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Then and Now Chapter 33 Nick brought up the back of the group as they made their way back to the cabin, he watched Lis in front of him as she made her way over the rocky terrain. He realized she was about to fall and rushed forward to help her. "Thanks." Lis said breathlessly, as his arms went around her waist to stabilize her. "No problem. You okay?" he asked, looking at where her ankle was between the two rocks. "I think so." she went to move and nearly yelled in pain. "Or not." She said weakly. Nick looked up ahead, the group hadn't noticed him and Lis weren't right behind. He wished they'd turn around, but they could catch up to them easily. "Okay climb on." Lis stared at him wide eyed. "What?" Nick turned around. "Piggy back, come on." Lis sighed, "What about our packs?" "I'll carry them." "You can't carry 2 packs and me." she reasoned. "I can too. Just get on or we'll be in trouble." he said, getting exasperated. "Okay, man I don't remember how to do this." Nick laughed. "Its not funny Nick." "I'm sorry." he turned around and helped her sit down. He wrapped her legs around his waist and put his hands under her knees. "All righty, hold on to my neck and we're off." "Okay." Lis said uncertainly as Nick stood up. Nick felt Lis squeeze his neck. "Lis, hon...you don't need to put me in a sleeper hold." "Sorry its just this is kinda scary Nick." "Afraid of heights?" he teased. "Sure make fun of the injured girl." Lis said rolling her eyes as they started moving.Krys started singing softly to herself as they hiked along, she noticed Brian and Han stopping up ahead and turned around to AJ. "Looks like we're stopping...where's Lis and Blondie?" AJ turned around. "Oh no, guys, hey guys we've lost two of our group!" He yelled. Brian spun around. "What do you mean Bone?" he asked, quickly walking towards his friend. "I mean," AJ said pointing to the forest behind him, "Nick and Lis aren't with us..." "Oh just great, he gets worried over us getting lost and what does he do? Heads into the trees with his girlfriend and gets lost himself." Brian said shaking his head. Han walked over. "Hey, don't start B...Maybe they had to stop for some reason...maybe they had to tie their shoes or something." she suggested, knowing that sounded like a lame excuse. "Yeah she's right B." Krys stated. "Why don't we sit here and wait a few minutes. They gotta show sooner or later." D looked at Jenn. "Okay we've hiked the entire trail and I haven't seen one thing that points to them even coming this way." Jenn nodded sadly. "This sucks, they could be anywhere." "I know..." D said looking around at the trees. "But we gotta head back, remember what Ryan said about the storm." "Just hope they're somewhere safe." Jenn said, taking a drink of water. "Krys will drag him to safety if she has to." D said with a smile as they made their way back to the cabin. Ang watched as Ryan followed the occasional footprint. "So how long have you been a ranger?" she asked, as they walked hiked along. "Three years. Started right after I graduated college." Ang nodded. "Must be nice being outdoors most of the time." Ryan laughed, "Only in the good weather." "I can't believe Bri never mentioned you." Ang said almost to herself, looking him over. Ryan just smiled. "He mentioned you." She blushed. "Well that was then..." she said glancing at the path. "Okay there's something." Ryan said, pointing to something in the clearing. "What?" "Remains of a small campfire." he said, looking around. "Where were your friends and B going camping?" "Oh uhm somewhere near the lake, B said he knew of the perfect camping spot so they went there." Ryan nodded and looked around. "High chance they ran into them then if they went straight ahead." "How do you know so much?" Ang asked. Ryan smiled shyly. "Too much time studying maps and walking around out here." Nina sat down on the branch at looked at Kevin as he checked his map again and looked around. "Can't we head back yet?" she asked, rubbing her sore legs. Kevin sighed. "It'll be awhile before the storm hits...we could be close you know..." "I hope we're close." she said walking over to him and looked at the map he was holding. "Got any inklings?" "Not a one." he said sadly. "Man I've known AJ almost six years, you think I'd have some clue the way he thinks." Nina laughed. "If you knew how he thinks I'd be worried about you." Kevin laughed in spite of himself. "Ha ha ha. Lets go ahead for another half hour or so then head back, maybe we'll find them." "Sounds good." and so they headed deeper into the forest. Aimee set all the candles she could find on the kitchen table alone with the two cell phones and four flashlights she had found upstairs. She looked at the small pile on the table and hoped it would be enough, she looked out the window and saw the nearly black sky. "This I don't like." she said heading to the radio. She picked it up. "Guys? Anyone out there?" Jenn looked at the walkie talkie around D's waist. "I think Aims is trying to contact us." D picked it up. "Aims this is D and Jenn, whatcha need?" "Uh you close to the cabin? Cuz it looks like this storm is like about to hit and..." They heard the loud clap of thunder through the walkie talkie. "We're about fifteen minutes, we'll hurry back." Jenn said, pulling the walkie talkie out of her boyfriend's hands. "Okay good." Aimee said softly, her eyes on the slightly rolling cloud in the distance. Nick stopped and took a deep breath. "You okay back there?" he asked. Lis nodded, "You okay?" "Prefectly fine. I'm sure they're just up ahead." "We aren't lost are we?" "No way." he said adamently. She leaned her head on his shoulder. "Do you want me to walk?" Nick looked down at her ankle. "No we're good like this." "If you say so." she said, as they started moving again. "I hear footsteps!!" Krys said, looking back the way they came. "How can you?" AJ asked in surprise, the only sounds he heard was the birds overhead. "There they are!" Han stated, seeing Nick round the corner. "Hey man!" Bri called. Ryan looked up at the sky. "Okay we should head back...that storms closing in...we might be able to beat it back to the cabin." Ang sighed. "But what about them?" "I think they may have met up with the others...come n lets head back." He said, turning around. "And when the storm stops we'll head back out if they haven't returned." Aimee stood on the deck her eyes on the back gate, hoping that someone would get back soon. The sound of someone pounding on the front door forced her inside the house. She hurried through the house and opened the door staring at the two guys on the steps. "Uhm can I help you?" she asked, looking them over. Actually they were quite good looking, one was tall with short black hair and sparkling blue eyes with a playful grin and the other was shorter, with spiky dark blonde hair and almost the same sparkling blue eyes. The taller one smiled. "Yeah we're looking for Lisa and Hannah?" "Lis and Han?" Aims repeated, "They went camping with Nick and Brian..." "Camping? The girls went camping!" The shorter one laughed. "Who exactly are you?" Aimee asked, starting to wonder about these two men on the doorstep. "I'm Brandon and this is Boyd..." Brandon introduced them. He saw Aimee's confused expression, "their boyfriends." "Oh right!!" Aimee exclaimed, but she thought they'd broken up but she didn't mention that. "Why are you here? I thought you were all up in New York." Brandon smiled. "We went to Florida to surprise them and Lis' parents said they came up here and we decided to come up." "Well I think they'll be mighty surprised to see you here." Lightning flashed the sky and Boyd looked around nervously. "As much as we like standing out here do you think maybe we could come inside, at least till the storms over? We can head back to the hotel then." "Of course." Aimee waved them inside and shut the door. Jenn pulled Howie to the gate. "Look we finally made it!!" she said, pushing the gate open. "Finally. I don't think I could walk much further." he stated setting himself down on the nearest chair. Jenn sat next to him and looked at the cabin. "Wonder where Aims went?" "Who knows, maybe she decided to hide from the storm." D said looking up at the now pitch black sky. "You know I hope the others get back soon, this really isn't looking good." Brian and AJ each took a pack from Nick and started on their way again. Lis rested against Nick. "Nick?" she said softly. "Hmmm babygirl?" he asked, as they started heading back. "Thanks for carrying me." she whispered. "Hey I know you'd do that same." Lis laughed. "I doubt I could carry you piggy back." "You know what I mean Lis." Krys walked alongside AJ, watching as lightning lit up the sky. "All I have to say is I'm glad we're heading back to the cabin." He nodded, "Me too, man imagine being stuck outside in something like this?" Krys shuddered. "Don't even go there." she watched as the lightning flashed again and thunder boomed. "Wasn't there a saying about trees and lightning not being a uh good combo?" "I think so yeah. Hey guys, lets hurry it up huh?" AJ yelled, pulling Krys with him. Brian laughed as he heard AJ yell then turned to Han. "He's just a little impatient wouldn't you say?" Han smiled, "Only a wee little bit. I kinda wouldn't mind getting back to the cabin myself though...this is kinda creeping me out." she motioned to the sky. "I'd say we're close now." he stated, following the path around a curve. Next: Chapter 34 |