Quality and Quantity

“Don’t leave me.” Amanda told Will. He didn’t know what to say.

  “Come on, it’s late.” Kyra whined. Harold climbed into the tent as Kyra threw off her jersey and shorts to the side. Harold snuggled in beside her. It was a long day and her entire body was numb. After the accidental brawl, she had been feeling dizzy.

  Harold was also feeling pain. Will had been a rough match and he hoped Will would look after Nate. Nate was the most vulnerable, weakest, and furious one alive.

  In his tent, Nate lied blankly on the ground. He pictured Helen beside him, smiling and cheering him up. Instead, he was alone. Sure he had his friends, but no one could replace Helen. “How am I going to survive?” he whispered. He fell asleep after crying himself tired.

  Early the next morning, the sun was the alarm. Rays opened Will’s eyes. Amanda was still asleep like a baby, of course. Will silently slipped on his shirt and stepped outside. “What a view!” The sun was rising and the trees sparkled. He chewed on an apple and Pepsi. It was a new day and they had to get out of there. “Morning sunshine.”

  Harold stretched out and grabbed a Bud. He wasn’t used to drinking, but what the heck. He might die soon so he enjoyed it.

  “Nate still asleep?” Will asked.

  Harold’s smile disappeared. “Yeah, not a word yet.” They studied the map and reviewed the plan.

  “Here’s us and the lake is west. Their lookout is miles south. We drive straight for the road and circle the camp to avoid them.”

  “I’m in, but you better drive fast.”

  An hour later, Amanda and Kyra were up, dressed, and full of energy and life. “Do we wake Nate?” Kyra asked.

  “No, let him sleep it off. We need his help.” Will said.

  On a ridge, Will had the binoculars. He searched the area for any life. He stopped at a clearing at least six miles away. It was Bert, suggesting by the bold head. That didn’t shock Will. Bert was in the bed of a four wheel drive Ford speeding their way! “Get the car started! We got to go!” Will ran into camp startling everyone. “Bert and Rosa are in a truck. We have to go now.”

  “How long?” Harold asked.

  “Five minutes, hurry!” With that, they were gone. They shoved the tents and gear in the trunk first, leaving Nate’s. They secured the food and supplies next. Boom! A gunshot went off about a mile away. The girls waited in the back as Will and Harold got Nate ready.

  “Get up!” They shook the tent, but got no answer. “Get the engine started!” Will went to start the engine as Harold tried waking Nate. He shouted something, but the engine blocked it out. The truck was in sight, just fifteen seconds away! “Nate!”

  Nate opened the door as the truck was air borne, heading for him! His body froze and Harold shoved him. They jumped into the Hummer and sped off with the truck gaining. The tent was shredded in the tires. Rosa’s eyes met Kyra’s and she huddled with Amanda.

  “Where do we go?” Will cried out.

  Harold remembered putting the map in the food crate and went to retrieve it. With every bump and turn, it made it harder to move back to the trunk. As he grabbed the crate, he screamed. The truck was speeding and slammed the rear. Metal crunched and jerked the Hummer. Harold was thrown into the driver seat. The crate spilt food everywhere as Will jerked the vehicle.

  Kyra unfolded the map and paused. The hood compass read they were heading southwest. The lake! “The lake is ahead!” Boom! “AH!” The left rear tire was blown due to a bullet and spun the Hummer out of control. “AH!” Everything was thrown around inside as it jerked left and slammed into a tree.

  “Will!” Amanda cried, pointing ahead. Ahead was a cliff, a hundred feet at most. It led straight down into Lake Erie! Boom! The right tire was blown out and the car flipped over the cliff!

  “Hold on!” The last thing Nate saw was Rosa’s cruel eyes and then water.

  Splash! The windows shattered and flooded the car as it started to sink. Nate swam over the seat and opened the trunk. The supplies drug him to the surface. He looked around and saw the truck on the ridge. Bert stood with an AK 47! “Oh crap!” Hundreds of bullets poured into the water. Nate somehow avoided being shot. Around him, the others bobbled to the surface.

  Amanda was first, her lungs burning. Her shirt was torn from being caught by a broken window.

  Harold came next with Kyra in his arms. Will came last, holding the map. “Head for the shore!” They swam toward an inclined cliff. Nate was glad that no one had died in the accident, but he didn’t want to be jinxed. They climbed the wall and reached the leveled ground.

  “Now what?” Kyra was concerned. “We have no supplies or transportation. They are heading this way.” No one had a plan. She had a point. They wouldn’t stand a chance. “Run! The road is near.” Harold led them with Will following, Amanda in the middle, then Nate, and Kyra.

  The truck’s engine was closing in and they were trapped. In the truck, Rosa’s foot was glued to the petal. She wanted them dead. They were to be recognized for lasting the longest and putting up the biggest fight. As a result, three of her family members were dead. She wanted to kill them one by one. Her family wouldn’t die in vain. No, not as long as she could still shoot a gun. Even after this, they would have to clean it up. Kids were the worst. Their parents would be looking with the law. Especially with twenty missing kids and a bus, it would be risky. They would have to start from scratch and retry it. Boom! An empty shell bounced off the hood and rolled to the ground.

  Boom! Harold heard the gunshot had reacted. He dived behind a tree and rolled down a small hill. The others followed, sliding down the bank.

  Amanda heard the truck stop, but not shut off. She peeked from behind a bush. Rosa had gotten out and examined the ground. Blood was spilt on several trees and the windshield. Then she saw Kyra. A large hole was in the back of her head!

  “Throw her in the bed and find the others.” Bert threw the body in the bed as Rosa searched for them.

  Amanda looked to her right. Harold’s eyes were in tears. His muscles were locked and his pulse increased rapidly.

  Rosa and Bert were nearing him and Amanda near what would happen next. It did.

  “AH! You killed her!” Harold leapt like a lion on prey.

  Bert rose his firearm, but Harold knocked it away. In that instance, Will and Nate wrestled down Rosa. Amanda snuck around the trees and raced for the truck.

  On the ground, Bert was helpless. His gun had slid somewhere down the bank and painful punches crushed his ribs. Harold kept shouting, “You shot her! Kyra is dead!” Harold crushed Bert’s head into the ground. Blood soaked the dirt, but he was alive. Harold reached for the gun and leveled it to Bert’s temple. “Say hi to Satin!” He whacked the butt against Bert’s left temple and Bert was left lifeless.

  Rosa was putting up a fight. Nate was wrapped around her legs and Will had her in a choke hold. She kicked wildly, finding her mark. Her foot broke Nate nose and he lost his hold. She threw off Will and ran for the truck. Surprised, she saw Amanda behind the wheel.

  “Demon!” She slammed the gas, but Rosa dodged it. She whipped out her pistol and shot out all four tires! Boom! “AH!” The truck flipped, crushing its roof. Amanda felt blood run down her arm and saw a gash in her shoulder from glass. She crawled out to meet faces with Kyra! “AH!” She backed out of the passenger door and was thrown down by Rosa.

  “Nice trick brat!”

  “No, you’re the snobby brat!” Amanda elbowed Rosa in the gut and escaped. Will snatched her hand and followed Harold and Nate through the woods.

  “Come here!” Rosa cried out. She grabbed her pistol and chased them once more.

  The sun was at midday, noon. It was the final stand. Twenty average teens had outsmarted five of the best known killers in the world, but with a sacrifice. Seventeen of their dearest friends had been murdered. As well, they outsmarted four of the five and killed them. To Will, they were like the Muroshis, but with a different reason for killing: Revenge! Now they ran
through an unknown area of the woods with a killer chasing in.

  Boom! “AH!” Nate tumbled with blood staining his left leg.

  “Nate is shot!” Harold shouted. Will and him hoisted him up and continued.

  “You’re going to make it man.” Will said trying to calm him down. All he did was scream and leak blood on them. Boom! Boom!

  Rosa fired again, but with no luck. It was jammed. She revealed Amy’s knife from her bra and ran with all her might.

  “Leave me.” Nate managed to shout out in between screams. “Leave me, I’ll only slow you down while you run for help.”

  “No, we won’t leave you. We got this far and we….” Will was cut off by a loud scream of pain.

  “What’s the point? I’m wounded mentally and physically. I have nothing to live for. I love you guys.” Nate whispered. Tears filled his eyes as he heard Rosa’s grunts.

  “We won’t last anyways. The road is still miles ahead. She’ll catch us.” Amanda sobbed.

  “We don’t run!” Harold proudly said. “We ran all weekend and looked where it got us…killed! At least when we fought we stood a chance.” He got their attention.

  “What do we do?” Will asked.

  Harold looked into the trees. “We hide and ambush. You ready Nate?” Harold hugged his best pal and climber the nearest tree.

  Rosa stumbled into the clearing to see Nate leaning on his side. “Looks like you found me.”

  “Now I have you. Too bad you can’t watch