Okay, well this chapter is a bit longer. I was sitting in a lecture on transnational crime and I realised I had actually done the stuff at high school so I got bored and wrote this instead.
Secondly, if anyone is reading this and is even thinking about reviewing please do! It would be great to know whether I'm keeping on the right track here so feedback is awesome. xo
"We can follow the stream out of here I think" said Matty, turning towards the water. Liv shot a poisonous look at his back. I turned to Franky with concern.
"Franky...I know you don't...but...well, what happened?" She looked at me seriously for a second as if deciding what to tell me. Liv was studying her closely, a worried look on her face. After a few seconds of silence Liv spoke.
"Maybe we should do this later," she said glancing at me.
"No. It's, it's okay," said Franky quietly. Liv looked back at her surprised. We waited in silence for Franky to speak. Suddenly I became very aware of the small noises around us. The rustling of my skirt against the rocks, the snuffling of an animal somewhere in the bushes, the sound of a twig snapping. I turned slightly to see Matty standing a little distance away, listening intently. The other two hadn't noticed his returned presence yet. Everyone's eyes were on Franky, whose eyes were studying the pattern on her skirt intently.
"I just...I just wanted to feel normal," she admitted finally. Her voice was barely audible.
"But Matty, he...he didn't hurt you?" asked Liv. I glanced back at him. He saw me looking and slightly shook his head, eyes wide. I turned back to Franky and Liv to realise that both were staring at Matty. Liv's gaze was angry and suspicious, almost accusing. Franky's was apologetic.
"No," Franky said simply. Liv's expression didn't change. She had one hand on Franky's back but the other I could see was scrunched in a fist by her side. This wasn't helping anyone. I looked closer at Franky. She looked dreadful. There was a nasty cut on the side of her head though it seemed to have stopped bleeding for now. She was leaning heavily to one side, one hand on her ribs, and breathing rapidly. And I didn't know much about medical stuff but I was pretty sure that pale and shivering were signs of shock. I mean not that I expected her to resemble a beauty queen, she had just fallen down a cliff, but her paleness, the dark circles under her eyes and the hazy way she was looking in Matty's direction made me remember that we had to try and find civilization, preferably a hospital.
"Why don't we see if we can get out of here?" I said.
"Can you walk Franky?" asked Liv.
"Yeah, should be fine," mumbled Franky. I moved towards her hesitantly, and when she didn't object I placed my arm around her waist to help her stand. She seemed a bit wobbly but steady for now with Liv on one side and me on the other. Matty gazed at the three of us for a second. When he saw me looking at him he quickly turned away. Honestly, that boy was a bloody mystery sometimes. Well, most of the time really.
We made slow progress following the water, Franky wincing a few times when we jolted her. Matty would glance back at us every now and again. He seemed a little unsure around all three of us, choosing instead to find the easiest path through the trees and lead the way.
After god only knows how long I started to doubt our logic in following the stream.
"Do you think we are going the right way? Oh God, why didn't I ever join a girl guides or something!" I burst out angrily. A sudden gurgle of laughter startled me. I turned to Liv a little bit shocked to hear such a sound.
"I'm sorry," she said guiltily. "I know, I know, but you...in the woods? With bugs and dirt and...and..." she finished in laughter. Suddenly both of us were in hysterics. Even Franky had a ghost of a smile. Matty looked back at us suspiciously which set Liv and I off again. Slowly our giggles subsided into comfortable silence.
Eventually Matty called back to us. "I think we've found a lake at the end of our stream"
"Aw what? No pot of gold?" complained Liv jokingly. "Come on Franky, not much further. All villages have a lake...or a duck pond. There's bound to be people nearby." Her anger seemed to have temporarily disappeared.
"Actually no. Not a town, but there is a church" announced Matty, appearing through the trees in front of us. He waited for us to reach him and held a branch back for us to go through. There was the church, not too far away, with the little graveyard surrounding it. And there sitting on the slope near the door, talking to some old couple, was Grace and Rich. Carefully letting go of Franky's waist I ran a little way forward, waving and calling out to them. Immediately they looked up startled, which soon turned to relief and happiness, presumably at the fact that their friends had not been eaten by squirrels and they would actually have witnesses at their wedding. Though as we got closer to each other they hesitated, taking in our appearance. I could only imagine what we looked like, scratched, torn clothing, covered in dirt and twigs and one of us covered in blood and practically being held up by two others.
By the time we met, their expressions were of complete shock and little bit of horror.
"What on earth happened?" demanded Grace. "Oh my gosh, Mini you arms...and Franky what have you done?" Her eyes moved along us taking it all in. Liv and Matty helped Franky sit down on the grass, although it was more like a collapse.
"Grace, Rich oh we are so glad to see you" I gushed. "It's been horrible!" I turned back to the group. Matty was pulling out his phone, holding it up.
"Please tell me you have a signal here" said Liv. Matty wandered away still searching. Liv followed him with her eyes before turning back to Franky and talking to her quietly. I admired Liv so much. She might act tough but she took care of the people she loved. Grace knelt down in front of them, instantly taking on her mother duck persona. Rich just hovered awkwardly, still looking rather stunned. I gazed around to see if there was anyone else in sight, apart from the old couple who seemed to have dozed off. I spotted a shock of red hair and a fumbling figure limping up the road towards the church, like some sort of drugged up three-legged race. I could hear their shouting drifting up to us, or rather Alo's shouting and Nick's moaning. They began to head up the path to the church door so I sprinted down the hill shouting their names to get their attention.
'Ah! Minerva!" exclaimed Alo. "Perfect timing. Now point us to the festivities." He glanced at Nick scathingly. "And possibly some booze or pills or something for this sad case for a human being."
"Heeeey" muttered Nick, frowning slightly. "He bloody got me caught in a bear trap!"
Despite the circumstances I couldn't help but smile at them, they were as good as a comedic duo! I led them up the hill to the others, giving them a quick summary of events, though missing out a few emotional details. Now the whole gang was back together, though not exactly in one piece. Grace started gently but firmly bossing everyone about. Matty was standing a little distance away, talking animatedly into the phone; so he had got a signal. It was comforting to have the worry of what to do taken away. I slumped down next to Liv and Franky on the grass. As I bumped into Franky she flinched and inhaled sharply.
"Oh god! I'm sorry Franky. God I'm such a klutz"
"It's okay," she reassured me smiling weakly. "Just bumps and bruises I guess". From the pained look on her face somehow I doubted that. But I knew she a fuss was exactly what she wanted to avoid so I didn't say anything. Matty wandered back over to us, shoving his phone in his pocket.
"They said an ambulance could be here in about twenty minutes." He took in the sight of his dishevelled brother. "Looks like they might be taking two cases back hey Nick?"
Patting Franky's hand encouragingly I smiled at her. Now I guess, we wait.