Just a Barbeque...

Victoria didn't stir. She was completely silent, unaware that Riley was trying to wake her, tear her from the clutches of the dark.

"Ugh, i have to do everything? Thanks, Birmingham."

She picked the girl up by her ankles and dragged her into the corn, quickly dropping her in safety and rushing back for Logan.

"You alive?"

She shook him a little and then shrugged, pulling him into the corn as well.

"How am I going to get them back to the house..?"

"Okay, i'll take Logan back, then come back for Victoria."

She began dragging the poor boy through the cornfield as the vision of her best friend, disappeared.

Finally reaching the house she dropped Logan on the grass and fell down, panting.

"ERIC!! JOSH!!! DAD!!!!!" She screamed.

"Huh?" Josh dropped the steak on the scewer and ran out front with the others.

They saw Logan and Riley and questioningly bent down next to the girl.

"Whats wrong? And where's Victoria?" Her dad asked.

Riley caught her breathe and pointed to Logan.

"We were walking, and something horrible happened. So I came back, Got Victoria after Logan had been taken, she got taken, And i managed to get Logan back here."

She stood up and walked over to Logan who was now on the grass.

"What're we going to do? I may be overreacting, but, I'm willing to live with that." She said sitting down next to him.

"Well," Her dad started, standing up. "Let's go get her. Riley, you stay here with him. I'll call Caroline. She'll be here to protect you."

"What??? No, I--" She looked at Logan and closed her eyes briefly.
"Okay."

After twenty minutes or so the Sheriff, Caroline, had appeared in the drive.
Riley smiled and got up to hug her.

"What happened to the boy?" She asked poking his side with her gun.

"Oh," Riley said, slowly moving the gun away. "He got jumped."

"Well, I'll be. Let's get him inside then." Riley took the legs and Caroline grabbed his shoulders and they carried him inside.

"Alright put him down here." Riley said and they dropped him on the couch.

"I'll get some water." Caroline grabbed a bucket and filled it with freezing cold water.

She grabbed a rag and dropped it in. "You best try to wake him up, dear."

Riley reluctanty grabbed the rg and wet it, ringing it out and dabbing it on Logan's forehead.

She smiled, wiping off a little trickle of water that drizzled past his eye.

Caroline turned on the television and watched the two.
She rested her gun on her lap, just in case.

Riley finished with the rag. His face was wet, yes. But what did it matter? It's just water.

Caroline had fallen asleep, and Riley had no intention of watching her snore and drool all over her dad's couch.

She walked over to the windowsill and sat down, watching Logan from across the room, deathly set on him waking up at that second.

Wake up, Wake up, God Please, Wake up.

Victoria snapped awake.

It was dark. Or was it?

Maybe her eyes were covered.

She could no longer her the brushing of the stalks in the field.

Where everything had started.

Victoria heard soft voices.

But not Riley's.

Not Logan's.

Unfamiliar.

Quiet.

Riley's dad, Eric, and Josh all moved into the cornfield setting in deeper and deeper.
They pushed through the stalks, Riley's father using his rifle to peer out at the
strange group that had taken Victoria.
Young men, hispanic. More than likely a gang.
He leapt out of the corn and shot, knocking down one.
Another panicked and pulled out a handgun preparing to fire when Eric
suddenly sent a blow to the back of his head with a shotgun.


Josh smiled and took care of the last member, he pulled him into the corn and set out the last shot, crows in the distance flapping their way out of the cornfield.

Riley's dad grabbed Victoria and they all ran back to the house quickly.
They burst in suddenly and he pulled the blindfold off of the girl.

_____________________

Riley jumped up and ran into the kitchen to hug Victoria.

"Logan's still out.." She said leading her to the livingroom.
Caroline got up and nodded, walking out the door with her rifle raised.

Riley shrugged and sat down next to Logan.

"I hope he wakes up soon..."
She tried to smile, but somehow.... couldn't.