Page 44 of They Will Fall

Walking out of those woods is what I would assume reaching the peak of a mountain feels like. I'm really damn proud of myself. Even more so, I’m relieved to see there’s no car in sight.

At least, not from what Icansee.

“I’m on the road. It’s so dark. I can’t see much.”

“Are you alone?”

My eyes skim the dark area. Fortunately, there’s a full moon tonight, so it’s not pitch black.“I…I think so.”

“Are there any buildings? Anything that can help us find you.”

“Yes!” I beam as my eyes latch on to a shape off in the distance. “Yes! There’s a farmhouse. I have to walk through a field, but I think I can make it.”

“Go to it!” Scars voice is almost a scream and I hear her shuffling around. “Go knock on the door and if someone answers, give them the phone. I’m putting Crew back on.”

Before I know it, I’m full-on running to the house. My feet smack against the cold ground, twigs and rocks grinding into my heels, but I don’t stop.

There’s a chain-link fence with two, maybe three, dogs that are barking and I hope it alerts the owners that I’m here. I also hope they don’t greet me with shotguns.

My feet pound against the crumbling wooden steps of the old house, splinters catching my cracked heels.As much as I want to buckle over in pain, I keep myself upright and push forward with everything I’ve got left.

My heart hammers in my chest as I clench my hand into a fist and furiously begin banging on the metal frame of the screen door. I step back, take a deep breath, and shout desperately, “Help me!” Then I pound on the door again.

Suddenly, the door opens and I’m face to face with a tall, slender man, wearing a straw hat with a big brim. He's got on a pair of jean overalls, adorned with a plaid flannel shirt. His eyes scan my dirty, bare feet before settling on me. “How can I help you, young lady?” His voice is soft as he opens the screen door with an outstretched palm.

“Give him the phone,” Crew chirps in my ear.

“I…” I stutter. “I need help.” I shove the phone toward him, feeling a bit stunned and speechless.

The man, taken aback, accepts the phone with a confused look on his face. He brings it to his ear and says, “Hello.”

His eyes widen as Crew talks his ear off, filling him in on what’s going on. Without a word, the man steps to the side and waves me into the house.

I hesitate at first, but when I see a sweet lady wearing a floral apron, her salt-and-pepper hair piled in a bun on the top of her head, I accept his invitation.

The scent of banana bread floods my senses and my stomach growls in response.

Ignoring the man on the phone with my friends, I take the lady’s hand that’s extended to me and I follow her into the kitchen. “You poor thing. Let’s get you some milk and cookies.”

The next thing I know, this sweet old lady has me sitting in a chair while she brings me an overflowing plate of chocolate chip cookies.

“Thank you,” I say kindly. “You didn’t have to go to the trouble.”

“Oh, it’s no trouble, dear. It’s not often we have visitors out here.”

I nervously lick my lips and swallow. My mouth feels like cotton, but I feel the hard lump leaving my throat as my nerves settle down a bit. I pick up the glass of milk and drink it all down in one big gulp.

“Where exactly ishere?” I ask, curious where I am.

The sweet lady refills my milk from a glass canter. “Davenport,” she says.

“Davenport? Is that near Boulder Cove?”

She stares off, drawing her finger in the air as she speaks. “Davenport is over here. And Boulder Cove is over here. About an hour away.”

I breathe a sigh of relief, knowing I’m not as far as I could have been. Hell, I could have been in another state, for all I know.

“Your friends are on their way,” the nice gentleman says as he hands me my phone back. “Sounds like you’ve been through quite the ordeal. Now, I’ve agreed not to call the town sheriff for the time being, but you kids could get yourselves seriously hurt by keeping this to yourself.”

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