About fifteen minutes after the phone call, Shawn began to shiver and his skin became hot to the touch.

We made small talk to keep our minds off of the situation, talking about 80's music and our favorite movies, anything to distract ourselves.

The sun set and soon it was too dark to see anything. It was also really cold, and I began shivering from the chill. With the darkness came fear - We couldn't see anything and I flinched at every sound I heard, terrified that Hastings had found us once again.

"I'm so tired, Gus," Shawn moaned after we ran out of things to talk about.

"Me too," I said, pinching my leg for the millionth time. I knew we couldn't fall asleep, lest Hastings come back and catch us. But all I wanted to do was sleep. And I wanted to be out of this stupid log, away from the bugs and the blood on Shawn's leg and the dark, cold woods.

Shawn grew silent, except for his laboured breathing. He was shaking now, his head leaning on my shoulder. His skin was so hot. I was beginning to think that we'd never get out of here.

And then I heard a faint shout in the distance. I tensed, thinking it was Hastings. Shawn and I leaned closer together, trying to make ourselves small.

And then an unmistakeable voice called, "The tracker says they're right here!"

I pulled myself forward on my hands and knees, toward the opening of the log. "Lassie?!"

But before I could get out of our hiding place, I heard a shout and then a gunshot. Several more shots rang through the trees, and I retreated back into the log.

"SBPD! Drop your weapon!" Lassie shouted. There was silence for a moment, and I wished I coud see what was happening. But it was so dark that I couldn't see my hand in front of my face.

"Okay, okay, we got him! Henry and Mcnabb, go find Spencer and Guster."

I crawled forward again. "We're in here!" I yelled, and suddenly, the bright beam of a flashlight blinded me and I covered my eyes, wincing.

"Gus!" Mr Spencer exclaimed. "Are you okay? Where's Shawn?"

"He's back in the log behind me," I said, retreating a little and turning, groping back toward Shawn. Thankfully, the flashlight made it so I could see Shawn. When I returned, his eyes were closed. "Shawn?"

He opened his eyes, and I saw a hint of fever in them. "Shawn, they found us!" I said, grabbing him under the arms. "Let's get you out of here."

"Really?" Shawn mumbled, gripping my arm. "I must've fallen asleep."

I managed to drag him to where Mr Spencer and Buzz were waiting. "He's not doing so good," I said as Buzz helped me out of the rotten log. I turned back and helped Mr Spencer pull Shawn out.

"Aww, kid," Mr Spencer said when he saw Shawn's knee.

"Took you long 'nough," Shawn slurred, eyes shut.

Mr Spencer snorted. "We went as fast as we could, but it's one thing to track your phone and quite another thing to follow your trail. You two got out pretty far."

Buzz looked closely at me, shining his light on my shirt. "Hey, are you bleeding?"

I looked down - and immediately regretted it. The whole left side of my shirt and pants was covered in mostly dried blood. Shawn's blood. I opened my mouth to say something, but suddenly my vision blurred at the edges and then everything went black.

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poor Gus :(
don't worry, he'll be okay! more coming soon!