Chapter 10

10

.

Everyone gathered around to see the game. the attending couples were standing at the start line. Their teachers read out some rules. Do not cross the bounderies .Look for the cards. A whistle blows and the game starts.

Leo and Flora slowly walks deep into the forest. the path wasnt clear. a lot of tress were pushing them around. Lora suddenly trips in to one. "aah!"

Leo holds her back. "you okay?" She nods.

After a few more turning, They realised It was the same place they came across a moment ago.

Something felt weird. They took another way. No was seen around them. They saw a board between two same roads. They took the path board showed.

As soon as they left, Two girls came out.

They gave each other evil smiles and high fives.

They were walking for hours.

But found no cards. "Something's wrong. Where's everyone else? Let's go back."

After turning around and walking backwards for half an hour, They ended up in the same place.

Quick realization, They were lost.

The sun was about to set.

Every other couple reached the finish line.

Expected, Team red won.

Skyv kept jumping around.

Giving high fives to her friends.

Showing 'boo' faces to Team blue.

But, It wasnt something Aspen worried about.

The sun was about to set. They should have came back by now.

Emma and Aspen were worried to death.

Skyv came up to her.

With her arrogant tone,

"You were being so confident that day. What's that look on your face now?"

Aspen smiled and turned to her ,

"So childish. Still, winning over these things makes you so happy."

Skyv's expression changes,"Dont change the topic. This is what we challenged over. You lost."

Emma stepped in, "what now?

You gained nothing. "

skyv,"you-

whatever, It's normal for losers like you to say it.

Now, watch me wearing the the golden metel.

About your two lost members, Let them spend the night there.

Bye bye. "

Emma, "She did something for sure.

Let's look for them.

They're alone in the forest."

Aspen nods.

Both went to their room.

Took flashing lights and a bagpack.

Teachers wouldn't allow them enter the forest late at night.

So, They had to snuck out.

Quietly passes the teachers room and the other rooms.

Emma walked ahead.

Aspen ties her shoelaces.

Suddenly, someone grabs her hand.

She looked up.

Aron, "Where you both going late at this night?"

Aspen couldnt speak a word.

Aron, "As a captain you should protect the students.

Its dangerous to enter the forest late at night."

Aspen shuttered. She started shaking, "l...let...me go. I need..to save them."

Aron, "I know you both are going to look for them. I noticed their absence too. But, we should get some help."

Emma came back and saw them.

"Dr. Aron, I can explain. Please dont tell anyone."

Aron stared at Aspen for a while.

"Fine.

I'll go with you."

Both were shocked.

Aspen, "what...?"

Aron, "If you dont want me to tell then take me with you."

In the deep forest, Both were tired after walking for hours. But couldnt find their way out.

Her wounded leg starts hurting again.

Leo, "Let's sit down for a while"

F cries in pain, "What if...we can never find our way out..."

L, "..."

He quietly stood up and kept walking from here to there.

He collected leaves to start fire.

At last, Took a lighter to set a fire.

Flora warms her hand, "They will come to save us."

Leo, "Show me your leg"

F, "what-"

L gently puts medicine.

"I know how to survive in this kind of situation.

Dont worry. We can last here till tomorrow night."

Lora stares at his sparking eyes.

Everything was quiet around them.

"What we are now...is different from the day we first met.That night you gave everything to make me believe that...you like Emma. But, now...it looks like you forgot what we were up to.

Is it just me...? or something really changed."

L, "…"

Suddenly, They heard something moving on the bushes.

Leo gently pushed Lora behind him.

"Dont worry. I'll protect you."

A small bunny creature came out and ran to the other side.

Both relieved.

F, "why me?"

L, "…"

F, "why are you protecting me!

You should be with Emma right now! You both are meant to be together.Thats How i can Bring Astrid back.

Stop it!

...

stoo making me..."

L, "...what happening is...probably confusing....The reason might be different from the last time we met."

F, "what are you talking about?

Cant you see what im trying to avoid here-"

Before she could finish her sentence, He pulls her toward him and wraps her around his arms tightly.

Flora wanted to say something but she felt that Leo is shaking. after a while he shuttered with a crying voice, "I'm...sorry"

She was shocked. Thinking what about her words can make him cry so suddenly.

She gently pats his head.

"why are you being sorry for...?"

Lora could feel His arms were more tighter than before. As if he's afraid to say it.

L, "i...want...to protect you this time.before it's too late..."

His hands and skin were cold as ice.

Even in this warm place, He was freezing to death.

F, "you're cold..."

He suddenly fell unconcsious in her arms.

F, "wha- wha- ...you okay?"

She gently leaned him toward a tree.Trying to wake him up but nothing seemed to be working.

He was still deep in sleep.

After a while, Flora noticed, his leg was bleeding.

It was a deep cut,bleeding  for a long time.

Flora thought to herself, "He's protecting me . I was being so harsh...yet he kept his bleeding wound hidden.

I need to fix this mess..."

She tore apart a piece of cloth from her dress. Gently, covered the wound.

While she was doing the treatment,

Leo holds her hand and shuttered few words, "i...wont let you...fall"

After he kept repeating the same words, Flora realised it's from the same dream he's having.

The visons repeats until something is finished.

It was pretty late at night.

Lora puts her head on his shoulders and stares at the stars.

somewhere she felt secure and relieved.

Closed her eyes and something was already connected.

In other way,

Three of them searched for hours but couldnt find them.

They soon went back.

If it wasnt for Arons words, Aspen would have never gone back until the sun rised.

☀  In the morning, ☀

Lora woke up. The sun was shining right in to her face.

Nobody one was around her.

She taught to herself, "With that serious injury, Can he still walk?

Could it be that...he left without me?"

While she was lost in her thought, Leo came back and stared at her, "You're awake."

Both stares at each other.

He slowly tries to step forward but fails.

He fell down.

Lora came running at him,

"You okay?

Why are you even trying to walk!

Where have you been?"

L, "I was trying to find the way out..."

A long silent,

L, "last night...I-"

F, "If you're okay then let's keep moving.

Hope we can reach the camp before the sun sets."

They started walking.

After a few hours,

F, "Lets rest here. I cant walk anymore."

L, "you want me to carry you?"

F, "You're not so good at walking eighter.

Forget it.

Are you sure we're at the right direction?"

There was no answer.

She looked back.

No one was there.

Flora quickly jumps off the rock.

She kept looking around but no one was there.

Flora kept shouting his name but there was no response.

After wasting half an hour looking for him,

She finally started walking in a hope that he might be ahead of her.

All alone in the forest.

Sudden dissappearence of Leo made her confused. at the same time Alone and weak.

At last,

She saw the camp.

With her weak legs trembling, Flora kept walking ahead.

The news of Two students missing was already spread all over the camp.

Few students were passing by.

They noticed Flora and runs toward her.

"Its the missing student!"

"Its Flora!"

"Call the others!"

Flora was half-dead.

She was relieved finally reaching the camp.

With a smile, She faints down.

No one knew What day it was.

Lora woke up on her bed. Slowly opening her eyes.

Emma, "Flora! You're awake!", quickly sat beside her.

F, "wher...e..am i?"

Inside, "why is it so hard to talk! why am i here at my room? what happened? What happened!"

Emma, "You're unconcsious since coming back from the Forest

How are you feeling?"

Flora, "Forest...? Leo! what happened to Leo? Did he come back? How is he!?!"

Emma, "…"

Flora, "whats wrong? say something."

Emma, "who... is..Leo?"

Flora was shocked from her words.

Not understanding anything.

"what do you mean? Why are you asking me such question.

You know him."

Emma, "Lora calm down.

You want me to call Aspen?"

L, "No im fine.

where is he?"

Emma, "I dont know anyone as Leo...

Take some rest.

I'call Aron to be here soon."

Emma went toward a side and callls Aspen.

Flora was still in her bed thinking if everything was just a dream. Remembering every last minutes she saw him.

Still she tries to make things clear.

Flora got off from her bed and walks to Emma.

Grabs her shoulder.

"You're joking right?"

Emma looked confused. Flora panicked, "He was with us till the last day. Both of us were missing. Remember?"

Emma"...did you ...see a bad dream?" Nothing was acceptable. Flora kept staring at Emma. Suddenly, They heard knocks on the door. Aspen and Aron came in. Aron was checking Lora while she sat quiet still with her lost face. Emma took Aspen to a corner.

Emma, "who is Leo?"

A, "what?"

E, "Flora was asking me about him since she woke up.

Do you know him?"

A, "never heard of anyone like that...

Maybe she went through alot  these days and just asking anything."

Emma nods and both walks toward Aron.

Aron, " Still needs some rest.

She's weak.

Please keep giving her-"

Flora grabs his hand.

"You know Leo right?....

We met at the hotel room..

You saw him."

Aron didnt know what to say.

Emma took Aron outside.

Aspen sat beside her.

"Have you seen a bad dream-"

Before she could finish, Lora yells, "Tell me!

tell me what happened at the camp!"

She began to explain.

That day in the bus, Emma sat beside her.

Later at the sports, Another couple from the team blue played and won the first level.

At the basket ball, Emma won and Skyv broke Floras leg.

At the last level, Another girl and Flora went to the forest.

The other girl came back but Lora was lost.

Until the next day, She came back and faints down.

Few students including all her friends Came back early for her trratment.

Aron said she can  be treated at home.

Almost three days passed.

Flora woke up this early morning.

❓Look~For~me❓

With everything around her mind, There was no sign of Leo.

No one remembers him except for flora.

(⊙o⊙)