ZARED

My body twisted and turned under the water. I try to go back up for air, but it was useless. The raging waters were too strong. Then suddenly there was a dip in the current causing my head to pop out of the water and I was able to catch my breath only to plunge back down under again. Something hits my side where I was injured, and pain shot through me. Then something grabs a hold of me and yanks me hard.

Gasping for air I blink away the water from my eyes and reach out for anything I could grab a hold onto.

"Stop fighting, Zared!" Alex's voice rings in my ear and I instantly do what he says.

Together we start swimming with the current towards the edge of the river where I could faintly see clusters of rocks and broken pieces of wood sticking out. As soon as we pass one we both hang onto it. A sharp throbbing pain zaps through my side, and I grunt trying to hang on even though it was taking everything within me to use what strength I had.

Alex was the first to get out of the water and helped drag me out. Climbing on the boulder I lay on my back breathing hard and fast. Then my eyes pop open and I gasp out,

"Kyle?!" I try to sit up but his hand slaps on my shoulder and pulls me right back down again.

"He's safe on the other side."

Relief floods through me at hearing him say that. "You're a crazy bastard Zared. Jumping in like that. You could have died." He breathed heavily, trying to catch his own breath.

"Kyle would have if I didn't." I deadpan.

"Zared!"

We both look over to the other side of the riverbank and see Kyle standing there crying his eyes out then falling to his knees. Mateo came running up from behind him then bent over placing his hands on his knees, catching his breath from the run as he looked relieved to see me alive and still breathing.

"Thank God!" I hear Leo's voice a few moments later.

Twisting around he and the girls were all hopping from one rock to another heading our way, all of them just as soaked as the rest of us. It seemed they had no trouble like Kyle, and I did coming down the river. Which was a good thing. I did not want to have another repeat of that again. Standing up on shaky legs I look over to the others on the other side.

The two with Seth and Mateo seemed impatient to say the least but now Kyle was stuck with them, and I could tell he definitely didn't want to be. We still weren't safe enough to fully cross and I wasn't chancing him to try to get over.

"Kyle! Stay with them until we can get to you!" Alex yells to him.

I could tell he didn't want to agree but the kid wasn't stupid. He nods his head solemnly. Seth comes close to the edge and yells back,

"He'll be safe with us. We won't let anything happen to him. Promise!"

I knew he was good on his word. I trust both him and Mateo. I just wasn't sure about the other two. Mateo then comes up next to Seth and points further down the river and yells,

"A few miles out there's a spot where we can cross on foot! The waters are calm there! We have to get to the rest of our group and then we plan to cross at that location! We'll come to you, just get to Jinsen!"

I didn't know how they knew about me finding Jinsen and then losing him. But my guess was that Kyle must have said something while racing over here to make sure I was alright. I nod my head and look to him now. He gives us a worried frown but nods back.

"I could find the location they're talking about and meet him." Alex offers but I stop him.

"No, he'll be okay with those two. I've known them since kindergarten. They'll protect him with their life."

"Oh my God, Zared!" Lacy slams her body against mine nearly topping us over the boulder's edge, but she soon rights us again and grabs my face with both hands.

"You crazy asshole. When I saw you jump right in I nearly lost it. Don't ever do something like that again!" She snaps.

I wasn't used to her concern, but it felt nice that she had been worried about me. "But Kyle-"

"Was saved by your friend. You really think they would have allowed him to drown. Before you jumped one of them was already running after him."

That had to have been Mateo. I thought it weird that he had been there waiting for us at that moment. She lets me go and turns to slap Alex on the shoulder. "You too! You didn't even give us time before you let go of that branch Alex!"

He blinks at her as he softly rubs where she had hit him. I was sure he wasn't used to people worrying about him either. We all safely get off the riverbank and back onto solid ground. Looking over to Kyle I watch as he waves at us and follows the others into the forest behind him. I could tell he didn't want to go, but we had no choice right now. Being separated from him sucked, but once I find Jinsen I'll be back to come get him.

"Zared, look." Lani states, grabbing my shirt sleeve to get my attention.

Turning sharply I hiss at the raw pain that ripped through my muscles.

"You're hurt."

"Is it your wound?"

"How bad is it?"

They all start coming in on me at once. I quickly back away, wincing from the motion and hold up a hand. "It's not my wound, I hit a rock or a tree underwater pretty hard. I think I bruised it." I admitted.

"Lift up your shirt. I want to see." Lacy demands, getting into my space again.

Rolling my eyes I do as she says and hiss as the muscle throbs.

"Ouch, that's going to hurt for a few days." Leo claims as he winces on my behalf staring at the giant red bruise that was already starting to turn purple. "How is it that you're the one that always gets fucked up the most?"

Beats the hell out of me. I would like to know that as well. It was getting highly annoying to say the least. Gently putting my shirt back down I watch Lacy's face as she stares at my side grimly.

"Let's try and take it easy for a while, okay."

"Easier said than done." I mumble to myself, but I was pretty sure she heard me anyways.

I finally look at what Lani was trying to get me to look at and I stare. Taking a step closer I could see why Jinsen, and his group couldn't see us, why Mateo and Seth couldn't see us. On this side of the invisible wall, it wasn't invisible at all. Staring up as far as my eyes could see into the sky it was like a wall of pure crystal. It shined and shimmered, almost like a translucent curtain. But you can't see beyond the wall like we could see on the other side.

I look across the river where it broke only where the water was at, and the wall continued onto the other side of that part of land. The same thing.

"Come on. Let's get going before it gets dark on us." Leo states seriously.

We were all thinking the same thing, I was sure of it. If there was a wall as big as that then what the hell were they keeping us in? Or was there something far more greater, more terrifying on the outside of it?