Delirium - Fire & Ice Trilogy Skylar Book 1

Chapter 13 - Journeying On

Hope was beginning to fade; they had been travelling for hours through the winding roads and the truck lurched to one side as they went around a bend. Oliver held onto Skylar for all the hope he could though his body was starting to fail him, now he realised how Simon must have felt. Skylar however felt guilt eat away at her as she was no closer to finding a cure.

"What's your favourite Christmas present" Farren asked.

"What" quizzed Jacob having only heard half the question.

"What's your favourite Christmas present" she asked again hoping for a conversation, anything but this awful silence.

"Action Man" Emma chipped in "Dad knew I was a tomboy so he got me an Action Man figure instead of a Barbie, best present he ever got me."

"Chocolate" uttered Jacob licking his lips, there were many agreements. "With me you can't go wrong with chocolate except anything with nuts in, I can't stand nuts."

"Homemade gingerbread clouds" Oliver mumbled "even if it was a little burnt." Skylar felt herself blushing; she had hoped he'd forgotten about that, they were meant to be people but they'd come out looking anything but.

"Hair products" Lisa began, she flicked her hair about with style "anything to do with my hair and you've got it right."

"An mp3" Farren added hers though she looked rather guilty, "my parents saved up to get me one that I must have worn out in about a month. I listened to it wherever I went making up my own routines to the music even though I'm not that good a dancer."

"A book even if it was stolen from the local library, it was the one of the only good things my parents did for me" added George wondering whether he'd spilled too much about himself, he turned to Skylar. "Go on Sky, what's yours?"

"My favourite, my loyal dog and the most loyal friend I've ever had" she expressed feeling tears prick her eyes. She hoped he was somewhere safe, few things made her emotional and he was one. A friend and ally when she needed one most, she really was missing him.

"I had a cat" declared Jacob trying to break the awkward silence that had descended "I called him Roger, he didn't like my Dad all that much." A few giggles were all that he needed to lighten the mood.

"What type of book was it" Emma asked George.

"Matilda by Roald Da, Dahl" he informed though felt disgruntled he couldn't get the authors name right first time. "I must have read it a zillion times cause I liked it so much and it kind of reminded me of me."

"What happened to it" Lisa queried. Other questions were being thrown at him, George did his best to answer as many as he could. "Did you keep it" Lisa pushed. Quite happy the spotlight was no longer fixed on her Skylar did grow concerned about George and the relentless questions he was receiving.

"I took it back to the library, they were not very nice" he told them "they bared me from it." He received many comments about the horrible librarians, he just smiled his thanks not knowing how else to respond.

The trucks roared through the streets, most were deserted except for the ambling creatures. Parker sat upfront one and stared out at the hopeless scenes that passed them by. Was there anyone else alive out there he wondered, praying that he was right.

In the back the conversation had died and playing cards or any other game was near impossible so many had begun to doze or tried to catch a glimpse of their surroundings through the gaps in the canvas sides. Skylar caught sight of Farren who was busy updating her notebook and thought about doing the same, there was much she didn't want to remember but would anyone or even her believe it happened had she not wrote it down. Giving in she pulled the notebook out of her bag, opened it onto the first page and started writing. From the first word it just flowed, stopping only when the trucks bolted or lurched. Soon she had filled half the book.