(Metallic Screeches and Tense Music)

Jacob: Well so there I was, tired, confused, emaciated. I looked over to my friend as we hid behind the
barn. Were so done! he murmured to me. Out of water and down on my luck, I peered around the
corner of the red building, only to see a Ford F150 heading towards me at top speed. Yesterday was the
only easy day.
But perhaps I should start at the beginning! Tell you how I got into this mess.
(Dub Reggae Mix)
It was a warm summers night, and as shakesperial as that sounds, there was nothing poetic about it. I
was leaving to college in less than a week, and one of my good friends was having an end of the year
birthday bash. I decided to go with a few of my male friends, and see what the night could bring.

Matt, Isaac, Michael, and I all showed up to the party together. We were fashionably late of course, and
everyone else was already having a splendid time. It did not take long for us to get into the spirit, and
soon the socializing began. There was bag toss, music, food, girls.the gathering was live.
(Switch Dub Reggae to Modern Piano)
All was well for a few hours, and as the crowd died down, our group came back together and we sat
down to debrief and decompress after a long night of pleasantries. Matt, who was clearly in the best
spirit of us all, shared with the group how he had met a fellow reveler who was in fact an amateur
cyclist.
Now, to me, that seemed like a rather uninteresting fact, for it is a mundane affair to like to ride bikes
right? (Buzzer Noise) WRONG. This is exactly where the night, and subsequently the morning, would
become very abnormal.
So Matt was feeling great, and he told us of how absolutely enjoyable it would be to go for a wild bike
ride in the morning. He shows us this app which tracks the miles you ride. Michael looked to me, and
laughed at the idea. And that was the sin that did Jezebel in.
(Dub Reggae Mix Returns)
All the socializing must have made us confident, because well-poised as ever, we all accepted Matts
challenge for a, Tour of Indiana, to commence in the morning. Whoever rode the least miles or
dropped out of the ride would be condemned to jokes whenever they returned to La Porte.
(Disoriented Music)
The next morning was rough. The once hearty revelers were in dire straits. Michael, who had started this
primal chest match, was nowhere to be found. Isaac was in disrepair, and the night had definitely taken
its toll on him. Matt saddled up his bike confidently, but the angst and exhaustion was prevalent as ever
in his eyes.
I awoke, and pulled on a pair of shorts, a cap, and some sunglasses. I did not expect this to last very long.
As long as I wasnt the first to quit, I figured it was a victory for me.
(More Upbeat Dub Reggae Mix)
We set out, leaving from La Porte, Indiana, towards New Carlisle. As we peddled through La Porte, I
could already tell it was bound to be a rough day. We rode through the city that we had all grown up in,
taunting one another about who would give up first. In the early stages of the city ride, the heat was
already getting to me, and I was noticeably strained.
As soon as the first drop of sweat was shed from my brow, I was instantly peppered with jokes from the
boys.
(Record Scratch, Music Stops)
Fargos sweating like a pig!
Give up bro!
I laughed it off, I was not about to lose to these puds.
(Upbeat Dub Reggae Mix Makes a Return)
Before I knew it, we were out of La Porte, and into the beautiful countryside of the county. Now when I
say beautiful countryside, it may come off as sarcasm (due to the fact that we only have cornfields,
bean fields, and silos), but on a very genuine note, seeing all these features, which I usually speed past in
a car, up close was quite riveting.
Our county drive continued on for the better part of an hour. I looked over to Matt, and he was keeping
up with ease. When I looked around, I could not find Isaac. I signaled Matt over to the side and we had a
good laugh about losing him. After a few minutes of joking and waiting, up Isaac rode, tired and
defeated.
(Sad Tuba)
Im done bros, he proclaimed with a sigh. As was just, we gave him his fair share of jests for being the
first to drop out. He then called up his friend to get a ride back. Matt and I were hysterical.
I looked at Matt, expecting him to want to head back. Instead, Matt glanced to me and said, Just us
now man, if you want out its fine.
Well by now you know I wasnt about to lose. So we headed off.
(Upbeat Dub Reggae Mix, Preferably Different)
Up and down we rode. By this time we were in dirt trails, very steep, hard to maneuver in, dirt trails. It
was clear we were trying to get one another to give up. We rode off the tarmac for miles. It seemed like
forever, and I was exhausted. I pushed past Matt as I rode to the top of an Everest-esque hill.
When I approached the top of the peak I stopped to rest. In the distance, I could see an orchard. Matt
pulled up next to me and saw it too. We looked at each other and without thinking we knew what had
to be done.
(Modern Piano Returns)
We did not bring snacks, or water, or even proper clothing, so the apple orchard was our oasis, our
Garden of Eden in a wasteland of cornfields.
When we finally arrived, I played the lookout, whilst Matt snatched a few apples.
We rode off with our prizes, and ate them while peddling. I felt much better, in fact, I was ready to go as
far as need be, until I looked behind me, and saw a pickup truck driving and honking its horn.
(Tense Music Returns)
Well damn, I said to Matt. We really screwed the pooch on this one. We had distance, but we could
hear the honking and it was coming up fast. To our right, was a plant nursery, and I wasnt about to get
ran over for a few Granny Smiths. So Matt and I cut into the nursery, and hid behind a barn. Shortly
after, the truck pulled in after us.
So there I was, tired, confused, and emaciated. I looked over to my friend as we hid behind the barn.
Were so done! he murmured to me. Out of water and down on my luck, I peered around the corner
of the red building, only to see a Ford F150 heading towards me at top speed.
(Car Screech, Music Stops)
Make a little more since now? Yeah, I thought so too.
Then, from seemingly nowhere, a frail older woman appeared from the barn, and waved the man over.
They had a quick conversation, and then the man backed his truck out.
(Inquisitive/Curious Guitar)
She walked to us, and I was clueless as to what just happened.
That frantic coot John is always pretty protective of his apples, She said to us. You boys look tired,
come in for a drink.
(Dub Music Returns)
We followed the lady to a cottage nearby, where she served us a slice of pie, and gave us lemonade. I
looked at Matt the whole time, half laughing and half scared. We thanked her, and decided not to
overstay our welcome.
(Acoustic Banter)
What a day! I said to Matt.
So ya give up? He replied.
And just like that, we were back on the road