14. Ambushed #2
Again, I hesitate, but finally say, “No.”
Brad laughs. “That's good. That's really good.” I don't know how to take the hope I hear in his voice. He runs his finger down the barrel of his gun. "If we can't talk now, maybe when this is over. We could go get something to eat or—”
“Quiet!” Jacob’s voice comes from somewhere close.
My heart sinks. I scan the ground, but I can’t see where he’s hiding. I didn’t know he was that close. I wonder what he heard me say.
"Later." Brad pulls down his mask and goes back to his position to wait. I want to say something—tell Jacob I'm sorry, or tell him I don't want to go anywhere with Brad. Instead, I keep my mouth shut and try to focus on the game.
Someone is crawling through the brush to my left, stalking the place I last saw Taryn.
From the shape, I guess it’s Mark. I hold my breath, taking aim.
Somewhere far away, Jasmine's scream of terror turns into a shriek of pain and indignation. Guess she’s out.
My heart beats faster. I wait. A little closer and I’ll have a clean shot.
I have to be sure. As soon as I fire, my position will be compromised. I let out a long breath. I can do this.
A pop and then a yelp startles me. Tyler's out too. Taryn jumps out of the bushes and takes off. Mark aims and fires, barely missing her. I fire at him, hitting him squarely in the shoulder.
He swears and looks around, trying to figure out where the shot came from. Brad gives me a thumbs-up.
Carl, with Kendra close behind, moves towards our flag. Brad stands and takes aim at Kendra. He’s hit square in the back at close range by Matt. Brad curses, whirls around, and fires back. I recognize the flash of rage in his eyes.
Matt ducks in time to avoid being hit. "Dude, you're already dead!" he yells at Brad.
I don’t move. I want to be invisible within the branches of the tree. Carl is almost to the flag, but I don’t think he’s seen me yet. A couple more steps and I’ll have him.
“Carl! Up there,” Kendra yells, pointing at me.
I fire. The ball streaks past Carl’s left ear and splatters against a tree. Kendra and Carl both shoot towards me. I duck down and brace myself for the bite of pain I know is coming.
Somehow, I avoid being hit. A shot from the woods hits Kendra in the thigh. She squeals and bends over. I catch motion coming from the left—Jacob and Bryan. Bryan clutches the enemy flag in his fist. Carl sees them too. He turns to fire at Jacob. I stand up and shoot at Carl’s back.
The paintball hits and splatters. A paintball hits me in the neck, the only part of my body unprotected by either a mask or layers of clothing.
I grit my teeth to keep from screaming and let go of the branch I’ve been holding to cover my neck.
I’m hit again, this time in the arm. Then I'm falling.
I reach for a branch. My gun clatters to the ground.
Another pop. Pain shoots up my arm. Nausea roils through my stomach.
I steady myself with my other hand, sit down on the branch, and hold my arm against my chest.
No one notices my near fall. The game continues. Jacob is dead. I don’t know who got him, but there’s a huge yellow stain across the front of his camouflage jacket. Bryan shoots Matt and then holds the flag above his head.
“That’s it, we win,” Jacob says. “Everyone on your team is dead.”
Bryan moves to post the flag, but before he can, one last paintball comes through the trees. He flinches and then looks in disbelief as a yellow stain spreads across his shoulder.
From the direction of the last fatal shot, Tyler’s friend Seth saunters out of the woods.
Jacob laughs. “Wow Saunders, taken out by a 13-year-old kid.”
Tyler walks over to Seth and gives him a high five. “Great shot, even if it was for the wrong team. And you guys didn’t want us to play.”
They still don't know I'm gone. I wonder if I can get out of the tree before anyone notices I’m hurt. I don’t want to ruin the party, but my wrist is killing me. It feels bad, like maybe I broke it. I slide farther forward on the branch and look down. I close my eyes. The ground is too far away.
From the clearing, Jacob is arguing with Matt. “That wasn't everybody.” Nice of him to notice someone is missing. “Did you guys get Jess?” He even remembers my name.
“Jess, are you dead?” he calls.
“Wounded.” I try to make my voice sound normal, but the words come out pinched.
“Jess? Are you okay?” Brad sprints toward my tree.
He and Jacob arrive at the same time. "What happened?" Jacob asks.
“I slipped and—"
"I'll tell you what happened." Brad whirls around to face Jacob. The rage I saw before is back. "You knew it wasn’t safe, but you made her go up in this tree anyway, and now she's hurt. This is your fault!"
Jacob takes a step back. "I didn't—"
"Calm down, Brad." Matt steps between them. "I'm sure Jess is fine."
"It was my fault." I take a breath to keep my voice steady.
"I lost my balance and grabbed a branch to catch myself. Sorry, Matt, I think I broke your gun.” I gesture to the gun I dropped, lying in two pieces at the base of the tree.
I can't believe Brad is making such a big deal about this, that he's going after Jacob.
Brad's voice turns gentle. He reaches for me from the base of the tree. “Let me help you down.” He puts one hand on my leg.
I still don't want Brad anywhere near me, but I'm hurt and confused, and Jacob has backed away.
I slip off the limb and then slide down the tree into Brad's arms. For a horrible second, I think I might throw up.
I bury my face in Brad's shoulder and swallow hard.
He sets me on a stump, and everyone gathers around, gawking.
“Mark, can you take a look? Mark is a field medic," Jacob explains.
"She needs to go to the emergency room," Brad says. He's standing next to me, his arm across my shoulders.
Mark takes my wrist between his hands. “Does this hurt?”
“Yeah.” I bite down hard on my bottom lip to keep from crying.
“I don’t know. It’s kind of disfigured and already swelling. I think it’s broken,” Mark slides his fingers along the side of my wrist. “But it might be dislocated. Did you hear a pop when you wrenched it?”
I nod miserably. "Yeah."
Mark steps back. “You need to get it x-rayed.”
“No, I’ll be fine. I just need ice or something.” I stand up and immediately get dizzy.
Brad reaches to steady me. "Are you sure, Babe? My truck's just on the other side of the trees. I could take you to the hospital."
I glance at Jacob. I wonder what he thinks of me now. "I'm fine." I take a step back from Brad.
"At least let me carry you back to the house," Brad says.
"Back off, Brad," Jasmine snarls at him. "She says she's fine."
Taryn backs her up. "It's her wrist, not her leg, moron."
Brad steps back, his hands up in surrender. "I'm just trying to help."
“You girls head back to the house with Jess,” Matthew says. “We’ll take care of the equipment.”
“I’ll go with Jess,” Brad says. “Just in case she can't make it back.”
“No, I’ll go.” Jacob is eyeing Brad. “Like you said, it’s my fault she got hurt.”
“Oh, my testosterone.” Kendra puts her hand on her hip. “We're strong capable women. We've got this. Even if we have to carry Jess. The house is right there.”
To me, the house looks far away. I’m not sure I can make it, but there’s no way I’m letting any of them carry me back. Not even Jacob–especially not Jacob. I’ve humiliated myself enough for one day.