and he maneuvered around them to take the lead. Stepping into the jungle at night was like walking into a closet and closing the door. He shined the flashlight in front of them, but it didn’t do much to light their way.
“I think we each need one of those,” Benny said, nodding to the light.
“Yeah, I think so too. Anyone know who brought the matches?”
“I think it was that Bradley boy,” June said.
Luca would remember that.
They kept walking, but the flashlight beam didn't do much in the way of illuminating the path enough to tell if anyone had passed this way.
“Avery?” Luca called. “Can you hear me?”
Benny and June began calling out, as well. They paused every few moments, but Avery never answered.
A movement to the left caught Luca’s attention and he pivoted around. He shined the flashlight into the mass of trees. The swishing sound continued, but he couldn’t see anything.
“I—I think it’s coming from the ground,” June said. Her voice quivered.
Luca swallowed and slowly moved the light toward the tangly, grassy, jungle floor. The tall grass barely wavered, but it was definitely moving.
“What do you think it is?” June whispered. Her voice was high pitched, which meant one thing. She was on the verge of tears. Again.
They waited, watching.
Luca’s heart thudded harder in his chest. It beat so loud he was sure June and Benny could hear it. He straightened his shoulders, determined to be a man.
A long, shiny, black creature slid out of the grass and straight for them.
June’s scream bounced off the jungle canopy and pierced his ears a few dozen times.
Pain shot up his arm, and he realized she was clawing at his skin in her terror.
The snake stopped and coiled into a springy defensive position. It hissed and lunged.
Luca didn’t care that it was several feet away. He shoved June and yelled, “Run!”
June took off without another thought, and Benny was right behind her. Luca brought up the rear. They ran as fast as they could through the brush, and after a few minutes he began worrying they weren’t even on the path anymore. The snake had probably given up, but he wasn’t about to slow down to find out.
“Are you sure you’re going the right direction?” he asked. His lungs were beginning to burn.
“I think so,” June panted.
A dim light filtered through the trees ahead. They were almost at the tree line. Almost back to the desert.
Umph.
Luca smacked into something solid and bowled right over it. He hit the ground, landing on top of whatever he’d run into. Terror pulsed through him, and he scrambled to his feet in case he'd upset some other jungle creature.
A whimper came from the ground, and he quickly shined his flashlight on it.
“Avery!”
Avery lay on the ground, her arm protecting her eyes from the beam of light. She moaned. “Luca?”
He dropped to his knees. “I’m so sorry, Avery. Where did you come from?”
She moved slowly, like he’d broken every bone in her body.
He helped her sit up. “Are you OK?”
She swallowed and nodded. “I think so.” Then she gave him a wry look. “You ever consider playing football?”
He chuckled and relief hit him hard. “You’re OK. I was so worried about you. We came as soon as I realized you were gone.”
She gently pulled away from him, and he realized he’d grabbed her shoulders and pulled her into a hug.
“Help me stand up?”
He held out his hand and pulled her into a standing position. “Why did you go in there?”
She paused, and he could see the wheels turning in her head. What did she have to tell him?
“Let’s get out of here first, then I’ll tell you all about it.”
He nodded and waved the flashlight beam. “Lead the way.”
June stepped in front of Benny and put her arm around Avery’s waist. “I’m glad you’re OK. I’m sorry I fell apart on you like that.”
Avery shook her head. “It’s OK. I wanted to find Gabby and Katelyn, too.”
“Did you find
“I think we each need one of those,” Benny said, nodding to the light.
“Yeah, I think so too. Anyone know who brought the matches?”
“I think it was that Bradley boy,” June said.
Luca would remember that.
They kept walking, but the flashlight beam didn't do much in the way of illuminating the path enough to tell if anyone had passed this way.
“Avery?” Luca called. “Can you hear me?”
Benny and June began calling out, as well. They paused every few moments, but Avery never answered.
A movement to the left caught Luca’s attention and he pivoted around. He shined the flashlight into the mass of trees. The swishing sound continued, but he couldn’t see anything.
“I—I think it’s coming from the ground,” June said. Her voice quivered.
Luca swallowed and slowly moved the light toward the tangly, grassy, jungle floor. The tall grass barely wavered, but it was definitely moving.
“What do you think it is?” June whispered. Her voice was high pitched, which meant one thing. She was on the verge of tears. Again.
They waited, watching.
Luca’s heart thudded harder in his chest. It beat so loud he was sure June and Benny could hear it. He straightened his shoulders, determined to be a man.
A long, shiny, black creature slid out of the grass and straight for them.
June’s scream bounced off the jungle canopy and pierced his ears a few dozen times.
Pain shot up his arm, and he realized she was clawing at his skin in her terror.
The snake stopped and coiled into a springy defensive position. It hissed and lunged.
Luca didn’t care that it was several feet away. He shoved June and yelled, “Run!”
June took off without another thought, and Benny was right behind her. Luca brought up the rear. They ran as fast as they could through the brush, and after a few minutes he began worrying they weren’t even on the path anymore. The snake had probably given up, but he wasn’t about to slow down to find out.
“Are you sure you’re going the right direction?” he asked. His lungs were beginning to burn.
“I think so,” June panted.
A dim light filtered through the trees ahead. They were almost at the tree line. Almost back to the desert.
Umph.
Luca smacked into something solid and bowled right over it. He hit the ground, landing on top of whatever he’d run into. Terror pulsed through him, and he scrambled to his feet in case he'd upset some other jungle creature.
A whimper came from the ground, and he quickly shined his flashlight on it.
“Avery!”
Avery lay on the ground, her arm protecting her eyes from the beam of light. She moaned. “Luca?”
He dropped to his knees. “I’m so sorry, Avery. Where did you come from?”
She moved slowly, like he’d broken every bone in her body.
He helped her sit up. “Are you OK?”
She swallowed and nodded. “I think so.” Then she gave him a wry look. “You ever consider playing football?”
He chuckled and relief hit him hard. “You’re OK. I was so worried about you. We came as soon as I realized you were gone.”
She gently pulled away from him, and he realized he’d grabbed her shoulders and pulled her into a hug.
“Help me stand up?”
He held out his hand and pulled her into a standing position. “Why did you go in there?”
She paused, and he could see the wheels turning in her head. What did she have to tell him?
“Let’s get out of here first, then I’ll tell you all about it.”
He nodded and waved the flashlight beam. “Lead the way.”
June stepped in front of Benny and put her arm around Avery’s waist. “I’m glad you’re OK. I’m sorry I fell apart on you like that.”
Avery shook her head. “It’s OK. I wanted to find Gabby and Katelyn, too.”
“Did you find
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