Chapter 2 - Gathering Firewood and the Discovery
"We’re stuck in the middle of the woods with the Backstreet Boys. This sounds like the plot to a really stupid story," Ellie stated.
She and Maggie looked up at the sky.
"Well, I don’t hear any maniacal author or co-author cackling. We might be safe," Maggie commented.
"Yeah right. I think those guys are stuck up."
Maggie shrugged. "They haven’t annoyed me yet. I think they might have it in for Tom if he doesn’t stop joking around, though. And then I’d have to mutilate them. By the way, you have matches, right?"
"Yeah, a small pack," Ellie answered. "I just hope I can get the damn things to light."
~~~
"They are so hot," Becky remarked as she and Karen searched for a dry log.
Karen sighed explosively. "Is that all you can think about at a time like this?!"
"I’m keeping my mind off of the situation."
"Oh. I found one," she said, picking up a medium-sized log.
"We should probably get a few."
Karen nodded as they continued their search.
"Which do you think is best looking?"
Karen rolled her eyes. "I don’t know their names."
"Describe him."
"The one with the fair hair. Not the blond one, the other one."
"Oh, Brian."
"Whatever."
~~~
"Tom, you know it might not be a good idea to insult the Boys too much to their faces," Hazel said, gathering a bunch of sticks in her arms. "I mean not that it isn’t funny . . ."
"I’m just kidding with them," Tom answered in his usual way. "They can handle a little criticism."
"I really don’t think now is the time for it," Sierra put in.
Tom shrugged. "Tense situations are usually the ones in most need of laughter."
"I don’t think they find it funny," Sierra remarked.
"Well, that’s their problem," Tom replied.
"You think we’ve got enough?" Hazel asked.
Tom looked at the bundles of sticks each of them were carrying. "I think so. Let’s go back. And just think," he continued as they walked along, "if we start to starve, we can always eat one of the Backstreet Boys to stay alive!"
~~~
"Man, that kid was a twerp," AJ commented as he picked dry twigs off a tree.
"Probably just a defense mechanism or somethin’," Brian said. "They’re just as lost as us. We’re all a little tense."
"Yeah, but that’s no excuse for an attitude like that," AJ replied.
"Getting along is gonna take everyone’s efforts," Howie said, being the peacemaker as usual. "B-Rok’s right. They’re probably just as nervous as we are."
There was a long silence. "Do you think someone’ll find us?" Brian asked.
"They won’t stop looking for us until they do," Howie said confidently. "Someone’s probably lookin’ for the kids, too."
"I hope you’re right," AJ said. He turned to the other two BSB. "You think this is better or worse than being stuck with a bunch of screaming fans?"
~~~
As everyone regrouped ten minutes later, Nick and Becky both cried,
"You guys won’t believe what we found!"
The two looked at each other.
"You go first," Becky said.
"We found this really cool lagoon close by," Nick answered.
"We won’t have to worry about water as long as we’re out here," Kevin added.
"What’d you guys find?" Tom asked the two girls.
"I think you’d better come see," Becky answered. "We’re gonna need some help carrying stuff back anyway."
Completely mystified, the group followed her and Karen.
~~~
"This is so fucked up!" Ellie cried as she and the others stared at the small pile of supplies that lay on the ground.
Howie bent down and picked up a small piece of paper. "To the Backstreet Boys and friends. This will keep you from dying. Don’t count on anyone finding you. Take these supplies and enjoy yourselves. Beware of the woods and the creatures within."
Karen looked over his shoulder. "Is it signed?"
Howie shook his head.
"Who the hell is doing this?!" AJ exploded.
"Somebody who’s getting a kick out of this," Brian muttered angrily.
"We might as well bring all this stuff back to the campsite," Sierra said.
"No way!" Ellie shouted. "I’m not playing along with this stupid game! Someone is behind this and they’re going to knock it off RIGHT NOW!"
The woods did not reply.
After a minute, Kevin, Howie, Hazel, Becky, and Sierra began to pick up the food, blankets, and provisions.
Sheepishly, everyone pitched in and went back to the campsite.
~~~