It was a moment of total panic and fear for the boys as they got separated while escaping from the media. Kiko stumbled and fell on some stones. He gave out a low growl as the graze in his left knee got worse. He suppressed the urge to cry, in fear that he would be heard by the media men, though the pain was really excruciating. His wound might have opened up again.
"Hey!" he heard a whisper near him. "Is somebody there?"
"Jamie?" he whispered back. "I can hear you. I think we are close by."
They waded through the grasses and their struggle was made more difficult by the starless night. There was the fire, but its bluish-white flame was not so much help. Jamie finally heard Kiko's voice in the grasses in front of him and his friend's silhouette became more visible. Quickly, he ran up to him.
"Oh, thank you," Jamie poured out his happiness.
"I thought we would all get lost. These grasses are difficult at night."
"Are you okay?" Jamie asked after seeing his friend limping.
"I think I'm fine," Kiko replied gloomily. "I tripped and my graze last night just worsened."
"Oh no, I hope it is not so bad," Jamie said while shaking his head.
"I can manage. I think we should find the others."
They were about to begin their search when they heard the sirens of firetrucks coming from a distance. They looked at each other and realized that they must take advantage of the moment. While the media and army would be busy with the fire, they would have to find their friends. So when the firetrucks were close by, they instanly called out their buddies.
"Bogart!"
"Tonton!"
They shouted their names, loud enough for their friends to hear them but low enough not to reach the camp. They sweated because they need to find each other and head home as early as possible.
"Hey guys!" Tonton suddenly appeared before them and hugged them.
The boys leapt in happiness. Now, there was only Bogart.
"Bogart!" they shouted his name while getting farther from the camp.
"Where could he possibly be?" Jamie asked while catching his breath. They were exhausted already.
"We better get back to our bikes," Kiko proposed. "That's where we would all go."
"I guess you are right," Tonton agreed. "I hope he found his way there all by himself."
They dropped their shoulders and lazily head back to their bikes. To their suprise, Bogart was already in their destination. He was resting under the tree, the outline of his body stood up against the darkness.
" Guys, you are late! " Bogart exclaimed demandingly. "What took you so long?"
The boys laughed at how Bogart glared at them. They could not simply believed how things worked out.
"Sorry we were slow," Kiko answered sarcastically. "We were looking for each other in the grasses."
"We went looking for you," Tonton added. "Until we decided to head back, hoping to find you here."
"Honestly, I could not believe our luck and see you here," Jamie said. "We could not be prouder of you."
Bogart immediately hugged each of his friends tightly. He was overwhelmed.
"I know you would look for you," Bogart said, tears beginning to fall from his eyes.
"We will always look out for each other," Jamie declared.
"And what are those tears for?" Kiko teased him which made the other two boys laughed.
"Hey, I'm not being dramatic," Bogart said uncertainly while trying to find a good alibi.
"Are you scared?" Tonton chimed in.
"No, of course not!" Bogart answered defiantly. "It's just that my elbow hurts a lot."
Indeed, it was hurting and only in that moment that he felt the pain again. They had been running for the last half hour that he totally forgot about it.
"Sorry about that," Jamie consoled him. "That makes you and Kiko our wounded brothers from this crazy adventure."
"What happened to you?" Tonton asked.
"My wound from last night opened up when I fell along the way."
"You guys can still ride your bikes?" Jamie asked them. "We must leave while they are still busy."
Jamie pointed at the camp. The fire was about to be extinguished already. Yet, several people had also arrived there, possibly other media men, some police, or just curious individuals. The fire was really dangerous, especially that it happened in the grassland. Though it was from the residential areas, it could destroy neighboring farms.
"We'll get by," Kiko answered and then looked back at Bogart who smiled in return.
Immediately, they boarded their bikes and began their ride home. The ride was slow, and aside from the fact that two of their comrades were hurt, they were absorbed in their own thoughts.
"What have you found back there?" Jamie finally broke the silence.
Tonton and Kiko remained quiet, they were uncertain of how to answer.
"We saw what looked like to be a spaceship in the biggest truck in the camp," Jamie continued when nobody answered.
"It is really a spaceship," Bogart disagreed.
"Regardless, it was the cause of the fire. We accidentally push buttons in the spaceship, causing it to self-destruct and explode."
The two contemplated on what their friends confessed. Despite the fire, it was a chilly evening.
"What we saw was an alien body," Kiko finally confided. "I think it was already dead when we arrived."
"It was the same kind of being that I saw in my dreams," Tonton added. "I guess my visions were not about Earth."
"The alien must have been calling for help," Bogart said easily. "And it contacted you."
"So all along, it was not a meteor," Jamie concluded.
"That's true for the meteor last night," Kiko expressed his worrisome idea. "How about the first one? "
"Could it be another spaceship?" Tonton asked.
"Which carries another alien," Bogart added.
"If that is the case, where is that alien now?"
Nobody answer Jamie. Everything was just speculation. Could they have endangered themselves by discovering little pieces of truth?
They continued home in silence. The fire incedent was all over the news. Thankfully, they were not recognizable in the news footage. It was dark and the actions were quick, so they just looked like shadows in blur.
They retired early in bed. For now, the friends were safe.