A Girl Out of Place

Chapter 9: Crossing the Line

They hit him on the head when they ripped me away from him. The last thing I saw before they put the bag over my head, was his body laying face down on the ground. If anyone had told me Henry was dead, I would have easily believed them. But now, upon discovering Henry was actually alive, a powerful feeling surged through my body. A feeling so strong that I failed to contain it.

Shaking from head to toe, I sobbed into my hands soaking the paper with my tears and snot. On my lap Ryn stirred.

"What happened?" She groaned, groggily sitting up.

I wiped my nose and eyes with my crusted sleeve, wishing I had a handkerchief. "You were knocked out." I whispered. "They made us walk for an entire day before we were allowed to stop." I could see the whites of her eyes search around as she rubbed the back of her neck. "Did he hurt you?"

She shook her head, "If I was unconscious, how - "

"The soldier, he carried you." I said. Her eyes whirled around to me in surprise. "He also-" I glanced around to be sure no one was listing. "He gave me this."

Just as it was done to me, I pressed the paper into her hand. Bewildered Ryn glanced around to be sure we weren't monitored. Then she meticulously pealed the wet object open revealing the ink which now bled together because of my tears.

"A Korean soldier knocked me out, carried me for a day and gave you this?"

I nodded, "It means Henry's alive."

Ryn starred at the paper for a time before she crumpled the paper into her fist. "He means a lot to you doesn't he?" Her eyes lifted to meet my confused expression, "How long have you and Henry been together?"

I felt the heat rise in my cheeks, "We're not ... no ... " Ryn openly chuckled at my stammer.

"I meant how long has he been your bodyguard?"

A heated flush took over my face and I shrunk back. "It's been over a year. Before that I knew of him. He's hard not to take notice of."

"Would you agree he's clever?" She asked. "Clever enough to know who in enemy uniform he could trust to get you a note?"

"Yes." The answer was so automatic it surprised me as well. Ryn nodded showing she trusted my judgement. "What are you thinking?"

"That you should sleep. You'll need your strength to keep up, when he comes for you."

The thought filled me with so much hope that I expected sleep to be impossible. But I did, and I didn't just doze on that cold rock, I slept. Upon opening my eyes I saw Ryn tending to the embers in a fire directly beside us. She had kept me warm all night.

Sitting up I failed to hide my surprise, "I got permission." She nodded toward the two Korean guards sitting nearby drinking something warm from their mugs.

My eyes traced over Ryn. The circles around her eyes were gone. I took hold of her arm and felt for the artery in her wrist. She didn't pull away as I counted her pulse and concluded it was strong.

Satisfied, I released her hand. "You recover quickly. Did you manage more sleep?"

She shook her head and returned to the fire, "The solider that knocked me out ... Do you see him?" I glanced around.

I saw Kim-Young and all the other soldiers that had walked along side Tarin and myself, but not the one she asked about.

"I doubt he's far. Mr. Kim still appears to be irritated." I said. The quip made Ryn smirk. Tarin tromped through the trees back into our space, escorted by a third guard with a his gun at the ready. "Good Morning Tarin, were the facilities up to your standards?"

"Don't mock, you'll have to use the same tree."

What Tarin didn't realize was my father hadn't always been a General. He'd raised me on camping trips and military rations. Which didn't prepare me entirely for being taken hostage, but it did mean I understood restroom expectations.

On Kim-Young's orders we were packed up and moved out. Following the river kept us at a more manageable pace than our previous day.

Two hours passed, when we reached a peculiar bend in the river. The shore we walked on became scarce. The water had cut into the large flat boulders creating sporadic drop offs into the river. One particular gap forced me to look down at the blue swirls of current. An icy chill reached the center of my bones and I knew I did not want to go for a swim.

A high short whistle interrupted my thoughts. Confused by the sound, I looked across to the opposite shore. The trees were thick and the beach was the same rock type of flat prominent boulders on which we stood. Nothing else.

"Are you okay?" Ryn asked. Her voice soft but close enough it was clear over the sound of water. I shook my head and took a few more steps placing them exactly where the guard in front of me placed his own.

Commands were shouted from ahead, which I was unable to understand. Tarin as well since he snapped a demand for Ryn to translate.

"Do you know this river, Captain?" She asked.

"I'm a surgeon not a strategists," he answered.

"You're a prominent surgeon, Captain. They want you in Pyongyang as quickly as possible."

"The North Korean Capital is miles behind Enemy Lines," Tarin said.

"Yes. This river is that line," She finished. My heart sunk deeper into my stomach.

"This River is too fast," I insisted, "No one can cross it."

As I finished, the river straightened out allowing me to see for miles down the valley. Boulders stood strong throughout the water, its current rushing around them. Some pools formed between other rocks that swirled slowly. These pools stopped the water enough to uncover a path directly across the river. And on the other side of that naturally made bridge, were three soldiers in enemy uniform and a truck, waiting for its passengers.

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