Homecoming

When Lia awoke, the first thing her mind registered was the prickle of leaves and twigs on the left side of her face. Rolling over, she saw the stick that had knocked her out lying to her side. With a groan she sat up and rubbed her head ruefully. Although the bump that should have been there was gone, there was dried blood on the side of her face.

When she'd stumbled on Aidan and Lauren it had been night. Now a soft morning light was streaming in through the trees and birds were chirping merrily on the branches. They must have taken Lauren hours ago. God, how long had she been knocked out?

Lia looked around and saw Lauren's phone lying a few metres away. She picked it up and saw that the screen had been cracked and badly damaged. Apart from the cellphone there was nothing else to show that Aidan or Lauren or any of the hooded guys had stood there some time ago. She stood to her feet and shuffled forward, gripping a nearby tree as a wave of vertigo hit her.

"Damn," she muttered, sque