Ch. 28 Traumatized

Joshua ran and fell to his knees to wake up Laura. He gently started hitting her cheeks to bring her back to the real world. "Laura!...Laura wake up!...we've got to run!...this…giant thing is after us! Laura!...Laura!" He looked back and saw the monster getting closer to them. Joshua looked back down at Laura and raised his voice almost yelling at her. "Laura!...Laura wake up! The monster's going to kill us!...wake up!...wake up!...Laura!" Noticing that Laura wasn't going to move, he had to do what a man had to do. Joshua got behind her and wrapped his arms around her armpits and dragged her along.

Laura was a little over 100 lbs., but Joshua persevered. He was man enough to carry her or any of the girls. While he dragged her, Joshua was able to keep his eyes on the monster. As a matter of fact, it motivated him to drag Laura faster before landing in that cold water like the others.

Upon landing in it, both felt the instant chill, waking up poor Laura. She gasped as her heart raced from the dramatic temperature drop. It definitely brought her back to reality. She opened her eyes and realized that she was being dragged. "Wwwhat are you doing?...why am I in this cccold wwwater? Why dddid you put me in here?" Laura shivered.

Joshua let go of her because he was shivering too. "Laurrra, get up! The mmmonster's after us rrremember?"

Saying that made Laura remember why she blacked out in the first place. She got up as fast as she could and realized that the others were gone. "Wwwhere's the others?" she said still shivering, looking at Joshua.

"Up here!" yelled Jennifer waving at them.

Both looked up and saw them.

"Hhhow did you guys ggget up there?" asked Laura.

"You're going to have to climb up the hill! It's the only way!" yelled Anne.

Laura gave Joshua a sad look.

Joshua looked at Laura. "Dddon't worry! I'll hhhelp you!"

"I don't tttthink I can ccclimb Joshua, I'm ssso cold." she cried grabbing her arms as she continued shivering.

"Cccome on, the mmmonster's after us! Use that ttto motivate you." he encouraged still shivering himself.

"Hurry guys! It's getting closer!" yelled Jennifer as a warning to keep moving.

Listening to what Jennifer said made her realize that their lives were at stake. Laura had to move quickly before the monster got too close and killed them. She had to use the fact that the monster was coming to motivate her to move regardless of her being cold. So Laura hurried to the edge as best as she could and grabbed the hill to start climbing.

"Come on Laura, you can do it!" Joshua encouraged. By now his body was adjusting to the temperature.

Laura climbed the hill with determination as her heart raced with adrenaline not knowing how close the monster really was.

When Laura was about halfway up, Joshua started climbing.

"Come on you guys, it's getting closer!" yelled Anne really scared for the two.

Laura was getting out of breath but she pushed herself to keep going.

"You can do it Laura!" Jennifer watched her carefully.

"Hurry Laura!" yelled Joshua from behind her getting scared his own self. He didn't dare look back.

By the time Laura made it to the top, Anne and Jennifer pulled her up.

Tired from climbing, the adrenaline rush and being wet, Laura collapsed 10 steps after being pulled up. She sighed and said, "Oh…..I'm so glad I made it!"

Now it was Joshua's turn.

"Come on Josh!" Jennifer encouraged him too.

Anne and Jennifer cheered for Joshua as they watched him climb.

Unlike Laura, he started slipping backward. "Heeeelp!" he cried out getting terrified.

"Noooo!" screamed Anne.

"Josh!" screamed Jennifer as she stared at the monster that was right behind him.

This was when things really started to get intense.

When Laura heard Joshua yell for help, she immediately got back up and ran towards the others. She couldn't believe her eyes. She had never seen such a thing up close.

None of them have. It was truly a nightmare for them.

Joshua was climbing so hard to get away from the terror that awaited him. One careless step would send him backwards and kill him.

The girls looked with horror as they all watched Joshua climb as fast as he could.

By the giant baby being right behind him, it let out a loud, distorted, low-pitched growl that didn't sound human at all. It was truly monstrous!

This caused everyone to scream with sheer terror. "Josh!" they yelled in unison. Everyone's heart raced. No one else was there to help them. It was just the 4 of them to help each other.

"Joshua!" Laura screamed for him.

All the girls were in tears. They didn't wanna lose him. They didn't wanna lose any of each other. This moment brought them together. This moment will truly be a night to remember. A night to remember for the rest of their lives.

"Jenny! Help!" yelled Joshua.

"Josh! I'm here! Hurry!" yelled back Jennifer.

"Please don't die Joshua!" cried Laura.

"Guys pull me up! Quickly!" he yelled as he neared the top.

"We've got you! Quick!" yelled Anne.

Before the girls could grab Joshua, the baby tried to grab him.

"Guys look!" warned Laura pointing at it.

"Come on guys, grab me!" Joshua demanded starting to slip again.

Jennifer and Anne grabbed him as soon as they could right before the baby could snatch him away.

Once Joshua was rescued, they all tumbled to the ground.

The monster roared with anger causing them to cup their ears.

After the horrifying roar, the gang looked at the monster and saw that it was climbing just like the rest of them.

Laura pointed at it. "Look! It's climbing!"

"Oh no! Now what?" said Joshua still terrified.

"What are we going to do?" said Anne.

Jennifer looked around and saw a metal container. "Quick! The kerosene!" she pointed at it.

"Anne, you're closest to the kerosene! Grab it and throw it at the monster!" instructed Joshua.

Anne saw the kerosene, grabbed it but hesitated. The sight of the monster petrified her. Her heart raced out of control just watching it climb higher and higher up the hill.

"Anne what are you doing? Throw it!" yelled Joshua angrily.

"Anne hurry before it gets to the top!" Jennifer was getting upset too.

"Anne!" cried out Laura.

She shook in pure terror.

"Anne!" yelled Joshua again.

"Ok….I….I can do this." Anne finally threw the kerosene at the monster but it missed, landed in the water and nothing happened. Anne stood in total shock as nothing occurred.

Was the can empty? Was the kerosene any good?

She gasped as she walked backwards towards the others.

"What happened?" yelled Jennifer in total shock that the kerosene didn't explode when expected.

"Uh….I….I don't know…I threw it and….." Anne didn't know what to say.

"It's going to kill us!" cried Laura.

"Noooo!" yelled Joshua bursting into tears himself.

They all stood up and began to run away before the monster could get to them.

However, before they knew it, a big flame exploded, causing everyone to collapse.

The monster screamed in such agony and slipped down the hill.

Not wanted to listen to the monster scream in sheer agony, the gang rose up once again and ran away to find a way out.