I Dare You by Jessica Pham (books to read to get smarter TXT) 📖

up, but Kayla kept whining and yelling. So we ended up in Wal-Mart.

~Wal-Mart~

Kayla and I were in an isle looking for shoes, and two of the kidnappers were watching us, one in each end of the row. Both of them had guns in their pockets and they made sure we knew it. “Any sudden moves and we’ll blast your head.” One of them warned. So now we’re browsing the racks, looking for shoes.
“What are we going to do?” I asked. “Remember our plan…?” Kayla answered my question with a question, although I don’t think she answered the question…
“Yeah... I guess.”
“Ok, when I count to three, we’re both going to run that way" – she pointed towards the right- "and run outside."
She grabbed a pair of black Converse and pretended to look at the price.
“Hurry up over there! We ain’t got all day you know!” one of the guys said.
“Just a sec!” Kayla yelled.
The guy grumbled something about teenage girls and how they can’t stop buying shoes.
“One… two…three!” Kayla whispered. We both turned to our right and began running, we got to the guy that was blocking the exit, he tried to stop us, but we ran right into him. All of us were lying on the floor, dazed for a second. Kayla quickly scrambled up and grabbed my arm.
“Hurry up Mike!” she yelled. I pounded my legs even harder, Kayla hot on my heels.

***

I looked behind me, and the two guys who were watching us were right behind us. The one closest to me was gaining on me. I panicked, and naturally, I tripped. “Fuck!” Mike heard me, and ran back. “Dude! What are you doing?! Run munchkin! Run! Run like the wind!” I yelled, right as the guys caught up to us. A person pointed his gun at me, I didn’t know who, for I had my back to him. “You’re not getting away from us now.” I shut my eyes really hard, and waited for the blackness to consume me.
Wait, what am I thinking? Da hell am I gonna just let a random guy point a friggin’ gun at my brain! This lady in her late thirties passed us with her two kids who couldn’t be older than 6, widened her eyes- and I swear, I thought they were gonna pop out of their friggin’ sockets! She opened her mouth and screamed.
“Holy grilled Jesus! Blow my eardrums out why don’t you?!” I screamed, as the guy pointing the gun at my head turned to look at the woman, giving Mike and I the chance to scramble onto our feet and ran like there’s no tomorrow.
We pounded our feet against the slick, smooth, white surface. “Wait! I’m hungry! And who knows? We might end up in the streets with hobos! So better be safe than sorry.” I said as I squeaked to a stop and ran towards the food section. “We don’t have time! They’re gaining on us!” Mike yelled. “Well to bad!” I yelled back. I grabbed Milk Duds, mint flavored gum that I know Mike likes, water, and all the chips I could find.
We raced towards the cash register, and Mike threw a 20 on the counter, “Keep the change! If there even is any..”
And we busted out of Wal-Mart, and into the parking lot. We stood there for a moment catching our breath. But when I turned around, I saw the guy again. “What is he? A stalker?” I asked none in particular.
We both started running again and it was like we were playing hide and go seek in the parking lot, except the seeker didn't’t go, “Come out, come out wherever you are!” This one yelled, “Bitch! Get your fat ass over here!” I pretended to look offended, and slapped my butt, “You don’t think its fat, do you?”
Mike chuckled and slapped my butt, “Yup!” I gave him ‘the look.’ We were hiding behind a car, and we heard footsteps coming our way. I got out my handy dandy lock picker, and picked the lock of a random truck, “Lets just hope I can hot wire a car..”

Once I got the car running, I told Mike to pull up his hoodie and try to look ghetto. I did the same, and I look hot! If I say so myself.
I drove at a normal pace, trying hard not to look like I had a gun pointed at my face, and chased around in a store. The guys somehow spotted us and pointed at the car; I squeaked and hit the accelerator.
I didn’t dare to look back as I got on the road.

~The Chase~

I feel like I’m in one of those action movies, when the good guys chase the bad guys and they’re like, swerving in and out of cars. Well, that’s happening to me. But in my case, the good guys (Mike and I) are being chased by the bad guys (the biker dudes) and I’m not really an experienced driver. I glanced over at Mike, and his face was white. His knuckles were white from gripping the armrest too hard. “You ok?” I asked in a surprisingly calm voice. “N-no!” he managed to get out. “What’s wrong?” I asked worried. “You just had a gun pointed at your face, and you sound like we’re having a tea party!” he yelled. “What the hell?” I asked.
“You’re so calm! How can you be so calm?!” “I just am.” I shrugged. And that pretty much ended the conversation for a while.

15 minutes later…

I was driving at a normal pace, cruising more like it. I had one hand on the wheel, and my other arm tapping on the outside of the door, and all the windows were down.
Mike calmed down somewhat, so I turned on he radio and “Ass Back Home” by Neon Hitch and Gym Class Heroes came on. “I love this song!” I yelled. Mike managed to smile a little. I started singing and Mike joined in.

“Oh, so sexy y'all
I don't know where you're going, or when you're coming home. I left the keys under the mat to our front door, for one more chance to hold you close. I don't know where you're going, just get your ass back home.

I put my hood on halfway like in the movies. I don’t get why some people do that! I mean, ya have it on or ya have it off.! There’s no half- hood thing!
Anyways, I bobbed my head to the beat while trying to look like a serious rapper by doing hand motions when the guy came on.
Mike looked at me and cracked up.
We both knew this type of life didn't come with instructions, so I'm trying to do my best to make something outta nothing. And sometimes it gets downright shitty in fact, when you call and I don't even know what city I'm at.
Or what day of the week in the middle of the month in a year I don't recall. It's like my life's on repeat and the last time we spoke I told you I wouldn't be long (yeah)
That was last November now December's almost gone, I'd apologize but I don't realize what I'm doing wrong
I don't know where you're going, or when you're coming home, I left the keys under the mat to our front door, for one more chance to hold you close I don't know where you're going, just get your ass back ho

- oh shit!”
I looked at the rearview mirror, at first I thought I saw a black Mercedes following us. I’d noticed that the car had been trailing behind us, but quickly dismissed that thought. Kayla, you’re being paranoid! Snap out of it, SON! But I kept checking and it was still following us, so I entered the exit.
N/A: Sorry if I get the driving terms wrong, but gimme a break! I’m only 12. Anyways…

I looked back, and the Mercedes had just turned on the exit, and headed straight for us.
“Mike…”
“Hmm?”
“Please tell me I’m being paranoid, but is that car following us?” I asked nervously, while cracking my fingers. (That’s what I do when I get nervous.) Mike stiffened, and turned around slowly.
***
Damn. They ARE following us. But I’m not gonna tell her that, so I said, “Pshh. Noo… they’re probably just… yeah, I got nothin’.”
She swore under her breath and hit the accelerator, and once again, sending me flying to the dashboard. She blew her bangs out of her face, looking like she’s deep in thought, and very frustrated.
“Put your seat belt on!” she commanded. “Yes ma’am!” I said playfully, while saluting her. “You best call me ma’am!” she joked back. The car started jerking up and down as we sped down the dirt road. I glanced back every five seconds. They were right behind us, literally. Their bumper practically touching our trunk, I ran my hand threw my hair as I tapped impatiently on the dashboard. “Can this truck go any faster?” I asked.
Kayla threw me look, “Quit complaining butt- brain, I’m doin’ my best ight?” Then she turned her attention back to the bumpy road.
She made a quick left, and we were on the highway. To make things worst, there was traffic. She groaned loudly and pounded her hands on the horn. “Fuck this! My 80 year old grandma with a bad knee can walk faster than this!” I looked at her and cracked up. “What chu laughin’ at SON!”
“Your face.” I replied. She narrowed her eyes, “Screw your piuny little ass.” And with that, she unlocked the door, crouched down and hopped. Like a frog. I swear that girl has problems…
I got out of the car and did the same thing, I probably look weird. Some of the people in the cars peered out of their windows and gave us the –wtf-are-you-doing?-look.
One of the guys in a car looked at me, and I shrugged and pointed at Kayla. He nodded and turned his attention back on the road. I looked around for Kayla, and found her next to a car. Her back was against the door, and she was trying to flatten herself against it. She had that epic look on her face too, the one spies have when they’re on a mission.
I tried hard not to laugh. I hopped over to the car, and the driver was a middle aged woman, and the poor lady looked freaked out. I hope she doesn’t get a heart attack!
***
Jesus. What am I gonna do? I have a guy laughing at my every move (Mike), I just ditched the car, and who knows how many psychopaths are chasing us now?
I looked around and I couldn’t see the kidnappers anywhere. “Flying Penguin to Big Ape, do you