's hand to pull him along quicker as we hurtled ourselves into the unknown.

The sound of water grew loud, right to the point were I stumbled at the edge of the waterfall cliff. Bracing the boys from falling when they came to stop, an unspoken connection clicked in Zach and I. We both knew what we need to do.

"We have to jump, okay Grey?" I stammered out between my wheezing breaths.

"I....can't...." He tried to argue back lost for words.

Hearing the bone chilling roar only just behind the clearing, the vibrations of its racing steps made us all stumble towards the edge. My heart lunching up into my throat, a wild look of panic must have flashed over my face as Zach soon grabbed mine and Grey's hands and propelled us over.

A weightless feeling exerted my body as we lunched for the water below. The wind whipping at my face, it grew hard to suck in air as my stomach dropped at the sheer speed we drove down with. Splashing into the depths below, my vision was only a blur of white bubbles floating endlessly everywhere.

Helplessly clawing for the top, a hand clasped around mine dragging me back under. I thrash against the grip, screaming a gurgled mouthful of bubbles only to come to realise it was Zach. still utterly confused, he pointed towards the glistening surface of the water waiting for the mighty roar to dull out.

Surfacing to the top, I drew a desperate breath of air watching as the other two popped to the surface. All exchanging a silent glance of relief, we swam for the shore.

Crawling from the murky bank, we collapsed almost on top of each other sucking in the much needed air.

Subconsciously we all glanced between us, unable to speak our eyes were raging with mixed emotions when finally a small laugh bubbled from Zach's mouth.

Relieved, shit scared and confused a contagious giggle erupted within all of us.

"Hey Bree?" Grey said breathlessly.

"Yeah?"

"You know when you said we'd have a ripper of a time together?"

"Yeah."

"I don't want to be ripped to pieces...."

And with that, a frightened fit of laughter burst within us.

*****

Grey trudged a few meters ahead, not too far but enough for him not to be able to hear our quiet conversation. "You're bleeding..." Zach said unexpectedly dragging me from my drifting thoughts, pointing at my eyebrow.

"It's okay, it doesn't hurt."

He stared at me intently. "Are you sure?"

"Yeah.." I emotionlessly smiled.

"It's going to be okay Bree...."

Mate,  you can't make that big of a statement right now.

I sighed a shuddering breath. "I just hope that we all get safety off this hell hole of an Island."

He nodded in agreement ushering Grey to stay closer. Eyeing at him intently, I couldn't help but feel guilty for what I said to him earlier today. The more I watched him, the more he proved me wrong.

Zach Mitchell was more to what meets the eye. Even with his antisocial exterior of rudeness and attitude, I guess he was a pretty cool guy. "I'm sorry for having a go at you earlier, I was out of place."

Even under the circumstances of trudging through this forest with no sense of direction with a killer mutant dinosaur out there, he snorted at my comment.  "Don't apologise, you were right. I've been a jerk."

No one said anything more and we just kept on walking. I drew closer to him as we forwarded on. Close enough to almost be shoulder to shoulder but not enough to actually touch. It was the comforting feeling of Zach beside me that calmed my raging emotions. For one reason  that is explainable;  he was the closest thing to a good friend I had, and in times like these everyone needs a good friend to help you through.

Explainable explanation in the comfort of these strangers into my life. 

My mind then begun drifting to the uneasy thoughts of if my parents are alright.

*****

Grey had long chucked the bloody helmet away but the fear still lingered inside. Snooping around the abandoned structure, there was a certain beauty in a way to the old Jurassic park. Dragging my hands admiring the walls, I soon wondered after the boys.

2 broken down jeeps lay filthy and rusted in the overgrown junk shed.

Eyeing at them there's no way that they look like working anytime soon. "Well they look useless, unless..." I watched as Zach circled the car, eyeing at it sceptically. A glitter of hope sparked in his eyes as they flicked up to his brother. An undeniable ora radiated off them both, an unspoken word that  told that  they both knew how to get this piece of junk to start.

Tinkering with a small piece of metal Zach handed to me, the brothers fluently worked together. "You think it's still out there?" Grey's stance grew frightened, terror spilling from his pores at his older brother's words. "I mean no.... We're perfectly safe" He lied but for the benefit of Grey.

"Here can you hold this, your much stronger then me?" Placing the large car battery in his arms, Grey's face was planted with a slight smile.

Attempting to do the best as I could to help Zach get this thing going, he turned one last valve.

"Start it up!" He called slamming the hood shut, all my fingers and toes crossed just praying that the engine clicks over. Roaring into life, a breath I didn't realise that I was holding escaped.

"We did it!" An urge to fling my arms around Zach overcame me, to wrap him in my embrace of happiness that was fluttering through my nerves. Halting my movement, my hand rounded to hold it for a fist pump instead.

Frowning amused at me, he slightly shook his head chuckling, "We did it." Fist bumping each other, we soon jumped into the jeep. I jumped shotgun as the Americans say it, Grey straggled over to the back clasping between the space of Zach in the driver's seat.

"Didn't you fail your driver's test?" Grey asked Zach.

"You what?!" I shrieked.

"Only the driving part" Zach smirked, speeding us into the gear.

Oh boy.

Holding onto the front console and seat for dear life, we're not getting this far for Zach to wrap us around a tree.  I swear, if he does I will kill Zach in the next life.