Chapter 32: Farting Odor

The cow behind me let out a strange, thunderous sound and I felt a wind storm hit the back of my head. Cringing, I looked behind and met the cow's butt.

That creature did not just fart on me!

The guys burst out laughing while tiny tears actually dropped out of my eyes.

"Get this cow away from me!" I yelled.

"Helen, I think it's a buffalo."

"Same difference! Get it away, Nico!" I screamed in irritation. The whole barn stunk of the animals it contained and their poop. One of the cows--or buffalos--decided to give me company by kicking me with it's hind legs. Actually, if it continued, I was going to start crying. I didn't want to be locked up with these nasty domestic animals.

Nolan, Max, and Kenneth sat together one the other pile of haystack, across from Nico and I.

I kept throwing disapproving looks their way.

Max sighed. "I know . . . we shouldn't have dumped poop in the buggy."

*2 hours earlier*

I quickly covered my face with the scarf and followed behind Paris, Nico, and Ruth.

Downstairs, the small group of people stood waiting patiently. Along with them stood Nico's friends. My eyes flickered to Paris's parents who were holding Nolan by the collar, disgust on their faces. There was a stinky smell in the room whose source I couldn't find. Nevertheless, all of us were shocked to see our worst fear confirmed.

"Where did you find him?" Ruth asked.

"He and his friends were dumping our own animals' feces in our buggy!" Paris's mom apprised. Nolan and the two idiots' hands had specs of dirt, and without doubt, I knew they were the reason behind the smell.

What in the world made them want to dump poop in Paris's buggy?

"What?!" Paris asked in disbelief. He bolted out of the room within a few seconds, leaving the rest of us in uncomfortable silence. I exchanged a glance with Nico, who didn't sem thrilled with the situation.

All of us silently followed behind to discover the evidence ourselves. The buggy that brought us here smelled worse than a dump of poopy diapers (I caught whiff a poopy diaper at the mall one time in the bathroom). Trust me, it was awful.

Paris had a murderous glint in his blue eyes and before Nico could hold him back, the Amish guy punched Nolan smack on the face.

Nolan didn't even flinch unlike the rest of the people.

I guess he was accustomed to getting hit at this point.

"We shouldn't take this in our hands," Paris's dad said sternly to his son. "We'll take him to Church, and let the pastor decide the punishment for him for breaking our rules again."

"Not just him," said Paris, rage still lingering in his eyes. Nolan had hit a nerve, obviously. "Helen too."

What?!

I tried hiding behind Nico, but Paris grabbed my arm and dragged me out in front of everyone, jerking away the scarf from my face.

I couldn't believe it!

He sold me out.

His parents gasped, seeing my humiliated face.

Much against the protests of Ruth, Nico, and other people, the family's decision to take us to Church didn't budge. In fact, Paris was the biggest advocate for punishing Nolan for damaging his property, which I couldn't blame him for, and punishing me for coming here even after he told me not to, which wasn't my fault.

* * *

The pastor thought the best punishment for the previous kidnapping of Jeremiah and today's actions was for us to be locked up in the barn where Nolan, Max, and Kenneth got the poop buckets from. The rest of the visitors were sent back to the Amish festival while my friends and I proceeded through this ultimate torture.

I wiped my eyes and clutched my hair tightly.

"I'm going to kill you, Nolan Milesblue," I said through clenched teeth.

"I'll help bury the dead body," Kenneth volunteered. I glowered at him. He was also involved in helping put poop in the buggy. "I know I messed up too, but it was just a prank!"

"Destroying someone's source of income is not a prank," Nico said icily.

"The poop was mostly dry," Max said defensively. "They can easily get it out. If it was all fresh poop--"

"Stop talking about poop!" I snapped. "We need to figure out a way to escape. My parents will never let me out of the house if they knew I came here, out of all the places!" By here, I meant out of state. They expected me to hang out with my friends in Maryland, not in Pennsylvania. I always got in trouble when I went too far away from home.

Always.

"There's a window, but we're all too big to fit," Max said downcast. I checked out the square cut in the wall, allowing sunlight to pour in. The guys couldn't, but I could.

"I'm short enough for that. I'll fit," I said hopefully. "C'mon, give me a boost, someone."

Everyone looked at Kenneth, the tallest out of us all. Probably about a foot taller than me. He sighed before inclining to my request. The boys and I carefully trudged through the animals. Some of the chickens pecked at my legs and I squealed. Same for the others except Nolan. He just tagged along to enjoy the struggle.

Kenneth sat down on his knees while Nico and Max helped me climb on our friend's shoulders. It was risky business. As Kenneth stood up and the other two let go, I lost my balance.

I fell backwards, eyes shut, expecting to kill one of the chickens in my landing.

Fortunately, a pair of arms caught me.

I blinked rapidly at the light green eyes and felt nothing but relief. Even if he loathed me, Nolan saved me from killing a chicken. He quickly put me down and I silently went back to the other three again. Nico suddenly held my hand tighter and didn't let his hands off my body even after I stood up. His strong grip on my ankles helped me maintain balance.

I don't think he wanted me to fall again.

I used my arms and elbows to raise myself. It was a complete fail.

If only I worked out more and had more upper body strength.

"Stand on your toes, Kenneth," I said. "I can't climb."

"Aren't you a cheerleader, though?" he replied.

"Cheerleader? Me?" Where did he get that idea? I looked down, frowning.

"Nolan said you were one of the bimbo cheerleader types. The only thing you like is climbing on top of guys," Max replied. All of them actually laughed.

I can't believe Nolan said something like that!

Wait till I got out. I'd leave without these knuckleheads!

"And you guys believed the douchebag?" I asked, pushing myself on the window sill. The anger inside me at Nolan's words actually brought a boost of strength.

I climbed and propped myself in the two inch space on the window sill before glancing down. The fall was at least eight feet. Was it worth breaking a bone?

"What are you waiting for?" Nico asked.

"Superman?" I replied hopefully.

"He ain't coming," Kenneth said. "Get you butt--"

"Just push her!" Nolan mumbled.

"I heard th--AH!" I screamed as one of them gave me a push and I landed down flat on the ground. If it weren't for the grass, the guys might as well have been sent to jail for third degree murder. I quickly stood up and went near the entrance. It was nice to breathe fresh air. "Go die with the buffaloes and chickens!" I yelled at them. "I'm leaving!"

"Helen! C'mon please!" I heard Nico plead.

Sighing heavily, I wasted five minutes hearing their apologies and pleas for being obnoxious human beings.

"We were joking about the cheerleader thing," Max said. "It was just to get you out."

Really?

"I'll open the latch on one condition," I said. "You guys have to promise not to ask for any explanations." None of them knew about the Jeremiah kidnapping or mine and Nolan's history in this Amish village. As a matter of fact, they had only participated in Nolan's demonic activity as a prank.

A stinky prank.

"Done," Kenneth said from the other side.

Slowly, the other ones agreed.

I lifted the latch and opened the door for the guys to pile out. Max went to the extent of falling on the ground and kissing it.

"Mother earth is beautiful," he said.

"I suddenly love Nitrogen, Oxygen, and all non-buffalo gases in the air," Kenneth added.

"Oi!" someone yelled.

All of us found Paris's mom looking out of one of the windows in her house. She caught us. Without wasting another second, all of us bolted. The woman appeared fragile, but she had the strength of an Olympic runner. With a cane in her hand, she chased us through the entire village. All the way to the celebration.

Thankfully, the crowd of people allowed us to fall inconspicuous.

I had separated from the group along with Nico. Both of us were pressed in this space behind a wall. My back was pressed against Nico's rapidly beating heart from all the running and exercise. One of his arms was looped around my waist, pushing us both more towards the wall as the crazy woman walked past us, moving her cane like a martial artist's staff.

"That was close," Nico told me, once the coast was clear.

"No dip Sherlock," I said and relaxed. Then, it occurred to me that I was in a strange position. I moved forward, but his arm kept a tight hold, pulling me back like I was a stretched elastic band. "Let go."

"Already?" he whispered next to my ear. "What if she comes back?"

I elbowed him in the ribs.

"I might fight over who gets to beat you, in that scenario," I warned.

He scoffed, letting me go.

We continued through the crowd and raced to the parking lot where the other three were already waiting by the car. All of shuffled inside the vehicle.

"That was awful," Max remarked, slightly breathless. He was driving.

"What kind of a punishment is locking us all with animals?" Nico said, shaking his head.

I saw Paris on our way out towards the street.

His expression was downcast and he was kicking rocks. We ruined his buggy, his day, and even his life to a degree.

"Stop the car!" I said.

"What? Are you mad?" Max asked preposterously.

"Just do it," I insisted and he gave in. I opened it quickly and ran to where Paris was across the street. Seeing me, the blue-eyed guy frowned and anger crossed his face upon locating the rest of my troupe in the car. As he opened his mouth to speak, I quickly rambled, "I know we messed up and ruined everything for you, but that wasn't the intention. I'm sorry. I never meant for such a mess up to occur. No one will bother you and your family again."

"Right," he said in disbelief. "How did you all even get out?"

"Long story. Maybe another time. I stopped here to talk to you," I said desperately. "I don't want to leave on such awful terms. Actually, I didn't even know the guys were planning to ruin your buggy. If I had known, I swear--"

"Don't consider yourself responsible for his actions," Paris interrupted. We both knew he was referring to Nolan. I wiped my face and nodded. "I don't even know what to say about that guy." Neither did I.

"I'm doing all this for him," I stated in a small voice. "Just to know what is the root of all of his problems."

Paris sighed.

"Catch her!" a woman screeched.

At a distance, we saw his mother. That woman didn't surrender, yet?

Paris grabbed my arm and whispered, "Solve his problems carefully, okay?"

"You forgive me?" I almost smiled in relief.

"Can Paris stay mad at Helen?" Thank god, he wasn't behaving like Nolan. "Just remember, you don't have to do all this for someone who doesn't appreciate it." I nodded. It was too late to step out. "Tell the guys I hate them. Now, run before my mother locks you back up with our chickens."

"Okay. Thanks again," I said.

I ran across the street in record time, returning to my seat.

"What happened?" Nico asked.

"He forgave us all." I lied.

They sighed and started the car.

"I still can't get rid of the farting odor from my nose," Nolan commented, his nose wrinkled. He was sitting between Kenneth and I in the backseat.

"Sorry," Kenneth said sheepishly.

"Dude!" All of us complained simultaneously before pulling down the windows to grasp less polluted air.

___________

A/N

That sad moment when you don't have an author's note but you just want to end the chapter in BOLD words...

Oh wait, you guys should check out "Oh Be A Fine Guy, Kiss Me." It's from a spunky & funny half American half Pakistani character's POV. Just trying to add more diversity in work. Plus, I always wanted a light hearted main lead to write from.

Thanks for all the votes and support so far <3