text: “We’re sitting here like idiots. There must be something we can do?” Giles said. Elbows on knees, chin in palms, the same stance as his two best friends. Giles was the thinker of the three, if anyone could resolve this situation, it was Giles. “How long have we been sitting here? Seems like ages?” Roger asked. He relaxed, and stretched his back, remaining seated on the boulder. “We can’t wait here forever. Won’t someone come and get us?” John moaned, he yawned, stood and walked around the rocks. It was dark, not pitch black, but gloomy, and chilly. “Where is the light coming from?” asked Giles. “What light?” asked Roger. “We’re in a cave, in case you hadn’t noticed, there is no electricity. So, how come there is some light, not a lot, I agree, but some.” “Who said we’re in a cave? The floor is flat, not all rocky,” said Roger. “And you can’t see the ceiling.” “Is there anything to climb on?” asked John. “Stand on your rock, you are bound to see for miles up there. Idiot,” said Giles. “Don’t call me an idiot, at least I’m trying.” “Yes, very trying. It’s your fault we’re here.” “Guys settle down, we’re all in it together, it is nobody’s fault,” said Roger. “Anyone hungry or thirsty?” “No, that’s odd, I’m usually starving by mid-morning.” Giles realised his watch was gone. “What’s the time? I’ve lost my watch.” “Hey, where is mine?” “And I’ve lost my phone.” “We can’t even look at the sun to guess the time,” laughed John. “It’s not funny, who has nicked our stuff?” said Giles. “This gets worse,” said Roger. “Is this anything to do with you, John?” “Why would it be my fault?” Giles groaned but refrained from saying what he was thinking. ‘He got us in this mess. He was the one who loved Roger’s dopey sister. Perhaps not so dense, she’s training to be a stunt actor. My God, she’s can jump from moving horses, whatever next. John was the one who planned to scare the fearless girl. And then come to her rescue, dragging us with him.’ John placed his hands on the cool rock, “I read somewhere...” “I doubt if you read anything, anywhere, are you sure it wasn’t on TicTok?” said Roger. “As I was saying, if you get lost in a maze, simply put your hand on the left side fence, or in our case, wall, and follow it back to the entrance. Simple.” “In case you hadn’t noticed, we are not in some childish game,” said Giles. “I’m going to try, if you want to get out, follow me.” John ducked his head, scratched his nose to hide the beginning of tears. ‘Why did I fall for an older woman? I know she fancied me. She was happy enough to show off her new driving licence and take my friends for a ride.’ He thought. “I sort of agree with John, we can’t just sit here. We must be better off by following the left-hand side of the wall, won’t we?” Roger said. ‘If he’d have acted like a grown-up, instead of a love-struck teenager we wouldn’t have been in this mess.’ Roger thought. “Can any of you remember why or how we got here?” Giles asked. “Never mind that now, let’s try to get home,” said John. Roger was nodding by his side. “We can start by using my left hand on the wall, if it gets sore we can swap, take it in turns. Okay?” said John. “Have you guys got anything to mark the wall, just in case we’re walking in circles?” suggested Giles. “Where’s my chewing gum? I had a new pack.” “Yeah, my house keys have gone!” “Someone has emptied all our stuff,” said Giles. “I always carry a pen in my shirt, too. It has gone.” They set off, John thought he was Indiana Jones. He jauntily strode ahead. “I could do with that gum, we could mark the wall with little blobs?” “Is that your best idea?” They walked and walked, John’s arm didn’t ache, they didn’t tire. “Are we there yet,” John joked, mimicking a youngster. “That stupid comment jogged a memory.” Giles was deep in thought, looking face to face. “John was sitting in the front, Roger and I sat in the back?” “The back of what,” asked Roger. ‘Nothing comes to me,’ he thought. “We were in your sister’s car,” said John. “Yes, that’s right. She has just passed her test,” said Roger. ‘How could I have forgotten that, my dad bought her a Ford saloon. Wonder if I’ll get one when I pass?’ “And you were teasing her. Remember John, you said that women shouldn’t be allowed to drive, she lost her temper and clipped the kerb?” “Oh, yeah. I had my hand on her knee too.” “You dirty sod. I told you my sister didn’t like people touching her,” said Roger. ‘Bastard, lucky for him I didn’t see.’ Roger stretched forward and clipped John’s ear. ‘No reaction, I’ll do it much harder next time.’ Thought Roger. “Guys, we are getting nowhere. Does anyone need a rest?” asked Giles. “I’m not tired, let’s keep moving,” said John. “I want to stop, sit and think what happened to us,” said Giles. “The memories have come back, bit by bit. I can almost feel her thigh. Lovely," said John. Roger punched him hard on the nose. “That’s my sister, you’re talking about.” No blood spurted across John’s face, no yelp of pain. “Haha, I’m tougher than you imagined, that didn’t hurt at all,” laughed John. Giles was quiet, thinking about himself. ‘ Lucky for me, they didn’t notice me grabbing a handful of her titties from the back seat. My arm got wedged between seat and door. It’s coming back. What else can I remember?’ He scratched his temples. “Are we going to walk forever?” asked Roger. “Let’s stop, get into a mini scrum, put our heads together, think hard, and try to come up with a solution,” said Giles. “And you thought walking was a bad idea? How is that going to help?” asked Roger. “Something may come to us. Come on, try.” The boys linked arms and bumped their heads together. The initial smirks and sniggers quietened. “We were in my sister’s car, she was driving slowly, concentrating. Where were we going?” “I think we were just cruising?” said John. “Then you frightened her and she lost control,” said Giles. “Yes, it’s all coming back to me,” said Roger. He then broke the scrum fiercely. “You caused it!” he screamed at Giles. “What...” he answered. “Yes, she undid her seat belt. Opened the door and... jumped out. Because of you, you filthy sod, grabbing her. You know she hates people touching her.” Stammered a weeping Roger. “She put the gear in neutral. We flew down the hill and...” said John. “Going faster and faster.” “We crashed into a lorry at the crossroads.” The truth hit the boys. “Sorry, my fault. We are dead,” whispered Giles. The END