Hazel- On the Run

Chapter 13- Following the Tracks

Chapter 13: Following the Tracks

Aimee and Alice soon woke up and had their breakfast, Alice changing back into a human.

“Where to next?” Aimee asked.

“We need to get to Toulon and the train was taking us there. I think our best bet is to follow the train tracks,” Alice put in.

“On foot?” Hazel asked.

“I thought it would be better by bird,” Alice replied.

***

The girls packed the blankets into the backpack and Melanie wove a large flax basket to carry food, filling it with the fruit she had grown.

Hazel walked down to the river and washed the flax plates and knife before adding them to the backpack.

Alice couldn’t fly through the trees so they had to get to the tracks, out in the open, to continue their journey. They headed towards the bridge where they had been last. Hazel led the way at the front, weaving through the trees. Hazel carried the backpack, Melanie carried the food.

The climb up to the track was a hard one as it was a steep slope made of loose dirt that slipped under foot. The girls had to use the roots and branches around them to pull themselves up.  Eventually they clambered to the top and arrived beside the tracks. Hazel brushed herself down, noticing her clothes and hands were covered in dirt. Alice changed once again into a giant eagle, allowing the others to climb on.

As Alice pushed off into the air, Hazel couldn’t help thinking that without Alice they wouldn’t have gotten nearly as far as they had.

Alice followed the train tracks, flying along with her strong wings. The passengers on top of her back held on and watched the ground below them get further away.

At last they were finally back on track.

***

The sky was getting dark and Alice was tired, so she landed beside the tracks and let everyone off before changing.

They made their way further into the woods to set up camp.

Melanie collected the last sunlight of the day and grew macadamia and walnut trees, giving out a plate of nuts to everyone, along with some of the fruit from earlier that day.

It wasn’t much, but it was enough to keep them from starving.

Melanie cracked open a couple of coconuts and they all had a drink of the milk.

They decided not to light a fire, in case it raised suspicion. Luckily for the girls it wasn’t a cold night.

They wrapped themselves up in the blankets, sharing one between two.

Hazel had trouble getting to sleep but eventually she nodded off into a sleep without dreams.

***

Hazel woke up early the next morning. The sun was just starting to come through the trees. The others began to stir. Melanie woke and sat up.

She just sat there for a while and it looked, to Hazel, like she was meditating.

When Hazel asked her what she was doing, she explained that she was solar charging to get enough energy for the day.

Alice and Aimee woke one after the other and they all ate more nuts and fruit for breakfast.

Alice changed into a bird again, letting everyone climb back on for another day of travel.

She set off, pushing herself high into the sky.

Alice flew through the sky, again following the train tracks.

As the others rode on her back, Hazel felt a sudden pulse of energy come into her mind. She recognised this sensation but couldn’t place where she had felt it before.

Then a flood of voices entered and she knew exactly what it was. The voices of other paranormals…and they were extremely close by.

***

On Hazel’s request, Alice landed.

“What’s wrong?” Aimee asked, as Hazel climbed off and looked around the area.

“The voices came back,” Hazel answered.

“You mean…?” Aimee said.

“Yes, paranormals are very close by. First it was just a pulse of energy but then we must have flown closer, because now I can hear them. I think we should investigate,” Hazel explained.

“There wouldn’t be any harm in just having a look, would there?” Alice said, having changed back into a human.

The group made their way through the trees, following Hazel.

Hazel couldn’t tell how long they had been walking when they came to a large brick wall.

“I can feel them,” Hazel said. “on the other side of this wall.”

“I’ll have a look around, shall I?” Aimee said with a mischievous look in her eye.

“Don’t do anything rash,” Hazel warned.

“Me?” Aimee said innocently. “Anyway, I might be gone for a while. Go and set up some sort of camp if you want. I’ll find you again.”

Aimee smiled as she faded out.

Hazel, Alice and Melanie took her advice and walked back the way they had come and sat down in a small clearing. Melanie shared out some of the food to keep everyone’s energy levels up. Alice who had been working hard all morning was glad of a rest. Silence fell over the girls as they sat and waited…

A rustling came from the bushes.

The girls froze.

“Aimee?” Melanie called.

“No. It’s not Aimee,” Hazel said. “I would know if it were her. I could recognise her voice even in all the chaos in my mind right now.”

“Then what is it?” Melanie asked.

“Why doesn’t she answer that question for us?” Hazel said, speaking to the bushes.

“She?” Alice asked, joining the conversation.

“Come on out, we know you’re there,” Hazel said, again to the bushes.

Slowly a head of dirty blonde hair emerged from the bushes.

The girl stood up.

“Come closer,” Hazel said smiling. “We don’t bite.”

The girl did so.

As she came closer, the others noticed that she was as grubby as they were. Her clothes were a mess and her face and arms were covered in dirt.

She was of slight build and average height, her hair tied in a messy ponytail down her back.

“What are you doing here?” Hazel asked.

“I could ask you the same question,” the girl answered back.

“Are you a fugitive?” Alice asked.

“You first,” the girl said sharply.

“Ok then,” Hazel answered. “but one question…”

“What’s that?” the girl asked.

“Friend or foe?” Hazel replied.

The girl paused, her eyes darting from Hazel, to Alice, to Melanie, before landing back on Hazel.

“I would like to think friend,” the girl answered cautiously.

“Then I believe that we are at a mutual agreement,” Hazel said. “Take a seat, my name’s Hazel.”

“Ruby,” the girl replied.