The Life of Jezebel Firetongue

6

When I rolled over sleepily in the morning, shivering from the chilly memory, I didn’t remember my new guest.

So when I found myself tangled in Jake’s warm embrace, my eyes whipped open and I bounded out of the make-shift bed, shoving him across the cave floor and squeezing out of him some early morning cuss words. I’m going to die; I’m going to die, my frantic thoughts echoed faintly from my dream. Hands on my knees, I closed my eyes and calmed myself down, trying to convince my brain that I was safe, and there was no need to attack Jake. He’s not here to kill me.

“What was that for?” Jake finally mumbled, coming back to the blanket to sleep some more.

“Um…I was having a bad dream,” I lied hesitantly.

He nodded sleepily and shrugged. “Can we go back to bed now?”

I walked to the edge of the cave and looked at the sun. From its height in the sky, I could tell it was mid-morning. If we didn’t leave now, the day would be ruined. “Nope, I’ve got to get going, and if you want to stay with me, you’d better get going too.”

“Why is it so important for you to stay on the move?”

What should I tell him?

“I’m on a mission, remember?” Walking over to him, I yanked the blanket off him and eased the pillow out from under his head. No use lying about being on a mission if he was going to follow me. Which I could always dissuade him from doing… “A very dangerous, important, secret mission,” I added with emphasis.

He groaned and sat back on the palms of his hands, curiosity flickering in his dull and tired eyes. “What are you, secret agent Firetongue?”

            “If I was, I couldn’t tell you,” I replied.

            Jake smiled. “So Jezebel Firetongue is your code name?”

            “Maybe, maybe not. You’ll never know unless you get off your lazy ass, now will you?”

He shrugged and stood up, helping me pack the backpack. “Anything you say. As long as you let me stick around, you’re the boss.”

I rolled my eyes and pulled the backpack around my shoulders. Then we walked down the mountain path to the road that would lead us to the next town.

“What are we doing today?” Jake asked cheerfully. His optimism was starting to annoy me.

“We’re getting a car, now that I have to haul your cheerful butt around.”

“Don’t you need a license to buy a car?” he pointed out.

“I’ll be taking care of that too,” I retorted hotly.

He still didn’t get the hint. “So how are we going to get our licenses exactly?” Jake pressed.

“The local DMV office,” I replied. A vast generalization on my part, but I didn’t want to admit to what I was doing.

“Don’t we have to take a test? I haven’t exactly studied.”

I grimaced, willing him to drop the subject. “That’s one way to do things.”

“Isn’t it the only way?” he asked, confusion crumpling his brow.

Drop it now, I implored him silently. “Not at all, there are plenty of ways to get a license.”

Realization dawned on him, and he stopped in his tracks. This did not create the intended effect, as I did not slow my pace for even a beat. “Are they…illegal?”