“Jesus, Ash, can you slow down a bit? We’ve been biking for like, ever.”

Madison’s wavy brown hair was a fright, various twigs, leaves, and perhaps a small critter or two had nestled into the wave-shaped tendrils.

Ash laughed deeply at the sight of Madison’s disheveled state, her airy laugh now a giggle as she spied Madison’s arms and upper body slumped over her handlebars, seemingly near death.

The amusement was contagious, an airborne virus that Spencer had now inhaled and was at this very moment invading her chest and clinging to her lungs. Madison slumped even farther forward, muttering quietly, her legs spread wide to her sides, as though she were afraid of losing her balance.

Light from above stabbed though the branches of the canopy above, striking Spencer, causing her flushed white skin to glow. Her head tilted back at an awkward angle, the virus taking control of her body, causing a piercing cackle to erupt from her tiny person, at the sight of Madison.

Ashley’s eyes were on her, unclear as to why this action of Spencer’s seemed so important, almost vital to Ashley’s existence. Her hands dropped from the handlebars, the frame of her bike clutched between her thighs. A few pieces of Spencer’s long hair had escaped from her hairclip, framing her face. The invisible eyeballs within Ashley’s skull, darting around manically, like a nervous dog, pacing in circles, and a low-pitched whine erupting from its vocal cords. She had to fight the urge to run. To drop her bike to the ground and sprint as fast as she could down the path, her chest stinging from lack of oxygen, the sweat pouring down her cheeks and neck, the muscles of her calves and thighs grinding together, as if invisible hands were twisting and pulling them away from the bone.

The urge was unbearable, yet seemingly unquenchable. She began to suck her own tongue viciously, until a sharp ache developed in the middle of her forehead. Blood filled her ears and the pulsing within her head drowning out the tranquil sounds of nature.

Aware that a declaration had been directed at her, she released her tongue and brought two fingers up to the bridge of her nose, pinching the corners of her eyes, making it clear to anyone watching that it was just a bit of dust bothering her.

“Hello, earth to Ashley! How much farther? I am seriously beat and really want to take a shower.” Madison had made attempts to retrieve the objects from her frizzy mop, however a lone twig protruded from the left side of her head, a visual that Spencer found absolutely hysterical.