Chapter 11 - The Victims

we flash from Austin to Jamie to Lauren. I like this particular scene because you can see more of Austin's and Lauren's relationship forming. It also shows you how close Lauren and Daniel are

Chapter 11

Austin rubbed his head as he sat up.  “Aw Man!”  He quickly jumped up.  He spun around and all around him were trees of many different kinds. Suddenly, Jamie’s pig went trotting by, and Austin started to run after it, and then he froze, struck by horror at what he saw.

*~*~*

                Jamie suddenly woke and she learned of her abrupt immobility.  Of course, this knowledge did not come quickly, it had to slowly register in her mind that it was real.  She awoke, and tried to stand up, and so she sat there a few minutes, and then started to panic.  Beads of sweat raced down her forehead.  Not knowing where she was, or even how she was, she forced her sore neck to turn and see- she was on an unfamiliar beach.  Again, she forced herself to look down at her legs.  At the unfortunate, rare sight she saw, she reacted calmer than most would…

                “HELP!!!”  Jamie cried out as she stared at the spot where her legs should’ve been. Her cry attracted Daniel, Lisey, Austin, and Sam. They all emerged from various parts of the forest.

                All four combined their strength and lifted the wing off Jamie.  Lisey quickly let go to drag her out of the shadow, and the three guys let go and dropped it, with a huge roar, onto the ground.  They rushed over to the two girls.  From her knee down, Jamie’s legs were bloody, fortunately still intact.

*~*~*

“Lauren!”  Everyone called.

                Lauren opened her eyes to hear Austin.

                “Austin!?”  Lauren sat up.  She was instantly overwhelmed with excitement. 

                Austin emerged from a grove of trees. “Lauren!”  He quickly ran over to her and knelt down.  “Can you stand?”  He was stern but sincere.

                Then Daniel magically appeared from the brush.  Seeing her on the ground, he stuck out his hand.  She took it and he helped her up, only to fall back down again.  She shot a desperate look to Austin.  He didn’t say anything but look over at Daniel.

                “Jamie can’t either.”  Daniel said.  “Walk… I mean.  Wait until you see what happened to her.”  He shook his head and sighed. 

                Lauren broke her stare and turned to Daniel. Seeing the worry on her face, he tried correcting himself.  “She’s alive, but she’s gunna have one huge scar.”

                That didn’t help any.

                “Well… I mean… at least she’s alive and not dieing or anything.”

                Still, it didn’t help.

                “No! No, no, no, what I meant was that she… she’ll be just fine…”

                He decided to shut up.

                Austin nodded at him, as a way to say, “Way to go”.

                “Sure you can’t walk?”  Daniel asked, changing the subject, offering his hand again.

Lauren took it, and again, tried to stand.  This time, the two caught her when she fell back down.

“Alright,” Austin said, standing her back up, but still holding on.  “That’s enough.”  He put one arm underneath her legs, and the other under her arms.  Lauren felt too dazed to protest.  He picked her up with ease, and carried her to the beach. 

*~*~*

                “Lauren!”  Lisey announced, running to her.  

                Lauren’s eyes were half open, and she looked confused.  She started to breathe really slowly.

                “Lauren?”  Lisey asked.  “Are you okay?” 

                In Lauren’s view, everything was spinning, and she was seeing multiples of Lisey. Daniel started waving his hand in front of her face.  There was multiples of him too.  Her head was spinning, and she looked up at Austin.  His deep blue eyes flashed concern. 

                She turned her head to Lisey again, and stuck out her hand.  Lisey grabbed it.  Lauren turned back to Austin.  He became a blur, her eyes closed, and her hand fell from Lisey’s.