I sat up straight. Immediately, I sensed something was wrong. Chelsea was breathing heavily beside me, only the top of her head visible over the sleeping bag. Liam, Aidan and Newt were in a nearby tent and Noah was sharing with Rory Doyle and Fionn O’ Connor, boys in our class, on the opposite side of the forest. I clambered out of my own sleeping bag and crept to the opening of our tent. I peeked my head out the flap, my heart pounding violently. It was still dark. I strained my eyes to see through the darkness but nothing seemed out of place. I fumbled in my pocket for a torch and shone it out the flap, illuminating the darkness around me. A rabbit rocketed into the nearby bushes. The wind howled around the tent and the trees rustled but otherwise it was deathly quiet. I breathed a long sigh of relief. I was about to close the flap when I heard a shout. I froze, struggling to listen. I heard another shout, from my left. I hurriedly crawled to Chelsea’s sleeping bag and crouched beside her.
“Chels, Chelsea, wake up,” I shouted, shaking her. Chelsea groaned and propped herself up on her elbow, glaring at me. She glanced outside, rubbing sleep from her eyes.
“Ella, it’s still dark. What?” she asked shortly.
“Someone needs help,” I cried, yanking her arm. “Chelsea get up.”
I pulled Chelsea to her feet and we rushed out of the tent. I forced my shoes roughly onto my feet as we hurried into the bushes. Chelsea grumbled under her breath but followed me deeper into the woods. I could hear the shouting getting louder and I followed the noise. Chelsea could hear it too and she stopped complaining and sped up, keeping close behind me. We ran faster, racing through nettles and brambles. My torch lit our path, which weaved and curved unexpectedly before us. There was no denying someone was in trouble. I tried not to think what danger I was placing myself in and forced myself onwards. I glanced over at Chelsea. Even in the darkness I could see how pale she was.
We slowed to a brisk walk. As we tried to find the source of the shouting I noticed smoke rising from nearby. I elbowed Chelsea and pointed up at it. We began to follow the trail. I was able to make out what the panicked voices were saying. Myfacefell as I recognized a familiar voice; it was Aidan. The boys were in trouble. The smell of burning rubber was getting stronger. I wrinkled my nose. Together we burst through the trees into a small clearing. I skidded to an abrupt stop and froze in shock.
“Chels, Chelsea, wake up,” I shouted, shaking her. Chelsea groaned and propped herself up on her elbow, glaring at me. She glanced outside, rubbing sleep from her eyes.
“Ella, it’s still dark. What?” she asked shortly.
“Someone needs help,” I cried, yanking her arm. “Chelsea get up.”
I pulled Chelsea to her feet and we rushed out of the tent. I forced my shoes roughly onto my feet as we hurried into the bushes. Chelsea grumbled under her breath but followed me deeper into the woods. I could hear the shouting getting louder and I followed the noise. Chelsea could hear it too and she stopped complaining and sped up, keeping close behind me. We ran faster, racing through nettles and brambles. My torch lit our path, which weaved and curved unexpectedly before us. There was no denying someone was in trouble. I tried not to think what danger I was placing myself in and forced myself onwards. I glanced over at Chelsea. Even in the darkness I could see how pale she was.
We slowed to a brisk walk. As we tried to find the source of the shouting I noticed smoke rising from nearby. I elbowed Chelsea and pointed up at it. We began to follow the trail. I was able to make out what the panicked voices were saying. Myfacefell as I recognized a familiar voice; it was Aidan. The boys were in trouble. The smell of burning rubber was getting stronger. I wrinkled my nose. Together we burst through the trees into a small clearing. I skidded to an abrupt stop and froze in shock.