"Allen! Allen!" shouted Dom. His throat get sore after two days of non-stop shouting Allen's name, looking for him. He let out a small sigh before continuing again. "Allen! Damn it! Where are you?"
“I don’t think he’s here, Dom,” said Kris. He walked towards Dom and rubbed Dom’s back, trying to tell him to give up and headed back. “It’s getting dark. That’s enough for today. We should get back.”
Dom looked up as Kris took his flashlight from his bag. The bare branches spiked into the sky, almost completely covering the sky. Kris was right, it was getting darker and darker at nightfall. Like yesterday, it would be so dark here that he was barely able to see where he was going even though he was walking on the path. Lucky him, Kris and the volunteers were with him or he probably would get lost too.
Today was the last day of the rescue team looking for Allen. Dom had only been given two days to look for his friend. Usually, the police or town folk did not consider those people that went into the forest as ‘missing people’ or form a team to look for them. They believed that those people that went into the forest were the chosen one to meet the Angel of Death. Some believe that they were chosen as a sacrifice to the Devil that lives in the forest. Dom used to believe the stories about the forest. But now it involved his friend, he decided to deny it and went to find his friend.
Dom sighed and looked around for the last time. No sign of life to be found anywhere. There was the only small sound of rustling bushes and the howl of the wind. No one knew what lay in the dark forest. All Dom knew was that it was not going to be easy for Allen to survive there alone. He got worried every second he thought about Allen.
“Yeah, we should,” Dom finally responded. He, the police and the volunteers had spent two days breaking their own ‘law’ and doing something they should not do – staying late in the forest, spreading far away from the path, in every direction, looking for Allen.
Disappointed, Dom and Kris walked back along the pathway. “Thank you for accompanying me and letting me try.”
Before Kris could answer, suddenly there was a loud crash, as though something big had fallen down. Both of them quickly looked back but they could see nothing. “Did you hear that? What is that?” asked Dom.
Both men froze and looked at each other. “I-I don’t know,” said Kris, stuttering. He looked around, shining his flashlight in every direction.
“Which way did that come from?!” Dom suddenly shouted in panic. Kris could not tell if Dom was afraid or worried. Suddenly Kris heard groaning coming from further up on his left and he immediately flashed his light to that direction.
Without any warning, Dom rushed forward. “Dom! Wait!” Kris rushed after Dom and almost bumped into him when Dom suddenly stopped. Kris’s flashlight immediately fell on the body on the ground. It was Allen. His leg looks dislocated, blood on his hand and his clothes were stained with mixed blood and dirt.
“Allen!” Dom rushed forward and kneeled down beside Allen. “Allen! Allen! Allen!” Dom tried to wake Allen up but did not respond. “Kris! Hurry up, call for help!”
“Ken! Ken!” Kris used his walkie-talkie to call to the others. “We found him! Up here! Get over here now!” “D-dom…,” said Allen, weak. His eyes fluttered open from the noise Dom and Kris made.
“You are ok! You are ok!” Dom said, relieved that Allen had opened his eyes. “We got you. We got you. You will be fine.”
“Keep him talking,” Kris said.
“Where…?” Allen’s eyes widened with surprise. “Where is he?”
“Who? Who is he?” Dom asked, confused. He looks at Kris worriedly and Kris signals him to keep Allen talking.
“Behind me,” Allen said, looking around. He tried to move his head and stand up but felt a great pain instead.
“Don’t move,” said Kris. “Help is on the way. We will get you treatment and bring you to hospital. You will be fine.”
“N-no, no…” Allen said, weakly. “Him… him…” Allen mumbled as his eyes fluttered closed.
“No! No! No!” shouted Dom with urgency in his voice. “Stay with me, Allen!”