Free Trapped by Nicole Smith Page B

she went the other way,” the farmer mumbled as looked back up at the sky.
    The boys from the school stood on the porch and waited for Beth to instruct them . They were looking up at the sky too. Hayden felt a shiver run through him. He couldn’t hel p but wonder what demon Natalie ran from and why did it chase her.
    “Let’s go. We have to keep moving. Natalie ran back into the woods. We have to go now. Where is Beth?” Hayden was ready to go alone if he had too . Carlos walked back into the house. Beth was sitting with the farmer ’ s wife. They appeared to be enjoying a conversation . She was laughing and smiling.
    “Are you coming Beth?” Carlos asked, already knowing her answer. Beth just sh ook her head and kept talking to the woman.

CHAPTER FIVE
    Hayden and Carlos led the boys quickly through the woo ds. Most of them in the group were beginning to realize their true strength and speed. S ome of them even ran in quick sprints wh ere they would actually pass Hayden and Carlos, but they quick ly slowed due to their lack of co-ordination . Hayden tried not to smile. He knew they would probably not stay locked up in that s chool once this journey ended . They ke pt going even though there wasn’t a trail or signs of Natalie in front of them. The sun is starting to set now and t heir spirits were beginning to sink as well .
    “I thought we were so close to finally finding her ,” Carlos sighed as he stopp ed running and ran his fingers through his thick black hair. He looked over at Hayden, who began to slow his pace as well.
    “I felt the same way . I don’t know how far she would have gone or if she i s even going in t his direction. She may have been running in a panic she may have switched directions . I don’t know if we should continue going straight or if we should double back in case we missed something. Maybe she has decided to rest for the night somewhere , ” Hayden was rambling on because he felt so useless and frustrated .
    “I think your right. I don’t think she came this way. I’m not sure, just an instinct. Let’s turn around and pan out to cover more grou nd, just in case she is resting somewhere, ” Carlos said as he thought about what the farmer told them . If Natalie did have something , some demon chasing her and it caught her, the farmer said we would not be able to help her. Why wouldn’t we be able to help her? She isn’t dead, because the farmer said the eyes didn’t see her . What c ould this demon possibly do to her?
    “HAYDEN! CARLOS!” one of the boys shouted. Hayden reached the boy first . He fell down on his knees and began pulling a pile of tree branches off of a body. Carlos gasped as he reached him an d began frantically helping him .
    “Natalie,” Hayden shout ed, as he lifted her up into his arms and kissed her face. She was so still in his arms. Carlos couldn’t stop the tears from falling. He held one of her hands and felt the coldness. He pressed his fi nger against her wrist to feel for a pulse he was sure would not be present.
    “Hayden , she is not dead. Put her down quickly , I have to listen to her heart, ” Carlos ordered through his tears. Hayden gently laid her down and placed his cheek above her mouth, hoping to feel a breath. It was faint but it was there.
    “Her breath is extremely slow and shallow. W e have to get her to a hospital, ” Carlos said as he stood and noticed th e boys standing back from them.
    “She is alive. We h ave to get her back to the city, ” Carlos told them, but they didn’t look at him, they were looking past him at something in the woods.
    “What is it?” Carlos dema nded. He couldn’t see anything. One of the boys looked at Carlo s then focused his glare on Natalie.
    “It’s the eyes. They are watching us. They are protectin g someone just beyond the trees,” he stammered before he suddenly stiffened and look ed at Hayden.
    “The farmer was right, y ou can’t help Natalie now . A hospital can’t help her