"Beth!" I shouted and ran to her. Grant was already rushing toward her. Will jumped up and instantly went into guard mode. He faced outwards, waiting for an attack of any kind. Cal looked frightened and froze in place.

As I got to Beth, she was grabbing her leg and crying. Her ankle was caught in a small bear trap. The metal teeth were sinking into her lower calf.

"Get it off!" she screamed in tears.

Grant looked at it cautiously.

"Okay, sit still. Aaron!" he called.

Aaron came over and took a look, raising his eyebrows.

"Help me open this thing," Grant told him. "Ryleigh, help get her leg out when we open it, okay?"

I nodded and tried to sooth Beth who was sobbing in pain.

Cal was standing up looking around, ready to call out anyone who might come our way. Will looked like a wild bull waiting for the gate to open and let him out.

Grant and Aaron struggled to pull the bear trap open enough for Beth’s leg to shimmy out. She winced in pain. The guys grunted as they pushed and pulled. I sat next to Beth, waiting to help get her free. Grant pulled his side apart and his hands shook.

"Now!" he commanded. "Before I let it go!"

I grabbed her calf and pushed her back. She screamed and rolled to her side. Grant and Aaron let their sides of the trap go at the same time and it snapped shut. Beth was still holding her leg, crying in pain. Blood was dripping down her to her ankle in a pool at her shoe.

"She’s bleeding," I said aloud.

Grant peeled off his t-shirt and tore both sleeves off. He pulled the sleeves over her foot and twisted them until they were wrapped tightly around her ankle.

"Can you stand?" he asked her.

I helped her up and she hobbled a few steps, grabbing onto me. I shook my head at Grant.

"I don’t think she can go too far. Not without resting first," I told him.

"We can’t stop!" Cal whined.

"She’s right," Beth agreed. "We can’t stop here."

"I’ll help you, okay?" I told her.

Beth threw an arm over my shoulders. We took a few steps slowly and then I nodded to Grant, indicating we were ready to keep going. He gave her a look but then turned around and started walking. We headed away from the waterfall and I held up the end of the line with Beth hanging onto me and Aaron wincing every few feet.

Grant seemed to be following the waterfall by heading higher and higher up the hill. It took much longer than any of us probably expected. Besides Beth and Aaron, the rest of us were incredibly on edge with every step we took. I struggled to hold up Beth and try to watch my every step for more traps. The last thing we needed was another one of us getting injured. It took two hours to get high enough on the mountain for Grant to feel like we could take a break. I sat Beth down on a rock and rubbed my shoulders.

"How are you holding up?" Cal whispered so Beth couldn’t hear her.

"I’m okay. It’s just tough to go for so long. How about you?"

"Alright, I guess. I can’t wait until we’re off this island already," she told me.

I agreed with her and decided to join Grant to get a better idea of what his plan was. He was standing in between two trees looking out to the view.

"See anything?" I asked him as I approached.

"I don’t even know what to look for," he confessed. "I have no idea where any of the traps could be and I’m afraid of leading us right into one."

I looked out to the view. It was breathtaking, even under the circumstances. The sun was beginning to set and the sky was lit up in pinks and oranges unlike anything I had ever seen. From there I could see a good portion of the island. Hills and small mountains were central, where we were, with trees and greenery covering almost everywhere else. It was too thick to see anything from where we stood.

"We should find somewhere to stop for the night, don’t you think? It’ll get too dark and we definitely won’t be able to see any traps, or cameras, for that matter," he said.

I agreed, but he didn’t move from where he stood.

"I think in the morning we should head down that way." He pointed to a section of brush. "Once we get near the shore of the lake, we should be able to get to Dean’s boat."

He turned and I followed him, only because I didn’t know where else to go. Grant gathered our group around him and told them his plan.

"And why didn’t we just go to the boat earlier then?" Aaron argued. "Why did we hike all the way up this mountain for you just to tell us that tomorrow we’ll head back down?"

"Look," Grant confessed. "I have no more of an idea than you do of where the traps might be set up or the cameras. I had hoped that from here we’d get a better view, maybe even be able to see Dean. But I can’t see anything. I had no idea the island was this big. It’s just not as easy as we thought. We can’t just run out of the cabin and be free. Sorry, but that’s all I can say."

Aaron looked angry, but didn’t say anything. Will stood with his arms folded across his chest, thinking it over. The rest of us didn’t have much of an opinion. We just wanted off the island, no matter how we had to do it. I stared out over the waterfall. As the sun was setting, its glare onto the water wasn’t so bright and I got a better look at it. I tilted my head and saw something in the rocks behind the falling water.

Cal was watching me and followed my gaze.

"Do you see something? A trap?"

"No," I told her. "Not a trap. Look."

I pointed and she squinted her eyes to focus.

"It looks like maybe a cave? It’s probably not very deep into the rocks, but maybe it’s enough for all of us to fit inside," I said.

"It’s definitely worth checking out. It’s going to get dark really soon. We should act quickly if you want to do it," she warned.

I told Grant my idea and he turned to look.

"It’s a narrow path over there," he whispered. "Do you think Beth can make it?"

We both side glanced over to Beth who was sitting against a tree, rubbing her knee.

"Honestly, I don’t know. Do we have any other choice?" I asked him.
"Alright, it’s going to get dark soon. We need to find a decent shelter of some sort for the night. Ryleigh spotted what appears to be a cave or hollow part of the rocks over there. I think it’s our best bet to get over to it and stay there until morning," Grant addressed everyone.

"I’ll help you," I told Beth. "Do you think you can make it?"

She smiled weakly. "I’ll do my best. I promise."

"Works for me," I smiled back.

I helped her up and we decided it was best if Beth and I were at the very back of our line. Aaron didn’t argue and happily cut in front of us without a word. I wanted to make a remark, but I actually didn’t blame him. He had his own injuries to deal with. Still, I rolled my eyes and Cal giggled.

Grant was slow and steady as he led us closer to the waterfall’s rocks. It was a narrow walk with us even side stepping some of the way. Beth tried her hardest and didn’t complain at all, but it was hard for me to help her and keep up with the group. As slow as they were, we were much slower. It started getting dark and I tried not to look down. I didn’t want to think of what would happen from a fall off the cliff.

Grant got to the rocks first and told everyone to wait while he peeked inside. Within minutes he was back out, giving us a thumbs up. Everyone sighed in relief. By the time Beth and I stepped in, there was just enough room for us to squeeze in. It was awkward trying to get comfortable, so we settled for positions that would allow us to sleep and stay safely inside the cave. I helped Beth lay down and then propped her leg up against the rocky wall. Cal and I chose a spot closest to Beth, while the guys grunted with annoyance at each other as they struggled to fit themselves in. We were like a puzzle of pieces that were forced to go together, making a warped image that you knew was wrong the closer you looked at it.

Next Chapter: Twelve