Group Z

Chapter 20

Walking forward I swing Sapphire up into my arms to walk down the gentle incline to avoid jostling her too much. Benny has no such cares and careens down the path, scattering rocks. Behind me Sofia shouts for him to slow down but he pays no attention clearly wanting to feel the grass. When he nears the bottom, he stumbles a little and face plants, creating a wave of colour. I can't help it and bark out a laugh but just as I get down to the grass myself, he pops back up not seriously hurt in any way.

Sapphire in my arms rubs her hands through the grass and as she touches it the light flares brighter illuminating us in the blue light. Benny wheels around crazily, creating swirly patterns in the grass. Group Z begins to join him laughing and joking with each other making the light flare up so brightly it is as if it were daytime.

Every now and again a disturbed insect roused from their erratic movement rises into the sky adding different colours to the night, glowing amongst the stars. Zach gives Hazel a piggyback as he runs through the grass, her arms held out to the side and her face turned to the sky. Eliza softly waves her hands through the grass and the colours highlight her face and hair, making it seem as though her white hair is aflame with the blue colour. I spin in a slow circle, surrounded by my family and close my eyes briefly, savouring this moment, for the first time everybody happy and laughing together. But I can't get rid of a strange feeling, that something is wrong here.

I call everybody to order from where they have spread out amongst the grass and say. 'We ought to keep moving, this is a beautiful place but we're very exposed here, we need to try and get somewhere slightly safer ok?'

People grumble but reluctantly begin to move forwards again.

Whilst walking I approach Lizzie and ask in a low cautious voice. 'Do you have a weird feeling right now?'

She nods in affirmation and whispers back. 'Yeah, something just doesn't feel right. I don't like how open everything is.'

'Keep your eyes open. Be ready for danger.' I say to her.

Sapphire looks at me wide eyed, but I whisper to her. 'It's probably nothing I just want to have Lizzie keeping an eye on things.'

'Hmm, ok, I'll keep an eye out as well then. Do you want to set me down now? I feel pretty good and you must be tired by now.' Sapphire asks me.

'I'm not that tired.' I protest, but Sapphire insists on being put down for a while.

After setting her down I watch her carefully for a few minutes and she does seem to be walking better, I guess her wound is healing I reassure myself. Although the blood loss still has her looking pale.

We walk until the sun breaks over the horizon pausing every now and again to drink from the streams crossing through the meadow. Finally, at around noon the meadow begins to narrow, and I can begin to see the shadows of trees encroaching on the horizon to the left and right of us. I didn't think I would ever be thankful for being enclosed but after so long of just looking at vast openness, as beautiful as it is, I'm eager for the security being under cover can bring.

Looking around I see people flagging, Benny has been flopped on Damon's back for a while and everyone else seems just as ready to collapse, so I make the executive decision to wave everyone over to break for a bite to eat and to rest up for the rest of the day. Hazel suggests we walk to the next stream, so we have a way to cool down in the heat that is rapidly growing.

10 minutes later we come to a large river. Most of the streams we've passed so far we've been able to cross in our bare feet. This river by comparison is a raging monster that roars so loudly that we can barely hear each other. Rather than even attempt to make myself heard over the running water I gesture to everyone to move away from the river so that we can speak. Even when we're 20 feet away I still have to shout to make myself heard.