Chapter 10
Riker POV
We headed over to Alex's after I got dressed. Once we were back, Alex got dressed too, and sat down next to me on the couch.
"So what do you want to do?" Alex asked me.
"I don't know. What time are your parents coming back?"
"Around 10:30 tonight."
"Ok so we can do pretty much whatever then. They won't be back for a while... We could go swimming."
"You want to go swimming?"
"Well you said I was getting better. I swam all the way from the docks to the beach without stopping. I almost died, but I did it."
"I thought you didn't like swimming though."
"I don't really. I've always been scared of the water. But if that's what you want to do, then we can go swimming."
"Riker, you're too nice to me!"
"I love you."
"I know! But you're too nice!"
"Well do you want to go swimming or not?"
"Uh… Well you seem to want to, so, sure."
"I don't seem to want to!"
"You totally do, Riker."
"No I do not!"
"Yes you do! Now come on. Go get your swim suit!"
I ran across the street, changed, and met Alex at her front door.
"Will you at least tell me why you want to go swimming?" Alex asked.
"I don't want to go swimming! I told you that already! I'm going because you want to!"
"Ugh. Let's just go."
It was a beautiful day out. Perfect for swimming. Except the water was ice cold.
"Come on Riker! Let's swim out to the raft!"
"I'm not even in yet!"
"Come on! Hurry up!"
I slowly inched forward into the freezing water. I feel like it gets worse the further up the water gets on your body.
"Riker! Come on!"
Alex was either used to freezing cold water, or she was crazy. Within seconds of getting here, she was underwater. I guess some people are just water people.
"Riker hurry up! I'm going to leave without you if you don't get over here!"
I had my arms wrapped around my body as I kept inching forward. I was freezing! I was almost in up to my shoulders now.
"Ok, I'm here."
"Let's go."
And Alex took off toward the raft. I doggy paddled my way there. By the time I had gotten there, I was exhausted. I climbed up onto the raft, which I soon realized was a bad idea. I was even colder out of the water! The wind made it seem colder! I was sitting there next to Alex with my teeth chattering, shaking, shivering…
"Oh it's not that cold!"
"Yes it is! How are you not freezing!?"
"I don't know. I guess I'm just used to it."
Alex put her arm around me, trying to warm me up, but it wasn't working.
"So, are you going to tell me what else you had planned for last night after the picnic?"
"Nope. It'll remain a secret."
"Why?"
"In case I want to plan something else later."
"Fine…"
"Do you want to swim in? I'm freezing!"
"Sure. Let's go back to my house."
"Ok."
"You're not getting back in with the ladder! Jump!"
"Jump?"
"Yeah!"
"Like into the water?"
"Yeah."
"What if I slip?"
"Here. We'll jump together, and I'll hold your hand. I'll make sure you don't slip."
So we jumped. Me, being me, forgot to plug my nose. I started coughing like crazy when I came up.
"Riker? You ok?"
"Yeah. There's just water up my nose."
"Oh."
We walked back up to Alex's. It felt like my whole body was numb by the time we finally got there. Alex wasn't even the slightest bit cold though!
"Sit down. I'll get you a blanket."
"I'm soaking wet! I'll get the couch all wet."
"I don't care. Sit down. You're freezing."
I figured if I continued arguing, I would eventually end up sitting on the couch, so I didn't say anything else, and just sat down.
"Here," Alex said, wrapping a blanket around me.
"Thanks. Come sit with me."
"Ok."
I wrapped the blanket around both of us, and we both stayed like that for a little while, talking.
"So what else did you want to do?" Alex asked.
"I don't know."
"Well we could go rescue your car. I'll drive you."
"Ok. But not yet. I'm still freezing."
Alex laughed.
"Ok, well I'm going to get dressed."
Later…
Riker POV
"Ok, now remember, when we get there, you jump out, I'll lock my doors, you'll jump in your car, lock the doors, and we drive away as fast as we can, ok?"
"Are you ever going to tell me what's so scary about All Hallows Woods? I take it that there's more to it than just people disappearing. Right?"
"Yeah. I'll tell you later."
Alex pulled up the road to the parking area of the park.
"Riker?"
"Yeah?"
"Where's your car?"