Tug of Fate | When Stars Align Book one

Way Back

Becca

As soon as Anya and James come into view I run to them and squeeze them as hard as possible. When I had woken up and hadn't found them close by, I had almost shrieked. Liam and Logan were up and ready for action even before they were fully standing. Ali kept sleeping blissfully, engrossed in her dreams. Then I saw the note from James. Thank God for his consideration to leave a note. Does it even make sense that I am "dating" someone who I met yesterday? Does it make sense that I can feel so much at the prospect of losing this man when not even 72 hours ago we were strangers? It doesn't. But it is what it is.

We pack our bags. Ali is up and looking so forlorn that my heart is breaking all over again for her. We make our way out. Ali runs forward to a spot outside the cave. We all follow her.

"What is it Ali?" Anya asks her.

"This is where the earth opened up", Ali says, a frown maring her forehead. The ground in front of us is smooth with fresh vegetation on it.

"Are you sure? This looks like it has been here for quite some time." Liam speaks softly.

Ali is still frowning. "I don't know. Maybe it was somewhere around, maybe it was the waterfall that took him. I don't....", she trails off. She looks around to find that piece of land that claimed one of ours, just as we are looking for it. But as far as we can see, the ground is clean and clear, with no signs of any disturbances.

"Hey, I think we're on the other side. See the watering hole is to the East, as opposed to the West. And everything on that side is covered with rocks." Logan exclaims.

We make our way to where he is standing and true enough, we can see the other side. The water is still trickling, but the level seems to have risen. I think we came out the other side of that cave. But, how? Did we not use the same entrance? The one with the fallen tree? Then I look around and to my surprise, there is another fallen tree on the other side, that is visible slightly. Huh. Both sides have a fallen tree? Well that explains it. Uneven rocks cover that side of the cave, with vegetation so jagged and dense that it was perplexing to realize that it's been only a few hours, or days, since we were inside that cave.

"We can make our way to the other side if you want Ali... Do you want to?" Logan asks her. She just shakes her head, tears falling down her cheeks.

"No. It's okay. I don't need a reminder of what I saw." We all nod, as she hides her face in Ananya's shoulder.

We turn around and I point at the tree through which we have to make our way downhill. I remember Julian showing us that tree. It was as if somewhere he knew that he wouldn't be with us during this part of the journey.

We are all dirty and exhausted. All we want now is to reach the camp, get back to our hotels, bury ourselves under some warm blankets and wipe this nightmare away. The mood is bereft. We all walk single file. Trudging down the slope, to reach the plains that are visible. The air is heavy, colours are dull, and the ground is slushy beneath our feet. I hear at least more than three of us take and release deep breaths. And I swear I could feel the trees sigh and release deep breaths as well.

****

We've been walking for the past five and a half hours, when we come around to a clearing. Everyone almost stumbles to a stop, when James, who had been leading us, stops abruptly. I make my way over to him and see him looking into the backyard of a cabin. There is a hedge growth around the cabin. It looks like nobody has been here for ages. The weeds are growing wildly, the cabin looks sort of rugged. It looks like it has seen better days. There are no neighbors around here, at least none that I could see. I am still taking in the surroundings, when James jumps over the hedge and into the yard.