Hollow Veins

Chapter Twenty Eight; Unwanted Exercise

Day four of the inevitable walk, and they seemed no closer to the city. Jasper said that they were about two hundred and two miles away. Which meant they were averaging about twelve miles a day. Jaden was able to walk slowly for a little while now. Ren slowed to walk next to him. She rubbed her eyes, "It's so hard to see." "You're telling me." Anything resembling white his eyes. Even her pale skin was hard to see. "Wish we had some cover." She nodded. Prince glanced back at them and gave Ren a wink. She quickly looked away, and Jaden pretended not to notice her blush. Out of the corner of his eye, he saw Ren shake her head at Prince, who grinned and slowly nodded. Probably some inside joke. He sighed. She was quiet for a minute. Finally, "Do you think we have enough supplies to make it there?" Jaden gave her a long look. She wasn't a child, but he didn't want to scare her. "We'll need to look for more next time we pass through another town. There are lot's of them." She studied him, "And if we don't pass through one?" Jaden raised his eyebrows, "Well we'll have to ration out food, but thinking about it isn't going to help us, ok?" She sighed, "I know, but my brain won't let it rest." He nodded, "I get that." Alice slowed down and headed towards them, "Alright, enough." He begrudgingly put his good arm over her shoulder. Alice sighed, "I would kill someone for a shower." Jaden rolled his eyes and shook his head, "Girls." "Well you don't have long hair to keep clean," Ren flicked at her braid. He looked at Alice and then looked sarcasticly at Ren. "Oh shut up," Ren laughed. Alice rolled her eyes, "Hey I'd rather have short hair as a girl than long hair as a boy. And yours is getting almost long enough for a ponytail." He put a hand under his chin and fluttered his eyelashes. They all laughed. "Oh, pigtails would look so cute on you." He punched Alice's arm. "You could get hair curlers," Ren suggested. Jaden signed the best he could, "Alright you've had your fun." Alice grinned, "You could get hair gel. You and Prince could do your hair together." Jaden tried to hit her again. "Remember who's you holding up," Alice laughed.

They sat in a circle around the fire that Jasper had dared make. Ari began passing out the food. The rations were smaller than last time, but no one mentioned it. Ari bitterly noted how Prince barely looked at her when taking his portion. That was fine. She'd rather him be angry at her. Ari tried to rather that anyway. At least he was talking again. His first silence had upset her more than anything. Jaden signed, and Jasper spoke out loud, "Well, it might be a day more of walking than there should be a small woods and hopefully a sorce of water. After that, another city and also the tunnels." Ren looked confused, "Tunnels?" To all their suprise, Prince answered, "In some cities, they dug or redesigned the sewers as underground tunnels because they're less dangerous and out in the open. They were less dangerous anyway. They don't know what might be in them now. They're mostly abandoned." Jasper nodded at him, "These are the Salem Tunnels. It's what the city used to be called." "Are we going through them," Ari asked. Jasper shrugged, "If there are a lot of Infected, but we'll try and avoid them." Prince grinned, "Good because there aren't supposed to be lit, and it would be a shame to not be seen." They all groaned except Jaden, who rolled his eyes. Prince pushed back his hair, "What, it's true." Alice raised her eyebrows, "Mmmmmm..." Of course Prince wasn't ugly in the slightest, but that wasn't the problem. The problem was his knowledge of the fact. "The woods? Well, that might humble Prince a little," Alice said. "Are you sure," Ari laughed. Prince shrugged, "I don't know. We are in the middle of nowhere, and that did jack to my pride." Ari smirked, "Well maybe we'll throw you in a creek. That might help." He smirked back, "You can try." They looked at each other for a second, then quickly looked away. Aaron yawned, "Just you wait." Prince snorted, "I'd like to see you try." "Oh I will try."

They settled down for bed and put out the fire. Ari lay back on her blanket. It took her a couple of minutes to realize sleep was not coming. Again. She rolled over again and again. Ari at last gave up. She saw Jaden looking at her. He was resting on a blanket next to her. "Go to bed." He blinked sarcasticly at her. "You actually need it. You've been shot." He signed, "Oh I forgot." "Go. To. Bed." Jaden stuck out his tongue. Ari sighed. Jaden carefully sat up, "Care to explain what happened?" Ari looked around. "They're all asleep... did you and Prince argue or something. She shook her head and looked away. He waited. "I don't know it was just... I think he was... I kinda blew him off." He studied her then nodded. She didn't have to explain any further. "Do you not... you know... like him?" She sighed, "I don't know it's just... I'll get hurt,
he'll get hurt. If my parents taught me anything, it's that caring for them only made things worse for them. I didn't... deserve for the feeling to be mutual." Jaden inhaled, "You mean they told you that you didn't deserve to be loved?" "They kind of implied it, by the way they acted and talked to me." He nodded and thought for a second, then signed, "Ari, if your parents have taught me anything, it is that they are idiots and they don't deserve to be loved." Ari smiled a little and looked down. "If you really do like him, don't let the way parents treated you affect that." She nodded, not trusting herself to speak. Ari rolled over, "Thanks, Jaden."

In the morning, they ate a hurried breakfast, and Ari changed Jaden's bandage. He squeezed Ren's hand and shut his eyes. It hurt like mad. Prince sniffed and looked over towards Alice, "Do you smell that." Alice looked confused. Prince gestured over at Jaden. She slowly smiled, "Yeah, I think I do." Ari glanced over at them, "What the frick are you guys talking about?" Prince grinned, "The lovvveee in the air." Ren pulled her hand away. Jaden threw an apple core at him. Prince continued laughing, and Jaden continued throwing stuff. At last, Ari stopped Jaden from throwing a knife, "Hold still." Prince gave a mock bow and laughed again, "Not even, don't stab him, hold still." "Well that's not the part I'd mind." Prince stuck out his tongue. Ren laughed, "I hope there is a pond, Prince, because if there's not, I'm drowning you in the first puddle I come across." Prince picked at his nails, "You can try." Ari was relieved Prince was finally getting his old bravado back.