Burning Gold

Part 1 1/2

Rue

I race through the woods. It is about midnight I'd say. The full moon is high in the dark sky and there are thousands of stars scattered around. You couldn't see stars back in the City. I look into the woods. Up ahead is a clearing that the moon has fully illuminated. I run through the woods dodging trees and vines, jumping over rotted trees and the occasional animal carcass left behind by Lykos.

When I get to the clearing, I discover tracks in the middle of it. Not animal tracks, not human tracks, but a four wheeler track, it looks like a highly used path, a new road. Rebels.

Suddenly, while I am crouching down I hear a low rumble quickly getting louder. Headlights come through the woods and I jump back. The four wheeler slows down in the clearing and I look at the people in it. Worried its officials I crouch down low to the dark earth. But it's not officials, there's a boy driving and behind him riding on the back is a girl holding a bleeding arm. With a jolt I realize I know the girl.

"Jayla," I yell. I jump up from the ground and run towards the back of the four wheeler. My heart catches, it's Jayla, my Jayla.

A few steps away from the roaring beast I launch myself into the air. I fly through the air and for a second I feel like I am flying. In reality I miss the four wheeler and my legs go failing. I catch the back of the and pull myself on. I climb on. I steady myself on a crouch on the back of the four wheeler in case Jayla or the boy decide to start shooting me or something.

"Jayla?" I ask loudly, nothing happens. The boy doesn't slow down and no one turns around, "Jayla!" I yell again over the roar of the engine.

Jalays head wipes around her midnight black hair flying. Her wild golden eyes stare back at me. At first there is a murderous glaze on them. "Rue?"

She whispers my name as if she can't believe it's me. I nod. A tear wells up in her eye. She wipes it away and taps the boy an the shoulder, he looks around with equally wild eyes. He meets my gaze and slams on the brakes. I lurch forward and almost slam into Jayla.

"Jayla, who is she?" The boy asked in a ruff voice. He keeps his gaze trained on me as I sit back up and hop off the four wheeler. I walk over the the front of the four wheeler.

I hold out my hand, "Rue, who are you?"

He ignores my outstretched hand, "Jayla," he barks again. Jayla still dazed looks over at him.

"Oh sorry, Rue how did you get here?" She asked another tear rolling down her face. She jumps off then truck and runs towards me. She so much as grimmicases as she hugs me, with her injured shoulder smearing blood all over me. Not caring about the blood I hug her back.I savor the hug, I haven't seen her in forever. I feel my own hot tears run down my face. Jayla relies me snowiest it away.

I stare into her eyes and see how much leaving her alone hurt her. A smile is growing on her face as she stares back at me. "How did you get here?"she demands.

"I was just going to the river for the night and saw you," I start to say, "where were you coming from?"

"Chase and I," she gestures over to the sandy haired boy no really I could see grains of sand sparkling in his blondish hair. "We're exploring a cave north of here and where just heading home."

"Where exactly is home?" I ask not wanting to butt too much in on Jaylas personal life.

"I'm living with the Rebels," Jayla says a proud little smile uncontrollably growing on her face, "ok, well I'm not just living with them, I'm kinda their leader!"

"That's awesome," I say to her.I glance at the horizon, the smallest amount of light was starting to appear over the trees, "uh, Jayla, don't take this the wrong way, but we kinda gotta go," I say pointing to the sky.