Beyond The Bridge [ONC 2023] // Longlisted

Chapter Five

Goosebumps form on my arms and down my back as we follow the stream deeper into the woods. Birds squawk in the trees above our heads, the innocent tweeting twisting into something a little more sinister. The temperature drops and a shiver spreads through my body.

Levi remains unfazed by it all. Determination glints in his eyes as he weaves around the trees that have us all but trappers. If we need to make a quick escape, it would be near impossible. The trees suffocate me, and I long to be back in the field with the sun on my face and the birds tweeting merrily nearby. In the woods, the sun keeps out of sight.

I look around us, staring into the continuous darkness the tangled branches above our heads create. Small slithers of sunlight manage to slip through the covering canopy, but it is not enough to bring me comfort. The stream runs alongside us. Water splashes up my stockings as it twists and turns ahead of us, disappearing into the darkness. No matter how much I squint, I can't see where it goes.

"I'm hungry," Levi declares. He stops and looks at me with one hand creeping along the front of his satchel.

"You are always hungry," I say.

"I'll have you know, Miss Williams, that walking is very hungry work." He grins. "What do you have in your basket?"

"Just some sausage rolls and fruit tarts. Mother packed it with the knowledge that I would be alone on my journey."

"This is where my ingenuity prevails, for I raided the kitchen early this morning and gathered plenty of supplies to fuel us on such an arduous task."

With another one of his elfish grins, he opens his satchel to show me its contents. Inside he has stuffed several packages of wax paper, the ones at the bottom no doubt crushed by the weight. I try not to think about how much of the food might go to waste, but with Levi, I know he is likely to eat all of it. Even the wax paper.

He reaches into the satchel and rummages around until his hand lands on what he is looking for. Only Levi could identify the food by touch alone. I watch him pull out some wax paper, swing his satchel back onto his shoulder, and unwrap the paper. Two freshly baked pork pies sit a little crushed on the paper.

"We can have these now and then a real picnic later on," he says.

"How much did you bring? We'll have to turn back not long after a picnic if we are to make it back before dark."

"We have plenty of time, Grace. Sunset is later in the Summer."

"Still—"

"—Relax, Grace. I'll have you back before dark. You have my word on that. For now, eat the pork pie and let's see if this stream has any secrets."

Levi holds the wax paper out to me and I take one of the pies, knowing this is one argument that I cannot win. Although he is a complete idiot, Levi has never done anything to hurt me and I knew I could trust him to see me home before dark. There is no one else I would want with me on our journey.

We eat our pork pies in silence, continuing to follow the twisting water and listening to the sound of the water splashing against the bank. The stream is the only piece of reassurance I have, as it is the only constant in our walk from the fields into the woods. The sound of rushing water comforts me against the squawking birds and cracking branches above our heads.

I wonder what Mother is doing as I wipe the crumbs from my pie onto my dress. Has she already uncovered my deception and realised that I am with Levi? Does she know we are walking away from the village rather than towards it? Part of me wants to turn back and run straight back home, to tell the truth, but this is the one thing I have wanted to do above all else.

"This stream goes on for an eternity," Levi says, water spraying up his trousers.

"It has to end somewhere. Perhaps we are near the end."

"Perhaps. It certainly seems to be getting a little rockier up here. Maybe the stream just disappears into some rocks."

"With a waterfall."

"And a cave where we can have our picnic." He reaches out and grabs my arm. "We must hurry if we are to reach this mysterious cave before we eat."

I laugh, allowing him to pull me alongside the stream. We run alongside each other, dodging trees, slipping on the muddy bank, and laughing at the absurdity of it all. Small rocks jut out along the edge of the stream, which Levi stumbles over and almost falls on his face multiple times. For the first time in a long time, I feel like a little child.

The stream grows smaller, turning into nothing more than a small trickle of water that runs over rocks covered in moss. We stop running and carefully meander our way over the growing number of rocks around us. Levi takes my hand and we carefully cross the stones, which are damp from the stream. He treads carefully, gripping my hand tighter on the slippery rocks.

Water continues to run over the rocks and I can feel it soaking into my shoes through the small holes. Levi and I stop, pausing a moment to catch our breath and look at the large rock formation in front of us. I understand now why Mother had been so cautious about me wandering the woods on my own.

"I told you there was a cave," Levi says, gesturing to the large opening in the rocks.

"We cannot go in there. It's dangerous!"

"Where is your sense of adventure, Grace?"

"If we go in there and something happens, no one will know we're there."

"Nothing is going to happen. We'll find a dry spot to sit, eat the picnic, and then start walking home again. We'll be fine."

With a small shrug of his shoulders, Levi tentatively climbed over the final few rocks and disappeared into the mouth of the rocks in front of us.

"I cannot believe I'm doing this."

~~~

Golden Apples of the Sun by pixelmum

 Lara Croft, archaeologist and brazen tomb-raider, unearths her latest, greatest discovery: a golden apple capable of giving its bearer anything they desire. Except that everyone else seeks the apple's power, from corrupt tech companies to supernatural beings. To complicate things, the golden apple has inexplicably transported a furious Diana, queen of the Amazons, from the Olympian Realm into Lara's world. And she is beautiful when furious.

First Published - March 8th, 2023