✯ North Star ✯

13 - The Side Chosen

We start getting ready at first light, just like Big John demanded.

"That site's a whole day's walk. We gotta get up there before moonrise. If we miss the solstice then all this was for nothing. So listen Stella I'm telling you right now if you fall behind I ain't waiting."

My jaw tightens. But I don't say anything, swallowing the sting of it down along with everything else I've had to swallow the last few weeks.

"Dad. Stop!" John B snaps.

"I ain't! What? I ain't. It's a matter of fact."

John B looks at me with an apologetic half smile.
"Sorry about the cranky old man."

Before I can answer, Big John spots my dad waddling toward us.
"I'm gonna go tell that son of a bitch he ain't coming."

"Dad hey," John B tries.

But my dad lifts a hand first.
"Hey listen fellas. I'm real sorry but uh... I'm not gonna be able to make it up that mountain not on this leg. I'd be slowing you down that's all. So I'm just gonna hang here. Tell you what I got a flare gun. If I see Singh come through here I'll send up a flare. Let you all know he's coming. Least I can do."

I nod, something wary flickering under the small relief of not having to deal with him for a day.
"Thank you."

"You're welcome. Good luck."

John B motions forward.
"Let's go. Come on."

The climb is hell.

By noon, the air feels like soup and my legs feel like someone replaced them with wet sandbags, every step costing something I'm not sure I have left to give. If we don't find the gold, my body might actually file for a divorce.

"Come on kids. Pick it up! I don't got time to waste."

John B and I start lagging behind. My lungs burn. Sweat drips into my eyes.

Big John snaps again.
"Come on. Stella."

I look at John B's face — something's off. A tightness around his mouth, a strain that has nothing to do with the climb.
"Hey. Are you good?" I whisper.

"Yeah," John B says, but the word is too fast, too flat, and I feel the lie of it land somewhere uneasy in my chest.

"Come on let's get a move on!"

"Hey Pop. How about we take a breather you know?" He asked

"How about not?" Big John shoots back instantly. "Come on boy. You're both slowing me down. We're losing light."

John B stops so abruptly I nearly run into him.
"I can't take this anymore."

"It's the only shot we got. Come on." Big John keeps moving, stubborn as a cliff.