New Girl in Town

Happy New Year, everyone!

Thanks to Devir Ginator for his assistance in editing and everything that he does. It's much appreciated!

Thanks to all of you readers as well for voting, commenting and sending feedback. You're awesome!

****

Ray helped Staci place an assortment of paper plates on the island in her kitchen. They were using it as the refreshment area, instead of the outdoor tables, due to how cold it was and the rain that was expected later on.

"This is more a job for Jake," He joked as he tried to arrange the plates evenly. "He's the one with the eye for detail."

"Don't tell me that Jake Gibson ducked out of helping set up for this party," Antoine said as he and Twanda joined them in the kitchen. "His Wildcat wouldn't let him get away with that I know!"

"Jake didn't duck out of anything," Staci said as she put out the cups for punch. "His

Wildcat

had a late Christmas gift to give him so they should be here about the time the party starts."

"Ooo, a late gift huh?" Antoine chuckled. "Is my boy going to enjoy this

gift

, Staci?"

"Mmmhmm," Staci answered with a wicked grin. "I am sworn to secrecy however so that's all the info that you will be receiving from me, Tank."

Antoine raised his hands in mock surrender but his face held a huge grin that got him a nudge from his girlfriend Twanda.

"You are not allowed to tease Jake all night about it, Antoine," She told him.

"Okay, I won't do it

all

night," He smiled at her.

"Impossible," Twanda shook her head at Staci. "How does Jake put up with all these goofballs day in and day out?"

"Patience," Staci sighed over dramatically. "Worlds of patience."

"Please," Ray laughed. "He puts up with us because he's just as much of a goofball as the rest of us. Right, Tank?"

"He is that," Antoine laughed. "My boy's all right though. Takes a joke at his expense and laughs right along instead of getting all butt hurt like a certain other person that will not be named in this house."

"I appreciate that, Antoine," Staci smiled at him. "And yes our Jake is a goof just like the rest of you but he's our goof and we all love him for it, right?"

"I'd love him more if you would stop kissing him," Ray noted with a chuckle.

"Never," Staci teased then gave him a quick kiss when the doorbell rang. "Now go see who's arriving early while I wrangle Tank and his gorgeous lady to help me mix the punch."

Ray snatched another quick kiss then headed to Staci's front door. He opened it to find Jamie and Marie. Jamie held a pan that was covered with tinfoil while Marie held a box.

"Hey you two," Ray greeted them.

"We're a little early," Jamie said as Ray stepped back to let them inside.

"We brought goodies," Marie chimed in as she held up her box.

"Goodies are always welcome and so is being early," Ray chuckled then nodded toward the kitchen. "We're using the kitchen for the food so you can drop your goodies in there."

"Did I hear something about goodies?" Staci asked as the trio walked into the kitchen.

"I brought a cake," Marie said as she presented Staci the box. "It's a pineapple upside down cake. I hope that's okay."

"Sounds yummy!" Staci licked her lips for emphasis.

"It really is," Jamie said. "She made it from her mom's recipe and it's sooooo good!"

"Jamie," Marie blushed at his praise.

"It's true though, babe," He said as Staci took his pan and lifted the foil to peek inside.

"Brownies?" Staci asked as she sniffed. "Mmm, chocolate fudge brownies from the smell."

"The best part is that he made them himself," Marie announced proudly.

"So if you find eggshells or whatever else in them you know why," Jamie joked.

"There's no shells in it!" Marie said as she playfully slapped his arm. "I supervised him and he did an excellent job."

"I'm going to be the judge of that," Staci said and reached into the pan but Ray stopped her.

"Save some for the guests, Staci," Ray laughed.

"They're old enough to fend for themselves," Staci countered then sighed as she placed the brownies on the island. "Fine, but if I miss out on either of these I will make you pay, Ray."

"Gladly," Ray smiled then gave her a kiss before he took Jamie and Marie's winter coats to put away. "Make yourselves comfortable."

"We'll make ourselves useful," Marie called back to him then turned to Staci, Antoine and Twanda. "What can we do to help?"

"Marie, you can help Twanda and I make the punch while Antoine and Jamie go out and see if Bobby and Javier need any help with the fire pit if you would all be so kind."

"You got it, Staci," Jamie said then shook his head. "Ray just took my coat though. Let me catch him and I'll be right out."

"Hey, Jamie, can you grab mine too while you're in there?" Antoine asked.

"You got it," Jamie answered as he hurried off to catch up to Ray.

He returned a minute later and handed Antoine his jacket while he put his own on. Both of them kissed their girlfriends before they headed out to check on the fire.

****

A little over an hour later the party was going strong with people dancing, hanging out watching movies or congregating around the refreshments. Ray looked around and couldn't find Staci anywhere. He was about to text her when he saw her descending the stairs.

"Everything okay?" He asked her as he walked over to her.

"I'm not sure," She answered. "I've tried calling and texting Jessica but she's not answering."

"Could she still be um, well, busy with Jake?" He asked.

"I suppose so but they would have let one of us know if they were going to be this late," She said. "Should I call her house to see what time they left or... or... I don't know."

Before Ray could answer her Bobby and Marybeth joined them at the foot of the stairs.

"Where are our Double J's, Staci?" Bobby asked. "A lot of people are asking after them."

"I'm one of those people," Staci admitted. "I'm really getting worried because I can't get in touch with either of them."

"This isn't like them," Marybeth agreed while Bobby took out his phone and tried to call Jake.

"Voice mail," He told them after a few moments.

"Were they coming from Jake's or Jessica's house?" Ray asked.

"They were going to stop off at the drive in before coming here," Staci answered.

Ray nodded then started up the steps.

"I'll grab my coat and drive that way. Maybe I'll see them there or somewhere along the way."

"Grab mine too, Ray," Bobby said. "I'll ride with you."

"Mine too please," Marybeth said. "I can keep Staci updated while you two try and find our wayward friends."

"We might as well make it four," Staci said but Ray shook his head.

"You should stay, Staci," he said. "I know that your mom's here and all but you should be too since it's your house. We won't be long."

"They probably just lost all track of time," Bobby reassured her. "You know how Jake gets when he's with Jess. My boy loses all track of time, space and whatever else!"

"I'll text you as soon as we find them, Staci," Marybeth said. "You'll be teasing Jessica in no time over her tardiness."

Staci smiled at that then pulled Marybeth into a hug.

"I needed that," She whispered. "Be safe out there."

"We will be," Ray assured her and soon the trio were out in Ray's car headed toward the drive in.

****

Ray drove slowly as the three of them scanned the road ahead and the side roads as they looked for Jake or Jessica's car. No one was sure which car they had taken that night but felt that it wouldn't be too hard to spot Mustang headlights on the sparsely traveled roads.

"Man, I hate this freaking curve up ahead," Bobby commented.

"Same here," Ray nodded as he slowed down for it. "I always hear my dad's warning in my head when I'm driving through here."

"Your dad told you about the teens in the early eighties right?" Bobby commented. "Driving too fast and drunk, missed the curve, plowed through the tress and..."

"Can we not talk about that while we're out looking for our missing friends, babe?" Marybeth asked from the backseat.

"Damn," Bobby muttered. "Sorry about that, sweetie. I wasn't thinking."

"I wasn't thinking either, Marybeth," Ray said. "It just always pops into my head. I'm sorry I brought it up."

"It's okay," She assured them both. "I just didn't want to think..."

Her words drifted off when she thought she saw something flickering off in the woods ahead of them. Ray saw it too and had slowed his car even more.

"What is that?" He asked as he tried to make out what he was seeing.

"I can't tell," Marybeth said as she watched the image. "It's flashing pretty steady like a beacon or something. It's strange."

"Strange ain't the half of it," Bobby said. "There is nothing out in these woods that should be flashing like that. Hey, have you guys heard that these woods are supposed to be haunted? You don't think..."

"Probably just some kids who heard the same rumor and are out trying to mess with people," Ray interrupted as they exited the curve.

Marybeth kept her gaze on the flickering light through the back window then tapped Ray's shoulder.

"Ray, I think we need to check that out," She said.

Ray was already slowing down as he looked for a driveway to turn around in.

"Yeah, Marybeth, I think that you're right," He agreed. "I have this weird feeling that something isn't right out there."

****

Jessica wasn't sure if it was the monotonous plinking sound that woke her or the strong smell of gasoline but she jerked awake with a scream that had long since died in her throat.

"Jake," She said in a shaky voice. "What happened?"

Something warm and wet trickled down her face and when she went to wipe it away she felt that half her face was covered in something. One of her eyes was covered so she swiped at it again to clear her vision. Something popped and crackled in front of her and it drowned out the sound of the turn signal. With her now, slightly cleared vision, Jessica saw flames from underneath the hood of Jake's Mustang.

"Jake, we have to move!" She shouted as she fumbled to undo her seat belt.

She felt a twinge in her left wrist when she got unbuckled but she didn't think about it. She knew that they had to get away from the flames.

"Jake!" She shouted at his slumped form.

He didn't move and the thing that frightened her the most was that he had yet to make a sound. Jessica reached out to his shoulder and gave him a slight shake but nothing. He was just limp in his seat. She reached over again but heard a whoosh then felt the heat from the flames intensify. She pushed her door and, with a groan or metal, it opened. The cool night air rushed into the cabin but was quickly washed away by the heat from the flames. Jessica frantically pulled at Jake's seat belt until it unsnapped and he slumped toward her. She grabbed the collar of his coat with her left hand tried to pull him but a white hot poker of flame shot through her arm. The pain hit her like a freight train and caused her to unleash a scream that echoed through the trees but Jake still didn't move. She heard another pop from under the hood. A louder one this time around that kicked in Jessica's fight or flight response and her adrenaline. Flight briefly won as she slid backwards out of the car until she landed flat on her butt on the forest floor. She started to scoot herself away from the car but then she stopped.

"Jake," She reminded herself. "I have to get Jake!"

She scurried back to her feet and tried to run to the drivers side but her feet were unsteady underneath her.

"You are not leaving him," She ordered herself and made her feet do what she wanted them too.

When she cleared the front of the Mustang she saw that Jake's door was smashed against a large tree trunk. Undaunted she reversed course and dove back into the passenger side of the car. This time she was careful of her left arm as she hooked both arms under Jake's shoulders and tugged. She moved him but only slightly to where he now laid half across the passenger seat and half in his. Jessica adjusted her arms, planted one of her knees in the seat and used the other for leverage against the frame of her door. She used her whole body to pull and this time Jake slid more easily until she had him out of the car. The pair crumpled to the forest floor in a heap and Jess let out another scream of pain as her arm was jostled.

"Just a little further," She thought as she crawled along the forest floor and fought down the urge to throw up from the sudden nausea that hit her.

She managed to drag Jake a few more feet before she had to stop because her head started swimming. She slumped onto the ground when she held Jake's head in her lap and tried to see just how badly he was hurt but the headlights of the Mustang had been demolished in the crash and it was a dark night so she could barely see anything in the flickering firelight from the car engine fire. She felt wetness on his face and assumed he was bleeding but she couldn't see from where.

"Please don't be dead, Jake," She whispered to him then she saw the headlights of a car flicker through the trees.

She watched the lights come toward her, take the curve then the taillights glow bright for a moment as the car slowed. Then she saw it turn around and start back towards them. That's when she started to yell for help.

****

Ray pulled his car to the shoulder just before the curve, turned on his hazard lights and asked Bobby to open up the glove box. He extracted a pair of flashlights from it and turned to hand one to Marybeth.

"You and Ray keep them," She said. "I'll use the one on my phone."

Bobby nodded, handed Ray one of them and the trio exited the car. Ray thought about laying out some of his roadside flares but decided to see if they found anything before he did that.

"It's steep going down here, Marybeth," Bobby warned her. "Hold onto me. I don't want you to slip and fall."

Marybeth nodded as she took his arm so he could lead her down the steep embankment. Ray swept his light across the trees when they reached them then turned to the others.

"See anything?" He asked.

"Just trees," Bobby answered as his light beam flicked from tree to tree. "I can't even see whatever it was we saw from the road. Marybeth, can you see it?"

"Not from here," She answered but then started to walk into the woods. "It was this way though. I'm sure of that."

"Follow the lady," Ray said.

As they started into the woods they heard a bloodcurdling scream from the darkened woods that froze them in their tracks.

"Dude, what the fuck was that?" Ray asked.

A shout followed the scream and in an instant three beams of light flicked to that spot.

"That was someone yelling for help that time," Marybeth said.

"Oh god," Ray said as he started to fight his way through the underbrush.

"What?" Bobby asked. "Ray, where are you going?"

"That was Jessica's voice!" Ray shouted back.

Bobby and Marybeth followed after him and soon came upon the wreck.

"We're here!" Jessica shouted as she heard the crunch of leaves as they arrived.

Her eyes hadn't left Jake's face as she gently rubbed his hair.

"Oh my god," Ray whispered as he took in the scene before him.

"He won't wake up," Jessica said through tears. "Why won't he wake up?"

"Jess... Jessica," Ray said as he moved toward the pair. "Jess, it's Ray. Bobby and Marybeth are here with me. Are you okay?"

"Jake won't wake up," She repeated. "He's hurt."

Bobby knelt down beside them and his face went white when he saw that they were both seemingly covered in blood.

"Jess, we need to help you," Bobby tried to say calmly.

"Help Jake," She said.

"We'll help you both okay, Jess?" Marybeth said as she too knelt down and looked Jessica over with the light from her cell. "You're head is bleeding, sweetie."

"So is Jake's," Jessica said. "My arm hurts bad too. I screamed. I didn't mean to but I did. I'm sorry."

"It's okay, Jess," Marybeth assured her.

"What's wrong with her," Ray asked worriedly.

"I think she's in shock," Marybeth said. "We're going to take care of her though."

"Take care of Jake," Jessica pleaded. "He won't wake up."

"Ray, I need you to head back to the road and call 911. Tell them we need ambulances and fire trucks. Stay there and lead them back to us when they get here," She said then pointed. "Go! Now!"

"I should stay with..." He started to protest but Marybeth stopped him.

"You need to go. Right now! Understand?" She asked him.

Ray took in the seriousness in her tone, nodded then turned and ran back in the direction of his car.

"Bobby, I need you to help Jessica," She told him. "Her head is bleeding and we need to try and stop it."

"I can't leave Jake," Jessica protested.

"You're not leaving him, Jess," Marybeth assured her soothingly as checked for a pulse on Jake. "I need to stabilize his neck. I took a class about first aid for my job. I'll take care of him, Jessica. You just sit right here beside me, okay?"

Bobby started to help Jessica but Marybeth shook her head and nodded toward the road.

"Jess, you need to talk to Jake and let him know that you're still with him, okay?" She suggested then as Jess started to talk she looked at Bobby. "Go to Ray and tell them that they need to hurry with that ambulance! See if he has any blankets in his car and bring them back here as soon as you tell him."

Bobby's face drained of color and he opened his mouth as if he was going to ask her something but Marybeth shook her head to stop him.

"He's still here but it's really bad," She said in a shaky voice. "Tell them to hurry, baby. Please!"

"I will. I'll be right back," He told her then ran after Ray.

Marybeth positioned herself so that Jake's head was between her thighs with her knees on his shoulders then made sure that he was breathing.

"I heard you say that it was really bad. Is he... is he gone?" Jessica sobbed out as she held tightly to Jake's hand.

"No, Jessica," Marybeth tried to say as soothingly as she could with her throat thick with emotion. "He's still with us. You know that Jake is a fighter. We just need to keep talking to him until help arrives."

She hoped that her words sounded confident because she wasn't so sure that they had much time.

****

"Expecting a busy night, Dr. Golden?" the charge nurse in the emergency room asked as Jess's mom signed off on some paperwork at the admittance desk.

"You tell me, Sally," Dr. Golden said. "Back in Charlotte we would be wall to wall most of the night on New Years. How is it here?"

"Nothing like that," Sally smiled. "We'll get a few drunks that celebrated a little too hard, a few car wrecks that sort of thing. Quiet for you but busy enough for us."

"Which is why it's all hands on deck," She said. "I got it. Anything coming in that I should know about?"

"It's been quiet so far," Sally answered as she nodded toward the scanner. "We got a call for a couple of ambulances a few minutes ago but nothing from them yet."

The radio crackled to life just then and Sally turned to respond to it.

"We were just talking about you, Reg," She said. "What have you got for us?"

"Find a damn vein, Pete!" She heard Reg shout to his partner. "I don't care where, just stick the kid before we lose him!"

Both Sally and Dr. Golden could hear the blare of the sirens coming through the radio along with the wails of what sounded like a girl when they heard Pete announce that he had found a vein to use.

"Reg, what is going on?" Sally asked again.

"We've got a teenage male found unresponsive at the scene of a roll over. We have run a line of saline in but his BP is dropping like a rock. Definite head injury. Possible neck injury. Possible internal bleed with internal injuries." Reg reported as calmly as he could.