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This is the full writing piece; I cut it short earlier.
I opened my eyes. My heart was pounding so loudly that even Jackson could hear it.
I was 17 years old and in high school. My class had been offered the opportunity to go hiking, which, for me, was one hour of torture. I had already embarrassed myself twice, once when I’d tripped on a tree stump and sprawled awkwardly on the ground and second when Mrs Baron had to lift me off a highrock because I was too scared to jump.
Halfway through, I was so exhausted I had to ask Mrs Baron if I could lie down. She told Jackson to stay with me. But she’d forgotten to pick us.
Are you alright?" he asked, startling me slightly. "Where's Mrs Baron and the rest of the class?"I asked, feeling nauseated at the thought of being lost. Jackson hesitated for a moment and then his face was streaked with fear. He finally realized our situation. "I...I...I don't know."
I think we might be... I mean I don't know..."
'Don't say it, don't say it, don't say it!' I thought to myself.
"...lost." He said it. All of a sudden I felt dizzy. And then I was on the ground with Jackson shaking me awake. "Gemma! Wake up!" he said, sounding hysterical. I didn't blame him. Getting lost in the woods is bad enough with someone, but alone? I shuddered at the thought. "It's OK, I'm awake." I told him.
"Ok so what do you have in the backpack Gemma? I've got a water bottle, some snacks, sunscreen, a hat and a first aid kit." he spoke quickly, as though we were running out of time, which we probably were.
"I've basically got the same stuff along with...a...hedgehog." I said 'hedgehog' quietly hoping he wouldn't notice. He noticed.
"Lemme get this straight, you brought a hedgehog? Why?!" asked Jackson, clearly surprised. I found Cactus, my hedgehog, scared and alone in the middle of the road so I took care of her and she’s been my pet ever since. My parents never knew how to take care of her but I know what she needs.
“Well… she’s kinda like my pet and I’m the only one who knows what she needs and since, well since Mrs Baron didn’t allow pets to come on an hour long hike, I sorta had to sneak her in. ” I bit my lip waiting for him to stare at me like I was a weirdo for bringing my pet hedgehog on an hour long hiking trip. But instead, he roared with laughter, shaking the entire forest. “And how exactly do you take care of her? In the middle of nowhere?” he managed to choke out, between gasps.
“Well…” I began. I knew that I would have to speak soon. Jackson was not a very patient person. “I sorta poured soapy water into my water bottle and I pour it on the ground so the worms come out. They hate soapy water. Then I have to pick out the worms and Cactus eat’s them. Yeah I know what you’re thinking. Weird, right?” I asked, looking at the floor, so as not to meet his eyes. I could tell he was deeply amused. “That explains why you never drink water.” He muttered under his breath. “Tell me this, why do you sneeze so much? I mean, you don’t look sick.” he asked, curious now. “Oh.. about that, I’m not actually sneezing. That’s just Cactus, she makes a weird noise when she’s angry; she doesn’t like the dark.” He chuckled quietly and then his face became serious. “It’s almost dark; we won’t have time to go on further. I think we need to start making a shelter.” he said, then his hand locked around my waist and pulled me while walking deeper into the forest. ”C’mon, I need to show you something.” I would never have imagined enjoying being dragged through the forest, but with Jackson I had a strange feeling, almost pleasure,
I opened my eyes. My heart was pounding so loudly that even Jackson could hear it.
I was 17 years old and in high school. My class had been offered the opportunity to go hiking, which, for me, was one hour of torture. I had already embarrassed myself twice, once when I’d tripped on a tree stump and sprawled awkwardly on the ground and second when Mrs Baron had to lift me off a highrock because I was too scared to jump.
Halfway through, I was so exhausted I had to ask Mrs Baron if I could lie down. She told Jackson to stay with me. But she’d forgotten to pick us.
Are you alright?" he asked, startling me slightly. "Where's Mrs Baron and the rest of the class?"I asked, feeling nauseated at the thought of being lost. Jackson hesitated for a moment and then his face was streaked with fear. He finally realized our situation. "I...I...I don't know."
I think we might be... I mean I don't know..."
'Don't say it, don't say it, don't say it!' I thought to myself.
"...lost." He said it. All of a sudden I felt dizzy. And then I was on the ground with Jackson shaking me awake. "Gemma! Wake up!" he said, sounding hysterical. I didn't blame him. Getting lost in the woods is bad enough with someone, but alone? I shuddered at the thought. "It's OK, I'm awake." I told him.
"Ok so what do you have in the backpack Gemma? I've got a water bottle, some snacks, sunscreen, a hat and a first aid kit." he spoke quickly, as though we were running out of time, which we probably were.
"I've basically got the same stuff along with...a...hedgehog." I said 'hedgehog' quietly hoping he wouldn't notice. He noticed.
"Lemme get this straight, you brought a hedgehog? Why?!" asked Jackson, clearly surprised. I found Cactus, my hedgehog, scared and alone in the middle of the road so I took care of her and she’s been my pet ever since. My parents never knew how to take care of her but I know what she needs.
“Well… she’s kinda like my pet and I’m the only one who knows what she needs and since, well since Mrs Baron didn’t allow pets to come on an hour long hike, I sorta had to sneak her in. ” I bit my lip waiting for him to stare at me like I was a weirdo for bringing my pet hedgehog on an hour long hiking trip. But instead, he roared with laughter, shaking the entire forest. “And how exactly do you take care of her? In the middle of nowhere?” he managed to choke out, between gasps.
“Well…” I began. I knew that I would have to speak soon. Jackson was not a very patient person. “I sorta poured soapy water into my water bottle and I pour it on the ground so the worms come out. They hate soapy water. Then I have to pick out the worms and Cactus eat’s them. Yeah I know what you’re thinking. Weird, right?” I asked, looking at the floor, so as not to meet his eyes. I could tell he was deeply amused. “That explains why you never drink water.” He muttered under his breath. “Tell me this, why do you sneeze so much? I mean, you don’t look sick.” he asked, curious now. “Oh.. about that, I’m not actually sneezing. That’s just Cactus, she makes a weird noise when she’s angry; she doesn’t like the dark.” He chuckled quietly and then his face became serious. “It’s almost dark; we won’t have time to go on further. I think we need to start making a shelter.” he said, then his hand locked around my waist and pulled me while walking deeper into the forest. ”C’mon, I need to show you something.” I would never have imagined enjoying being dragged through the forest, but with Jackson I had a strange feeling, almost pleasure,