The Untouchables

Chapter Eighteen: Lynn

I watched as Sage disappeared into the forest, leaving me with the group of kids. I still hadn't completely let the mistakes I made the past few days go, but honestly, I doubted I ever would.

I kept in mind what Sage said earlier.

"I had to learn not to stay stuck in the past, focusing on my mistakes, but to look ahead to prevent those mistakes from happening again. To make sure history doesn't repeat itself."

Maybe I could do that too.

"Hey Sparrow!" Bryce shouted to me. "Could we go on a walk too? Like you and Sage?"

I was skeptical about going anywhere with them.

I didn't want to lose any of them in the forest.

Or anywhere else.

"Yeah Sparrow!" Arianna followed. "Please? Can we go?"

After that, the rest of the kids joined in their pleading.

With their high, whiny, voices, they all begged to go somewhere.

Anywhere.

"Fine." I said. "But you all have to promise me something first."

They all nodded, and hung onto my words, desperate to go absolutely anywhere.

"You will all stay together." I told them. "No one leaves the group as we walk, and you will all do as you're told, understand?"

All of the kids nodded again in agreement.

"Promise?"

"Promise!"

"Now all of you get into groups of two or three." I told them.

Obediently, they all got into their sleeping groups as I thought they would, so I grabbed my sword, and we were off on our walk through the woods.

I followed the group from behind as we walked. Thankfully they all stayed in front of me, where I could keep an eye on all of them. They all talked and giggled, but Arianna, Bryce, and Evie seemed to be in an especially tight group. Whispering and barely looking where they were going, the three of them nearly tripping every ten feet or so.

I tried to get a little closer to hear what they were talking about, but they'd either just get quieter, or stop talking all together.

I gave up trying after about fifteen minutes.

We all walked for a little over a half hour, until we walked straight into a clearing. Little summer wildflowers grew in patches in the tall grass, giving off a pleasant aroma into the air and dotting the area with color.

All of the kids gasped simultaneously as they realized where we were.

"Can we go play?" One of the kids asked.

"Please?" Another begged.

"Please?"

"Please?"

"Please?"

I sighed. "You can go play, as long as none of you leave the clearing, got it?"

"Got it!" They all agreed, and with that, all of them ran into the field, giggling and falling face first into the soft grass.

I found a large rock sitting on the side of the field, and I supervised the kids as they played.

They all seemed so happy, meanwhile, every noise that came from the woods would make me flinch. I hadn't even noticed that my leg was bouncing up and down underneath me until it started to cramp.