“I’m here,” Ben called out, not too loudly though. Half of him was hoping Mike wouldn’t hear, if he responded and Mike ignored him he wouldn’t have to feel guilty.
“Ben? Where?” Mike frantically looked around, jogging in Ben’s direction. He caught site of Ben slumped against a tree, and stopped jogging, approaching Ben slowly. “God, you must be freezing!” Mike exclaimed on seeing Ben, he shrugged off his jacket to pass to Ben. “Maybe we should go back.”
“No.” Ben said defiantly, “I’m not going back.”
“You can’t stay out here all night. Here, take my jacket.” As Mike passed over his jacket Ben absent-mindedly took his hand from his cut to take it.
“Shit man!” Mike gasped, it was dark but he could see that Ben’s hand was dripping with blood “What in hells name have you done?”
“Nothing,” Ben lied, “I just tripped and scratched it.”