Gravity Check by Alex Van Tol

we’re not all worried about it.”
    Chase is deep in thought as we argue, the heels of his hands pressed against his eyes. After a moment, he looks up. “I’m going after them.”
    Seth turns on him. “What? Are you crazy ? No, let’s…let’s wait a little while. Maybe they’re on their way back now!”
    I shake my head. “I doubt it, Seth. I think something’s happened.”
    Chase glances at the computer on his bike. “It’s after seven. We’ll be losing daylight soon. I think that spells trouble.”
    Seth shifts uneasily on his feet. “But you can’t just leave us here!”
    Chase runs his hands through his hair. “I have no other choice now,” he says. “It’s a tough call, but I can’t take you with me. It’s too late to bike out and go for help. It’ll be dark soon, and the risk of getting lost is just too great. And besides, anything could happen to those two in the time it takes us to bike all the way back to camp from here. It would take us hours. Even longer in the dark.” Chase breaks off and looks toward the trees. “You two will be fine to look after yourselves until I get back. I know you will. You’re both sensible guys with good outdoor skills. If we’re lucky, those two have just had an accident. Broken an ankle or something. But if something is wrong— you know, really wrong—I don’t need to be dragging you guys into it.”
    â€œHe’s right, Seth,” I say. “It’s too dangerous for us all to go.”
    â€œBesides,” Chase continues, “what if they do come back? Someone needs to be here, or else they’ll go looking for us. And then we’ll all be separated. And that’s dangerous.” He pulls his helmet on and buckles it.
    I nod. What he’s saying makes sense. I don’t like the idea of splitting up, but it’s the only choice we have right now.
    â€œWhere am I going?” Chase asks me.
    â€œHead straight on the single track for about two miles, then take the fork toward the forest on the left,” I say. “The trail opens up into a double track pretty quick. The plants start growing right there. We went a few hundred feet before we turned around and came back.”
    â€œOkay,” Chase says, sliding his shoe onto his pedal. He looks at us. At Seth’s worried face. “Don’t worry,” he says. “I’m coming right back. And I’ll be dragging their sorry asses with me.”
    I nod again, my stomach knotting into a tight ball. It feels terrible to have our counselor go off into the forest in the fading daylight. To go and find who knows what.
    What if he doesn’t come back?
    I push the thought away. Of course he’ll come back. He’s Chase, man. He’s a machine. Super Chase.
    Seth and I watch him pedal toward the path that leads straight into the heart of danger.

chapter twelve
    Seth and I have a whole feast laid out for us, but neither of us can do more than pick at our spaghetti. I finally scoop everything into one pot and put a lid on it. We’ll keep it in case everyone comes back ravenous. Or else we’ll put it in a ziplock bag and stick it in the bear hang.
    I really hope that’s not what happens.
    We wash our plates and the pots without talking. I take out a deck of cards.
    â€œWant me to boil some water for hot chocolate?” Seth asks.
    I shake my head. It wouldn’t feel right to be sitting here, safe and warm and drinking hot chocolate when the other guys are who knows where. Probably not drinking hot chocolate. Besides, I don’t feel like anything sweet right now.
    We play Crazy Eights and Twenty-One, the only games we know.
    Gradually, the sky darkens.
    Seth watches, chin on his arms, as I build a fire. As the flames lick up through the tinder and ignite the larger pieces of wood, I look up and see the first star shining in the faded