by A E Faulkner
Once I cross the finish line, a solid ten seconds ahead of the next runner to place, I slow to a jog and move to the grassy center of the track. Bending at the waist and placing my hands on my knees for support, I catch my breath. In between gasps for breath, I cheer on my teammates with unmatched vigor. When the meet ends, I wave goodbye to the team and join my family.
By the time we pile into my dad’s car and the engine purrs, my eyes start to flutter closed. When they slowly crack open again, I’m startled by what’s before me. We’re no longer driving home from the track meet. My panic skyrockets as I recognize Route One near Aunt Grace’s trailer. The rain flows in heavy sheets and my parents are debating whether they should pull over and wait out the storm or just keep going. I start screaming that we need to pull over, but they can’t hear me. It’s like I’m not even there. Riley is sleeping in the backseat next to me. I clutch her arms and shake her, but she doesn’t respond.
With tears trailing from my eyes, I reach toward my mom’s seat, begging her to hear me. She doesn’t even flinch, but my body starts shaking violently. My eyes fly open and my brain stutters as it tries to comprehend what’s happening. Aidan’s face is inches from mine, his hot breath sweeping across my flushed cheeks.
“Quinn, wake up,” he whispers frantically. I fix my wide-eyed gaze on him, searching his eyes for answers. “It’s okay, Quinn,” he says calmly. “Try to slow down your breathing, take some nice deep breaths, okay?” I nod slowly and will my chest to stop heaving.
Once my breathing evens out, I quietly say, “Sorry, I just had a nightmare.” Aidan’s blue eyes overflow with pity when he responds, “It sounded like a pretty nasty one.”
Looking around the room, I notice Chris is gone. “Where’s Chris? Did he come and get you?” Scratching his head, Aidan answers, “Yeah, about that. I guess you started shaking in your sleep and it woke him up. When you started crying and half-screaming, he got freaked out and ran to our room.”
Dropping my head into my hands, shame engulfs me. “Poor Chris, I hope he’s not scared of me now.” I can’t look Aidan in the eyes when I share my worry. “Oh, come on now,” he says. “He can’t be the first guy to run screaming from you.” I can’t hold back a genuine chuckle that slows my tears and throws me into a fit of unhinged laughter. My overflowing emotions are uncontrollable.
After we’ve both had a good laugh, silence settles over us. “Thanks for coming in to check on me,” I say. “I’m gonna go wash my face and then try to fall back asleep. You are officially relieved of your babysitting duties.” He smirks at me and says, “Nope, you’re stuck with me tonight. I promised the others I’d keep an eye on you. You know, make sure you don’t try to kung-fu anyone else while they’re sleeping.”
I give him one more smile before I rise to my feet and pad out the door. Tiptoeing to the bathroom, I find my feet keeping pace with the rhythmic sound of rain pelting the roof. Exhaling a sigh of relief, I realize what a good decision it was to stop here for the night. We could be driving in this downpour or attempting to sleep outside at the campground. I’ll take four walls and a civilized restroom, even if it means delaying our trip a bit.
As soon as I wash away the excess mucus just waiting to escape my nose and dry the tear tracks on my cheeks, my mood lightens. It was just a stupid dream. I’m on my way to find Riley. I’m going to see her again, soon. The door softly swishes closed behind me as I exit the restroom.
When I reach the party room, Aidan is stretched out on my “bed.” He pats the gray blanket, encouraging me to join him. There’s no way I’m sleeping directly on this carpet, so I follow his lead and lie down on “my” side. I turn so I’m facing away from him. I can sense when he turns toward me, but I stay still. “Now, Quinn,” his voice sounds husky. “Don’t even think about trying any funny business. I’m here simply to ensure that you sleep soundly. I’d offer to sleep head-to-toe, but I am not willing to leave my head vulnerable to your feet if you decide to go all WWE on me.”
“I’ll try to restrain myself,” I say with mock seriousness. “Goodnight.”
“G’night.”
Chapter 42
Light slowly invades my eyelids as I stir from a dreamless sleep. Whispered words carry into the room, but I can’t quite make them out. My eyes flutter open and land on the arm draped over my waist. My heartbeat quickens when comprehension dawns on my fuzzy brain. Memories of last night flash through my mind, and the source of the calming warmth emanating from my backside zooms into focus.
My ears hone-in on the whispering voices. “Well, look who’s all cozy in here,” hisses a snarky, high-pitched voice that can only be Jasmine. “Dang, no wonder he left me with Chris.” That must be Jeff. “How long was I asleep? What did I miss?” Wes cuts in.
“Hey, guys! What are you all looking at?” Chris’ small voice booms as his footfalls approach the doorway. Thank goodness the noise rouses Aidan. His whole body shudders next to me as he’s startled awake. I roll over on my side to face the group as Aidan jolts upright mumbling, “What’s going on?”
Jeff’s only too happy to answer that question, eyebrows waggling overenthusiastically. “Maybe that’s what we should be asking you two.” After a short burst of laughter, Jasmine and the guys leave us in awkward silence.
Running a hand through his tousled hair, Aidan rolls on his knees and pushes to standing. “Well, I guess we should get ready and hit the road. Today is the day we make it to Langley!”
After a hearty breakfast of cold pizza and juice packs, we gather our belongings and as much food as we can pack, and then bid Ton O’ Fun farewell. The distraction it provided was therapeutic, that is, until my nightmare sent Chris screaming from my room.
A light drizzle follows us through the parking lot. It’s not enough to warrant an umbrella—not that we have one, but it’s about as annoying as a cloud of gnats. While most of us purposefully avoid the minefield of puddles in the lot, each one in our path beckons to Chris. The raindrops seem to energize the kid as he crashes through puddle after puddle, leading the way to the Malibu.
After tossing the food and our bags in the trunk, we cram into the car, returning to the seats we previously occupied. Humidity overtakes the small space, and the cramped quarters are even less comfortable in damp clothes.
Inserting the key into the ignition, Jeff turns to Chris. “Alright, buddy, what now?” After a momentary look of confusion, Chris’ eyes fly open and a grin spreads across his face. “Driver… start… your… engine!” he exclaims with just enough pause between words for maximum impact.
Jeff takes his cue and turns the engine over, shifting from neutral to drive. He shoots us a smirk and says, “Hold on.” With that, he grasps the wheel and slams his foot down on the gas pedal. I clutch the grip handle in anticipation, but instead of shooting forward, the back tires spin and the asphalt drops below us.
Chapter 43
Jasmine’s screams fill my ears. I can’t be sure if my own screams permeate the car too or if they only echo in my mind. Chris’ head volleys back and forth between Jeff and Aidan, his eyes searching for answers.
Jeff revs the engine, punching the gas in an attempt to move us forward. While the front end of the car rises, the back drops like a boulder. Aidan shouts to be heard over the panicked din. “Stop! Stop the car. We need to get out. Now.”
Seizing the handle, I throw the door open. The hinges squeal as I steal a quick glance behind me. Wes shoves Jasmine out the other door. Fighting gravity, I push through my open door. For a dumbfounded moment, I gawk at the crumbling edge of asphalt glaring at me. Shouting pulls me out of the temporary stupor.
“Quinn! Grab my hand,” Jeff yells, reaching over the cracked edge. The previously puddled water rushes toward me, muddying the exposed dirt. Scrambling on the slick earth, I snag Jeff’s open palm. His biceps flex as he eases me up and over the fissure. I flop onto my backside and crab-walk away from the opening.
“Stay right there!” Jeff commands as he jumps to h
is feet and runs around to the other side of the car. Yeah, no worries there. I‘ve got no plans to jump back into the hole that decided to swallow our car.
The two front tires perch on the asphalt while the back end of the car grumbles as it slowly sinks deeper into the dirt. Still comprehending that the car we were just sitting in is being swallowed by the earth, I scan the parking lot, searching for signs that the ground isn’t done shaking. My eyes barely register the activity swirling around me.
Jeff leads a gasping Jasmine toward me and directs her to sit down. She’s still screeching, “What the hell?” when he turns away, shifting his attention to Aidan and Wes. Chris scrambles around the guys, flanking them like a hummingbird searching for nectar.
Wes staggers, leaning into Aidan. An angry red gash separates several inches of skin just below his right knee. Fueled by a rush of adrenaline, I spring to my feet. “What can I do? How can I help?”
“Let’s go back inside. We need to get that leg patched up,” Jeff commands, rushing to Wes’ other side, taking position as another crutch. Trudging around the building, we return to Ton O’ Fun. I never thought we’d see this place again, but we can’t seem to escape it.
The guys lead Wes back to the party room that served as their bedroom last night. As they gently guide Wes onto a makeshift bed, he starts rambling. “Thanks, guys. My leg’s killing me. What happened out there? Was there another earthquake?”
“That wasn’t an earthquake,” Aidan announces. “That was a sinkhole, and it just swallowed our ride and all of our belongings.”
Chapter 44
Silence saturates the room. My brain replays the moment I tossed my bag in the trunk, just a moment before I threw Riley’s bag in there. I can’t lose my sister’s bag. It’s the only connection I have to her right now.
“I’m going back out there. I have to get my stuff out of the trunk,” I state firmly. Jasmine punctuates a perfectly-timed eye roll with a groan. Before the looming argument erupts, Jeff barks out orders.
“Quinn, there’s no time for that right now. Go to the bathroom, grab as many paper towels as you can find. Run some under hot water and bring them all out here. Aidan and Chris, find a First Aid kit. Jasmine, go to the freezer and find something we can use as an ice pack.”
Once again, before my eyes, Jeff transforms into the ROTC student I imagine he was before our paths crossed. He’ll be a great military officer someday. The clack of fingers snapping pulls me back to the present. “Quinn! Let’s go,” Jeff snaps.
After we’ve gathered our assigned supplies and reported back to Jeff, he patches Wes’ leg up as best he can. Wes guzzles down some water and ibuprofen from the First Aid kit. When the bandages prove they’ll stay in place, we leave Wes in the party room to rest.
As soon as the door drifts closed, I announce, “Okay, I’m going back to the car. I’ll just need the keys.”
Aidan and Jeff share a glance. “Let’s not have this conversation here. Wes needs to rest. Let’s go to the kitchen and talk while we clean up,” Jeff suggests. Turning to Chris, he says, “Buddy, why don’t you wait here. Just keep an eye out and if Wes makes any noise, you check on him, okay?”
Chris purses his lips and watches us curiously but doesn’t argue. His only response is to slide down the jungle-green wall until his butt lands on the black carpet. The four of us continue to the kitchen in silence. Each step I take strengthens my resolve. They will not talk me out of doing what I need to do.
As soon as we reach the kitchen, Aidan ignites the firing squad. “Quinn, sinkholes aren’t safe. You can’t just hop in and out of them whenever you want.”
Striding to the sink, I wash my hands, letting the warm water run down my fingertips just like I’m letting his words slide out of my thoughts. He quickly takes my place at the faucet when I yank a paper towel from the dispenser and scrub my hands dry.
“Yeah, and the last thing we need is someone else hurt,” Jasmine mutters, crossing her arms. Before I can respond, Jeff approaches me cautiously.
“I know you want your stuff,” he says sympathetically, resting a hand on my shoulder. “Heck, we all do. Not to mention the food that’s sitting in that trunk. But it’s not worth what could happen. It’s just not worth the risk, Quinn.” His eyes beg me to understand. But he’s the one who will never understand. I need to get my sister’s bag. I have to bring it to her.
I don’t want to waste one more moment listening to them tell me what to do. “Guys, it’s all on me, okay. If I get hurt or something, just leave me. I’ll figure it out.” Extending one hand, palm side up, in front of me, I simply say, “The keys please.”
With an audible huff of disagreement, Jeff beckons over his shoulder. “They’re in the party room with Wes. They were digging into my leg, so I pulled them out of my pocket and dropped them on the floor.”
“Thanks,” I say coolly. Turning on my heel, I stride to the party room. Anchoring one hand on the toothy hippo painted on the door, I crack it open as quietly as possible. Not quietly enough, as a startled Wes questions, “Chris, that you again?”
“Sorry, Wes, it’s just me, Quinn,” I say quickly. “You keep resting. I just came to get the car keys. Jeff said he dropped them on the floor in here somewhere.” Bending down, I start patting the floor and all of the germs it harbors.
“The car keys,” he says groggily. “Chris was in here a few minutes ago, looking around on the floor too. Said he needed to get the keys for you.”
Chapter 45
Pushing down a surge of panic, I simply say, “Thanks, Wes, you get some rest. I’ll go find the kid,” before I sprint out the door. Dashing around the colorful money-hungry video games and token dispensers, I whisper-yell, “Chris!”
I’m greeted with silence, as expected. Charging out the door, I tear through the parking lot until the car is in sight. A flutter of movement at the Malibu catches my eye. “Chris!” I yell, hovering around the edge of the asphalt’s gaping mouth.
The kid’s straddling rocky ledges lining the dirt wall. Looking up, he flashes me a smile. “Quinn, I’m doing it! I’m getting the bags!” Suppressing my anger, I smile back and say, “Chris, let’s get you out of there. Let me do it.”
As if I didn’t say a word, he crawls into the open trunk. The car releases a metallic groan in response to the added weight. Wide-eyed, the smile slips off of Chris’ face. “Quinn, wh-what was that?” he stutters.
“Buddy, just come out, okay? We’ll worry about the bags later,” I plead. He shakes his head defiantly. “Get ready to catch, Quinn. I’m gonna throw a bag out.”
With that, he heaves each bag, one at a time, and tosses it to me. He pauses momentarily between each load to catch his breath and swipe messy blond hair off his sweaty forehead. Sweeping my eyes over the car and the hole that swallowed it, a sense of urgency surges through me. Dropping the final bag at my feet, I instruct Chris to crawl out of the trunk slowly.
“I can’t, Quinn,” he gasps between gulps of air. “The food is still in here. I have to get it.” Shaking my head fervently, I cry, “No! It’s not worth it. You’re more important. Just come out!”
Disbelief flashes in his watery eyes. “But, the cookies,” he whimpers.
“Chris, come out now!” I huff through clenched teeth. Worry wraps its sharp claws around every last thought in my head. Slowly nodding in defeat, he concedes.
Shifting his weight to the edge of the trunk, he starts crawling out backwards. When one shaky foot reaches the ledge, he visibly relaxes. Pushing off of the car, he throws his other foot behind him, searching for a grip.
Just as he stands tall, leaning into the alcove of earth, a sharp cry cuts through the air, startling us both. “Chris!” Jasmine’s panicked voice rings in my ears as a scream escapes my own lips. “Noooooooo,” I shout as Chris loses his foothold. His little hands scramble over the bumper before he disappears into the plunging darkness below.
Chapter 46
I drop to my knees, reaching into the
vast emptiness. “Chris, can you hear me? Are you okay?”
“I’m here,” a shaky voice answers. It’s barely audible. I hope that’s only because he’s scared and not because he’s fallen halfway to China.
“Stay right where you are,” I command. “I’ll be right there.” As I jump to my feet, Aidan, Jeff, and Jasmine surround me. “Where’s Chris?” Jeff asks. Pushing through the barrier they form, I walk around to the part of the crevice closest to the open trunk.
Sizing up the best option to find my footing, I answer. “He fell in the sinkhole.” My limbs tremble and my lips quiver. If anything happens to him…
“You sent a kid into a sinkhole to get your bags?” Jasmine explodes.
Darting my eyes to meet hers, I start explaining, “No! He did it on his own. I was going—” Before I can finish, the guys spring into action. Maneuvering around me, Jeff eases himself into the gaping maw, landing on the ledge Chris found. His much larger feet slip with each step, sending a tumbling trail of dirt and pebbles deeper into the earth. Aidan drops to the ground, flat on his stomach just above the hole, his right arm stretched straight down along the edge. His fingers grasp the waistband of Jeff’s shorts, anchoring the rescue efforts.
Jeff leans as deep into the hole as possible without escaping Aidan’s hold. He calls to Chris, who answers almost immediately. After sending a few reassuring words to the kid, Jeff rights himself.
“Alright, I’ve got to crawl down there. I can’t reach him from this ledge,” he explains. Aidan gives him one solid nod before backing off. Hesitation weighs in his blue eyes, but he just watches, every muscle of his body tensed and ready to act when needed.
