Sun Catch Her (Book 1: Three Rivers Deep series) COMPLETE

Chapter Forty-Nine

To think what we had almost done. It boggled my mind.

My legs were not cooperating because my body continued to ache for him. It took an almost insurmountable effort to climb the hillside and find the pavement that ran alongside the creek. The concrete was littered with pebbles and still held a breath of warmth as I walked barefoot, surrounded by metal. Lofty, twisting metal that groaned and steamed from its joints.

In contrast, there were massive bulky structures—holding tanks—some with spindly appendages and bright spotlights that highlighted yellow ladders curving up their sides. Abstract monsters, all in a wash of orange halogens, groaning, creaking, clunking, and sighing. I needed to find a way out of this industrial labyrinth, but my concentration was shot to pieces, my body numb and detached, as if it was still lying back in the stream.

Stepping on a sharp stone, I muffled an ouch and kept moving. It had been unintentional, but the pain helped me focus. Fancy that.

I came upon a guardrail-lined road where I paused to look up at a street sign. It read: Agitator Road. So this was the road that truck traffic took through the factory? I remembered seeing glimpses of it between smokestacks from my house. I could follow it to the main gate, but then what? Hope the guard was on break and slip out under the crossbar? Wouldn't there be security cameras? I didn't have the skills, tools, or knowledge to sneak out the main entrance undetected.

Hands going to my hips, I turned toward the front of the factory now that I had orientated myself. Route 268 was to my left, though I couldn't quite see it through the industrial maze rising before me. If I could find a gap where the chain-link didn't touch the ground over there, I could squeeze under and follow the main road to my driveway. Sure there was the risk that a passing car might catch me in its headlights, however, the risk of getting lost in the woods was greater if I exited the fence anywhere else.

A hole in the fence it was then. But where? I would have to go searching.

A spike of adrenaline spun me around when above the groaning of my surroundings came the sound of a shifting diesel engine. I quickly scrambled onto the cement retaining wall that hugged Agitator Road before the tanker truck's great headlights peered out from around a bend in the road. The four-foot wide ledge was rough with limestone as I crouched among thin vegetation, my black hair working as camouflage with the surrounding shadows. Survival point for me.

It was then, when the large truck idled by, temporarily blocking everything except for the sky, that my gaze was drawn up to the lofty flashing of red lights that ringed the two golden brick smokestacks. I knew from observing them out my bedroom window they were situated down over the embankment next to the highway. Agitator Road would lead me to them.

Certain this would work, I glanced at the rear of the tanker truck, its taillights fading like the retreating red eyes of perfectly aligned beasties. The wide bases of the two smokestacks would act as cover as I searched the fence for a gap. If I had to, I would climb the fence there and risk the barbed wire.

I raised my gaze to the sky again when an ominous rumble echoed north of the valley. The rain was swinging this way, if the sudden increase of wet wind was any indication. Was Micah beginning to struggle with the task of keeping the storms away from here?

Micah can handle this. My sky lion is resilient, I reasoned as my stomach clenched, and I was up and moving again, sticking to the wall I was on until I ran out of ledge and had to hop down. I seemed to be moving better now, though my body continued to ache with Alex's absence.

This could work. I crossed the road and jumped the guardrail to follow alongside it at a short distance. And yet, despite having this plan now, I still found myself distracted, the need to get back together with Alex beginning to burn in me.