If We Could Make it There

Lies, Trouble, and a Few More Lies

Jack POV

My feet fly wildly underneath me. I have to get away, if I run fast enough, she won't be able to catch up. My heart beats in my ears, and I hear a piercing yell-

"NOW ASHLYN!"

And then I'm on the ground, with a sore arm and Ashlyn clinging onto my leg.

"Argh!" I exclaim. Her nails are digging into my knee. I try and kick her away, but my efforts are pointless. She may not be too strong in muscle, but she sure has a strong will. I reach my arms forward to shove her off, when Cheryl collides with my arms. Working together, they pin my to the path. I kick as hard as I can, but nothing's working. Cheryl holds my legs down tightly as she says, "You know we didn't want to do this. But that's what this has come to." I feel a piece of twine wrap around my legs.

"What the-" I start, but then something wet and cold covers my mouth. I yell into it, trying to make them hear me. But before I can make much noise, the cloth unravels from atop my mouth, making my yells echo across the sky.

The strange thing is that Ashlyn and Cheryl don't stop me. Once I realize their plan, I stop yelling. Of course; if Alex or Grace or somebody heard my yelps, they'd try and come find me. I feel suddenly idiotic.

"That's right..." I hear a soft voice say, Cheryl's, "Just keep quiet. We'll bring you back to camp, and we'll pretend like this never happened. We promise."

I groan. I can't go back without feeling like a traitor. I suddenly give a shaky laugh and look up at Cheryl, whose head is by my neck.

"You two? Drag me back? Because I'm sure not going willingly." I say. I laugh again. Ridiculous.

Cheryl stares at me incredulously. Confused. I shake my head and laugh again.

"You two couldn't muster enough strength to pull me back even if you tried." I say. Catching Cheryl off guard, I whip my arms up, sending her sprawling backwards.

I kick up my legs, and Ashlyn falls back. I quickly stand, and try to run. Unluckily, I forget that I have rope around my legs, and trip over my own feet. I land on my face, giving the two of them a chance to catch up to me.

Not unexpectedly, Ashlyn runs over to me as I try to take off the twine, and she grabs my left leg. I finally get the rope off as I try to shake Ashlyn off, but she won't budge. I start to run, hoping she'll fall, but she's holding on for dear life. After I run for a few moments, I decide to change my tactics. I stop and try to push her off, but when I do she stars to yell. Of course. If she can't stop me, she'll want someone to find me. Annoyed, I stop my efforts. She stops screaming. Cheryl runs towards us, and stops once she's reached my side.

I have to change my tactics once again. I decide on a new one this time: guilt.

"Fine, fine. I give up." I say, "But I'm not going back with you. You're coming with me." They sigh.

"You are. And we're not." Ashlyn demands in a cold voice. She lets go of my knee and stands with her shoulder to Cheryl's. "We aren't going back empty-handed."

"Well..." I start, choosing my words carefully, "You both know that I can and will over-power you. Once I'm gone, you'll have to go back. You'll have to tell everyone what's happened. That you let me leave. They won't forgive you. Alex won't. My mother won't when you go back to town. You guys won't keep looking for me, I'll be careful that you won't find me. That's why you'll come with me. Because you can't go back now and get someone."

Ashlyn tries to talk, but I cut her off.

"Hey, go ahead. Try your luck. Go and run back to camp, tell them to come help. But I'll be long gone when you come back."

Cheryl stops and thinks for a moment, and then says, "Well, what if one of us stays and the other goes? Come on Jack, think."

I hesitate for a moment. The answer's easy. Why is she asking this anyway? To try and distract me? To buy time? I must think of all the possibilities.

"That just... That just makes it easier for me." I answer, keeping a close eye on both of them, "Then I just need to escape one of you."

Ashlyn shakes her head at me. She thinks that she's frustrated? She should see how frustrated I am.

"But Jack... why are you leaving? And why do you even want us to come with you?" she asks.

I shrug.

"Ashlyn, I don't want to leave. I feel like I have to. And the thing is..." I trail off. The honest answer is that I want someone to be there to say goodbye to me when I leave. I don't want to make this journey alone. I don't say that though.

"I don't want you to come with me." I lie, "I just don't want you causing any trouble."