I heard them a while before I saw them. And it wasn't the normal happy screams either. I paused my iPod, cutting off Maroon 5 mid-verse, to hear what they were shouting. "Bouncer! Where are you?" Kat yelled. "Here, puppy-puppy!" That was Scot calling. And I heard a shrill, piercing whistle, too. Was it from Angel? I wasn't sure if she could even whistle.

I began to jog faster, almost running. It sounded like Bouncer was missing, and I didn't want the kids wandering around alone looking for him. They could get themselves hurt!

I turned the corner and ran, hearing their calls growing louder and more desperate. I dumped my bag by the mailbox, not even bothering to stop. I found them in the backyard, calling and searching the brush for Bouncer. And by "them", I mean Kat, Scot, and Brenden. But where was Angel?

"Stop." I commanded, using my drill Sargent voice I used when commanding 30 count drill. They all froze, and turned at me. "Where is Angel?" I asked, calmly but loudly. "Um.." "I don't know.." Came the uncertain replies. I looked at Scot, the only one that hadn't answered. "I think... I think she said that she knew where he liked to play. She probably went there." He told me, thinking hard. "What?!" Brenden exploded. "And you let her?! What were you thinking?She's 6!"

I held up a hand. "Brenden, stop. You aren't helping." He started towards me angrily, "She's my baby sister!" I turned and stared him down. "I am well aware of this fact. However, your panic and anger will not help us find Angel faster. Actually, it will only impede our progress." 

I turned to Scot, who was standing with his head bowed in shame at being reprimanded by Brenden. "Scot," I asked calmly, "do you know where this favorite spot is? Which direction did she go?" He sniffled and raised his head. "She went that way, towards the creek." He pointed to the east. "Okay. Kat, please go inside with Scot. Don't come out until we get back." I ordered. "Can you do that for me?"

When they both nodded and walked towards the house, I turned to Brenden. "You, are coming with me." He looked almost.. relieved, at having someone else in charge. "C'mon." I grabbed his wrist and turned east. "Let's go find your sister."

We walked for several minutes, looking for trampled brush or a footprint, anything to tell us we were going the right way. But there was nothing. Just as I checked the sun for the third time, to make sure we were heading in the right direction, I heard a faint cry.

"This way." I ordered, and began to run. I ran until I felt my foot slipping on a rounded edge of dirt, the edge of a small ditch; and it was then that I discovered that Brenden was right behind me, for he caught me around the waist and pushed me to the left of him, away from the ditch. It was but a few seconds later that I saw the rock ledge, and a small shadow laying at the top.

I knew Brenden had spotted it too when he suddenly screamed, "Angel! Are you okay?" The figure moaned loudly but didn't reply. "Angel!" Brenden yelled again, about to climb the rock face, "I'm coming!"

"Stop!" I slapped my arm against his chest, stopping him in his tracks. "I'm lighter and therefore more agile. I'll go." I turned and looked into those green eyes, filled with fear for his baby sister. "Don't worry." I told him softly, putting my hand on his shoulder. "I'll get her. Trust me." He nodded. "Here goes." I took a deep breath and started climbing. When I made it to the top (it was about 7 feet straight up), I saw that the small figure was in fact Angel, and she was laying face down. "It's her!" I called down.

"Is she alright?" He asked apprehensively. "I'm about to find out." I told him grimly. I wanted to give him a more reassuring answer but I couldn't truthfully until I checked her for injuries. I knelt down on the rock next to Angel and carefully, carefully, rolled her over so she was face-up. Her breathing was normal, but her lip was busted and trickling blood, while the right side of her face was red and a bit puffy.

I thanked God that my mother had given me medical training, so I at least knew what to and what not to do, even if I didn't have any supplies. We had to get her back to the house and call 911 so they could check her over; I wasn't sure if she had a concussion. It was a possibility, which meant I had to hurry and get her off the rock and back to the house. 

I thought hard for a moment. I wouldn't be able to carry her down in my arms, that would jostle her too much and it was likely that I'd fall and injure us both. She was small for her age, I noticed, mind racing. I could use my T-shirt as a sling of sorts, and tie it so she was resting on my back. That way, I'd be able to use both hands climbing down.

"It's not really serious I think, her breathing is normal. But we need to get back to your house and call 911." I called down to Brenden. I didn't have a jacket or anything so I just pulled off my shirt after checking that my bra was secure. I was so glad that I was wearing a sturdy sports bra with lots of coverage today.

I laid my big long-sleeved T-shirt I'd borrowed from my older brother next to Angel then carefully, carefully, laid her inside of it. I sent a quick prayer of thanks up to God that she was small enough for this to work as I tied the ends to make sure she wouldn't fall out. I secured the long-sleeves so that she was resting on my back, that way she wouldn't be pressed against the wall as I climbed down. I took a deep breath and started climbing.

Brenden gave a hoarse cry when he saw me climbing down with Angel on my back. "Do me a favor," I called over my shoulder, "Take off your shirt. I'll need it when I get down there, I made mine into the sling for Angel." "Yeah, sure." He complied. A few more footholds later, I was almost to the ground. "Help me down please." I asked. "I don't want to jostle Angel by jumping down."

Almost immediately, I felt his hands on my hips again, his shirt balled up in one hand. "I've got you." He assured me. I allowed myself to slide down the last foot (which didn't have any good footholds), feeling his hands stopping my fall. When my feet were safely on the ground, I carefully undid the knots securing Angel to my back. "Shirt please." He stuffed it into my outstretched hand. "Take Angel please, while I put this on." I turned around, away from the rock face, gingerly cradling his injured little sister in my arms.

He gently took her from me, allowing me to quickly slip into his nice-smelling shirt. "Okay, here's the plan." I said once I had it on. "You're going to help me secure her in the sling, then you're going to run home and call 911. You also need to call your mother, she needs to know about this. Since I can't run without hurting Angel, I'm going to walk back, and meet you at the house. Stay with Kat and Scot until your mom gets there, Then if I'm not back yet, for whatever reason, came back and find me." 

I grabbed his shoulder, forcing him to look me in the eye. "Can you do that?" "Yes." he replied, voice strong, now that we had a set plan. "I'll see you soon." We quickly finished securing Angel in the sling, arranging it so that she could rest in my arms instead of on my back. Once we finished, Brenden put his hand on my cheek. "Stay safe." he told me. Then he took off running. Towards his house, towards Kat and Scot, towards safety and help. Towards hope.

And I stayed behind, cradling his fragile baby sister in my arms, and watched him go.

A/N Okay, raise your hand if that made you cry a tidbit. All that stress and trust and everything; I mean, the feels when I wrote this, man. Anyways, how about that? Will Angel be okay? What happened? Where is Bouncer in all of this? Do you think this will bring Lucy and Brenden closer together? Did Lucy make the right decisions? Will Brenden make it back okay? Will Lucy? What do you think? Tell me in the comments! For now, suffer until I update!

GOODBYE MY LOVELIES ^-^