Adventure!?
This is a group of 8 people. They all live in the same state and attend the same high school. They supported and comforted each other in good and bad times, forming an inseparable circle of friends. They were in the same class at school, helping each other with group work.
After a tiring school day, everyone had gone home. Some were playing on their phones, others were watching movies, and the rest were busy with different tasks. Suddenly, a message came from Fred:
"I'm going to the woods for a walk. Honestly, I'd like you all to join me. I'd be happy if you accept my offer."
Right after, another message popped up, this time from Orlich:
"To be honest, I have some things to do, but the weather is nice. So, this offer seems worth considering."
The others also showed no indifference to the idea and agreed to go. The meeting point was decided to be in front of the school.
Shortly after, everyone had gathered at the school's front. Fred and Ethan had already planned to bring a car, so the group would travel to the woods together in their vehicle. Soon, the group loaded their belongings into the car. Once everyone was seated, they finally hit the road, and conversations began...
They eventually arrived at the woods and started exploring. Sheila wanted to check the time but remembered she had left her phone in the car. She asked Emma for the time. Richard quickly glanced at his watch and said:
"It's 2:20 PM."
In fact, Richard liked Sheila but thought that she wouldn't feel the same because he was Black. So, he had decided to keep his feelings to himself for now.
The group ventured deeper into the woods. Suddenly, Fred's foot got tangled in a rope, and he fell into an underground basement. Everyone was in a panic, trying to understand what had happened. Then Orlich helped him out of the basement, grabbed a flashlight, and carefully climbed down himself. What he saw amazed him:
"This place is incredible!"
Indeed, apart from the spider webs and dusty furniture, it was quite a cozy place. Orlich explored the basement further. There were old furniture, empty tin cans, a carpet rotted from dampness, and a table set next to a blackened stove.
"So, this place must have been inhabited years ago," Sheila remarked.
Fred, who had been quietly enduring his pain, suddenly screamed, pointing to his leg:
"My leg! I think it's broken!"
As soon as he said this, Fred's pain seemed to intensify, and he started screaming louder. Though Fred only pointed to his leg, he had also injured his head and arm. Victoria, noticing Fred's bloodied leg, exclaimed:
"We need to take him to the hospital immediately!"
Fred's leg was bleeding profusely. Rima called out to Emma, asking for the first aid kit from her bag. Emma handed the bag to her, saying, "Here, take it."
However, Richard stepped in, insisting that he would take care of Fred's leg. He pulled out painkillers and a bandage, applied the painkiller to the wound, and tightly wrapped it with the bandage. Once done, he lifted Fred onto his shoulder and began heading toward the exit of the woods.
They carefully placed Fred in Ethan's car. Richard got into the driver's seat, Orlich sat beside him, and Sheila sat in the back next to Fred. Ethan and the rest of the group followed in Fred's car.
The hospital was about 30-40 minutes away from the woods. Considering the situation, Richard pressed the gas pedal hard, speeding towards their destination. Glancing at Fred through the mirror, he saw that Fred had turned pale due to blood loss, and his eyes were closing.
Hospital
When Fred opened his eyes, he found himself in a bed. It was a clean, quiet, and warm place. At first, he couldn't comprehend why he was there. Then, all the events came rushing back to him.
At that moment, Richard's voice echoed. He was speaking to the doctor in his usual loud tone.
Richard said to the doctor:
"Look, he's the greatest treasure and friend I have in this life. Please, do everything you can. Don't withhold your help."
The doctor replied:
"Rest assured, sir. We'll do our best."
Then, the sound of footsteps was heard, and Richard entered the room. His clothes were soaked in blood. The blood had also stained Fred, as Richard had carried him on his shoulders. When Fred saw him, he tried to get up, but Richard stopped him, pushing him back gently and saying:
"No, you're not allowed to get up. The doctor forbids it."
Lying back on the pillow and taking a deep breath, Fred said:
"Thank you for helping me."
"No need to thank me for things like this. Anyone in my place would have done the same."
"No, no one can replace you," Fred said with a smile.
Richard couldn't ignore these words, and a smile formed on his face. At that moment, the doctor entered the room. With meaningful eyes, he looked at Fred and asked:
"How are you feeling?"
Fred nodded, signaling that everything was fine. The doctor, noticing the exhaustion in Fred's eyes, understood that he needed rest. He asked Richard to leave the room, and together, they stepped out.
In the corridor, Fred's friends and his mother, Elina, who had raised him alone since his father's death, were waiting anxiously. Elina looked at the doctor with pleading eyes and said:
"Please, tell me he's okay. Say he's awake."
The doctor replied indifferently:
"He's fine."
Elina, with a sorrowful look, asked:
"Can we see him now?"
The doctor responded:
"He's tired and needs to rest," and then took out his phone. He called a nurse, requesting a sedative injection for Fred, and walked away.
This news brought them some relief. Even the walls, which had seemed to close in on them moments ago, now felt less oppressive. However, Elina couldn't hold back her tears. Richard and Ethan escorted her outside to comfort her.
Sheila, unable to bear the situation, collapsed to the floor, sobbing. Despite Victoria and Emma's efforts to console her, they couldn't succeed. Rima knelt beside Sheila, holding her hands, and said:
"Look, Sheila, everything will be okay. Fred wouldn't want to see you like this. At least don't cry for his sake."
At that moment, the nurse entered the room to check on Fred. She asked if he was in pain, and Fred, as always, responded with a nod, signaling that he wasn't. The nurse gave him a sedative injection and left the room.
Seeing the nurse, Sheila begged for permission to see Fred. The nurse's only response was:
"The patient is asleep, and I cannot wake him."
A Simple Day
It had already been three days since the incident. Fred had been discharged from the hospital. The doctor had warned him not to experience stress or anxiety because of his severe injuries. Now, he lay in bed, quiet and exhausted.
His eyes were fixed on the framed picture of his late father hanging on the wall. He stared at it as if the photo was trying to tell him something, but it just couldn't find the words.
Suddenly, footsteps echoed through the hallway, and the door opened. At that moment, his uncle Jack, whom he had despised since childhood, entered the room along with his daughter, Ashley. The truth was, Ashley had feelings for Fred, but he saw her as arrogant and spoiled, which made him resent her. However, here they were, standing side by side in front of him.
Jack approached, scanned him with an indifferent look, and then extended his hand for a handshake. When it was Ashley's turn, she greeted him with a fake smile. But Fred didn't miss the way Jack had practically forced his hand up.
"How are you feeling?" Jack asked.
"Thanks, Uncle. I'm feeling a little better now," Fred replied.
He was about to ask how they had found out about his injury when he suddenly rememberedâhe had been in his uncle's hospital.
Jack took a deep breath and asked again, "So, how did you fall?"
Fred told him everythingâhow he had fallen, how he had gotten injured, and everything surrounding the accident. After a while, Jack and Ashley left.
As soon as they were gone, Fred felt relieved. But then, Sheila crossed his mind. He picked up his phone and sent her a message. It didn't go through. After waiting a while with no response, he decided to text Orlich instead. Their houses were close to each otherâmaybe Orlich would know where she was.
Orlich's response was short: "I have no idea."
This made Fred even more uneasy. Just as he was lost in thought, there was a knock on the door. Richard, Ethan, Rima, and Victoria entered, greeting him warmly. The conversation quickly shifted to their upcoming graduation day, which was only a few days away. They talked for hours, one topic leading to another.
Eventually, night fell, and it was time to say goodbye. After everyone left, Fred checked his phone againâstill nothing from Sheila.
He was exhausted. Pulling the blanket over himself, he let his body relax and slowly drifted off to sleep.