STAGE 1

8

Maitland

My eyes fluttered open, dark trees zoomed passed my vision. I felt sick and drained, my body hurt. I breathed in slowly, realizing I had been holding my breath. The car was eerily quiet like everyone else was holding their breath too. I moved and moaned, my stomach hurt both inside and outside. The car suddenly jolted to a halt and I heard the click of a gun. I turned from the window slowly, looking at who held the weapon to my head. "Oh honey," Henrietta said, her smile coming into view. She lowered the gun still smiling and pulled a piece of soaking wet hair from my face. I moaned again and lurched forward, releasing the contents on my stomach into the space below me. I sighed and leaned back into my chair.

"I barfed on my shoes," I croaked sadly, my poor blue laces.

"We'll clean them," Henrietta said worriedly, she tapped my forehead with a damp cloth.

"I'm dead," I said.

"No baby, you don't know that," Henrietta said.

"That thing ripped into me," I said harshly before going into a coughing fit. Henrietta's dark eyes watched me sadly.

"It was wearing gloves," She said. "Tough, thick farming gloves!"

"Then why am I sick?" I retorted, Henrietta sighed in defeat. "I'm dying," I thought, tears pricked my eyes.

"You're going to be ok," My dad's voice said, he had obviously been crying.

"Dad?" I questioned, tears spilling down my feverish cheeks.

"Yeah?" He replied.

"I love you," I said and he sobbed in the driver's seat. The engine roared nosily but we just sat there. The dark outline of the trees only got darker with each sad and slow moment.

"I love you too," He replied finally.

"I'm going to sleep now," I replied.

"No, don't go to sleep. Stay awake," My dad said.

"I-I can't," I said, coughing.

"Brendan, leave her be," Henrietta said.

"How can I let her be when she's dying?" He said and I cringed at his words, my eyes struggling to stay open.

"Maitland?" I heard.

"Y-yeah?" I asked, Beau popped up making me jump. The swelling on his face went down and he was looking slightly more like himself.

"Please stay awake," He said, tears forming in his warm brown eyes.

"I-I-I," I started but I felt my breath hitch in my throat. I needed sleep, now.

"Maitland!" He shouted and I closed my eyes, I felt him grab my face but his hands were soon pulled from my face and I faded to black.

3 Days Later

I woke up.

I actually woke up.

I groaned loudly and blinked, the smell of the air was unfamiliar. I looked up to see trees above me and I heard birds singing. "H-Hey!" I called, my voice scratchy and tired. I was sweating like crazy and found myself tied in a sleeping bag. I was actually tied up, I wiggled around only to feel searing pain in my abdomen.

"Mait?" I heard a familiar voice ask.

"Beau? BEAU!" I called, I soon saw his face looming above me. He then positioned himself so that his crotch was over me. I rolled my eyes. "Seriously?" I asked.