Page 21 of Conflict Conclusion

“I can hear you whispering!” a familiar voice called out from the clearing some ten feet ahead of them. “You’re never going to get my flag!”

“I think she might be right,” James whispered, and Leon shushed him.

They had been divided into six teams, and everyone had been given a colorful bandana to denote their team. They’d also been given a matching party balloon which would serve as their “flag” for the game.

James and Leon had been teamed up with two of Hailey’s friends from school, Zach and Jeb. At first, Leon hadn’t recognized them, but when James whispered “Joker and Batman,” Leon had rolled his eyes to the sky. When it became clear that none of them really wanted to separate from their partners, they decided to split up, with James and Leon going out into the woods behind the party gazebo to find some flags, while Zach and Jeb held down the fort.

Based on the looks the teens were shooting each other, they were probably going to disappear into the woods with their flag anyway, and Leon couldn’t really blame them. That’s what he would have done when he was eighteen.

At least they didn’t have to worry about their flag being stolen.

“Come out, come out, wherever you are!” Hailey crowed, laughter in her voice that Leon would never tire of hearing.

Even when he was supposed to be plotting her downfall.

“What if we split up?” James whispered, and Leon nodded.

He scanned the clearing and saw a few decently sized trees on Hailey’s left.

Tapping into his limited knowledge from playing first person shooter games, he pointed at James then across to one side of the clearing. Then he pointed at himself and gestured to the other side of the clearing.

James rolled his eyes, but just as Leon had been hoping would happen, James grinned, and his dimples popped out. Leon leaned forward, and, like they were just two lovesick teenagers in the woods, he pressed his lips to James’ before doing his best attempt at a crouching-run to the other side of the clearing.

Unfortunately, his boots were not built for stealth, so he snapped about a dozen twigs and managed to kick a rock against a tree.

“Nice try! I can hear you coming a mile away!” Hailey called.

Leon emerged into the clearing to find Hailey running towards the trees on the opposite side. Her camo print romper made a lot more sense now. Trina had also been in camo, which could explain why he couldn’t spot them amidst the trees.

Or maybe the two lovebirds had decided to split up.

Speaking of lovebirds, he didn’t have time to find James. Instead, he fixed his eyes on the bobbing red balloon and raced after her, crashing through the brush like a maniac. He could have sworn he heard a very mensch-like sigh from somewhere behind him, but he was already giving chase.

Hailey’s laugh, just as much as her red balloon, guided him deeper into the woods, over fallen trees, around rocks, and underneath dangling weeping willow branches. He lost sight of her for only a moment, as he had to slow down to make a tight turn she’d made with ease, and he heard a loud splash and a curse from up ahead.

Leon’s pounding heart leaped into his throat, and the edges of his vision turned black. He didn’t have time to name 5 things he could smell or whatever, so he forced himself to take a few shallow breaths as he broke through the brush.

He had no idea what he’d find. Had Hailey fallen into a river? Was she currently being swept out to sea? Did they even live near the sea? Would she get caught on rocks along the way? What if they were jagged?

Leon’s vision tunneled down to a pinprick as he stumbled up to the side of a small creek.

Hailey was sprawled out on her butt in ankle deep water, a large pout on her face.

“Jesus fucking Christ,” he growled as he hurried forward.

With next to no grace, he splashed into the water, quickly surveyed the ground for any particularly nasty rocks before falling to his knees at her side. Her balloon was nowhere to be seen, probably having escaped her grasp when she fell.

“What hurts? Is it your ankle? Did you roll it? How’s your head? You didn’t hit it, did you?”

Hailey shook her head, with absolutely no regard for neck injury protocol or common fucking sense. “I didn’t roll or hit anything—except my ass when I slipped on this rock.”

Hailey dunked her hand in the water to rub at the base of her spine.

Oh god, could she have spinal damage?

“Can you move your feet? What about your legs?”

Hailey gave him a look, the same look she’d been giving him for years whenever he told her to go do her homework or eat her vegetables or whatever.