Page 23 of I Dare You
I jump over a fallen tree and instantly lose my footing as my ankle rolls when I land in a ditch.
I don’t stop, however.
I hobble away, listening for any clues to where my attackers are.Their heavy footsteps scatter, indicating they are running in different directions.They’re crisscrossing, covering more ground.
If I continue running, they’ll eventually catch me.
So I decide to hide.
There’s a hill ahead with, from memory, a stream down below.I know there are some alcoves along the riverbed.
Just as I reach the edge and am about to throw myself down the hill, the back of my T-shirt snags because someone snares it and yanks me backward.
I fight with all my might, but he grabs me by the hair.
“I’ve got the bitch!”he alerts the others, but I don’t recognize his voice.
I attempt to twist out of his hold, but he’s holding me tight.He latches onto the back of my neck and draws me into his chest.
“Stop squirming,” he warns with his lips too close to my ear.He smells of whiskey.
I jerk my head away, but he bends forward and licks along the side of my neck.
Everything is soon replaced with fear.
“Dude, she’s quick for a small thing,” says another boy, panting.He’s young.My age, I would guess.He has a lisp.
“Bring her back to the car,” orders the last boy.He sounds older than the other two.He also sounds like the one in charge.
I don’t recognize any of their voices, and they make sure I don’t recognize their faces either, as a pillowcase is shoved over my head.My hands are loosely bound in front of me with rope.This was premeditated.
I am then led blindly.
There’s no escape.
Two boys are on either side of me, holding my arms tightly.The other is on the phone.
“Yup, we got her.”
I think on my toes and differentiate my three attackers by the limited information I have.
The older one has a raspy voice, as if smoking one too many cigarettes.I dub him Smokes.
Some talking from whoever Smokes is on the phone with before silence.
“Really?”Smokes asks, as if incredulous to the request.“Yes, of course we do, but?—”
He’s cut off.
A moment later, he hangs up.
“What did Legs—” Lisp says.
“Shh!No names, remember?”
I know this is useless, but I have to at least try.“What do you want?I am nobody!”
I struggle against my captors, but they only hold on tighter.
