Complete Chaos

061

With the four older teens gone, Dustin didn't have another option than to look at the other teens through his binoculars.

Melody moved around, letting out a long yawn. She rubbed her eyes as Julia carried her. "Mama," Melody said, half asleep.

Julia kissed Melody's forehead. "I'm here, Mellow," Julia said in a calming tone. She moved her hand in circular motion on Melody's small back.

Melody moved her head around in all directions looking for her father. "Dah," she said sadly.

"He will be back soon."

Melody's lips trembled as she pouted. Her father wasn't by her side. He was gone, and she didn't know how long he was going to take.

"They're stopping," one of the boys said. "What are they stopping for?"

Dustin got out his walkie-talkie from his backpack and passed the binoculars to Lucas.

"Guys, what's going on? Come on, talk to me," Dustin said to the walkie-talkie that was close to his face.

It was dark, and the boat was far away. Julia couldn't see anything.

"What's wrong," Julia asked, glancing at Dustin.

Robin was the one who responded, "Uh, Dustin, your compass has gone from wonky to wonky with a capital "aah!" They had found the gate. They were close to the source.

"Ugh. When'd Steve get so hairy," Lucas said, looking through the binoculars.

Julia focused her sight on the boat. She saw a tall figure. She assumed it was Steve standing up and the other three were sitting down around him.

She squinted her eyes; Steve, in fact, was shirtless. A smile sneaked on her face.

"Right? I keep telling him he needs to tame that jungle, but he claims his lady digs it," Dustin said, sounding annoyed.

The boys and Max looked at Julia, waiting for confirmation.

"What," she shrugged, feeling their strong gaze. "I like it," she confessed, a smile growing on her face, her cheeks growing pink.

"Gross," Dustin said in disgust.

Lucas was going to lift the binoculars back to his face when Max stopped him. "Let me see," Max said, taking the binoculars from Lucas.

Lucas and Julia glanced at Max, who said nothing.

Melody moved her hand high up and hit Max's arm.

A few seconds later, a splash was heard, and Steve was no longer in the boat with the others. Julia told him not to do anything reckless, not even 30 minutes ago, and that's the first thing he does.

"You guys realize, if there's a gate down there, it's technically a watergate," Dustin said to the group proudly of coming up with the name.

Julia couldn't concentrate or respond to what Dustin was talking about since she was practically holding her breath, waiting for Steve to come back up.

After a minute of nothing new on Steve's wellbeing Dustin took the binoculars from Max.

"Do you see anything," Julia asked Dustin.

The young boy shook his head.

While the four teens were busy focused on what was ahead. Melody looked behind her mother's shoulder and saw bright lights moving through the woods.

"Uuhh," she mumbled and pointed behind them. "Mama," she called her mother, wanting to get her attention.

"Down by the water," someone said loudly behind them.