The Dangerfields

Chapter Five

As I drift towards consciousness, I enjoy the bliss of this ignorance. Oh, how nice it would be to stay like this for just a little longer...

But it will not be so. My eyes crack open, and I squeeze them shut again, for the bright light of day is too much. I'm not sure how long I was out for, and I try to guess as I shift my head.

I give up, and slowly open my eyes. I can tell by the sun that it's the early afternoon. I'm lying on my back on the ground near an ATV, and Ryder is sitting near me, tending to a fire. I hear a pot of water boiling, and Ryder moves to take it away from the flames. I roll onto my side and watch him.

I hear footsteps, and turn my head to see Mom walking towards us, holding a backpack. "Oh, Willow, you're finally awake," She says with relief.

"How long was I out?" I ask, yawning.

Mom looks worried. "You were unconscious for almost two days, are you sure you're feeling alright?"

Two days? I think in shock. "I was guessing only overnight maybe, but two days? Wow. No wonder I feel so rested."

"I hope so, because we won't get very much sleep for awhile until we know we're safe," Ryder says somberly, sipping from a cup of water.

Seeing him drink brings me back to reality and makes me realize that my throat is searing in pain, for I haven't had anything to eat or drink since before Grandpa and Livia...

Oh my gosh. It wasn't a dream. It was all real. Livia and Grandpa, both gone, and in a place where I'll never see them again. Suddenly, the irritation in my dry, burning throat is inconsequential compared to the agonizing pain clawing at my heart.

The world goes blurry as my eyes fill with tears.

I see the outlines of Ryder and Mom rush towards me and I start to shake uncontrollably. Ryder reaches me first, and wraps his arms around me. I sob into his chest, and he cradles me.

I hear a gunshot in the distance. My head shoots up, and I rapidly try to wipe my eyes to check out our surroundings. We are just within a forest, but it's not the one behind our house, as I don't recognize it. There are two ATVs sitting near us. One looks slightly longer than the other, and it has a second seat attached to the back.

Alston sits on one seat, and I notice that he still holds his wing gently. Ash sits next to him, his gray feathers contrasting against Alston's bright blue ones.The fact that Alston is still with us almost makes me smile, but then I remember what else happened the day I found him.

My eyes start to fill with tears again, but then Ryder lifts me into his arms. "Willow," He whispers into my ear, "The government is still following us, and we need to keep moving." I nod, and he puts me on the back of the bigger ATV.

Ryder gives me a bottle of water, which I gulp down thirstily. He refills it, and I repeat. The fire in my throat has been put out, so he fills the bottle for later, and he and Mom clean up the area.

I want to help, but after about fifteen seconds, the fire has been put out, the pot and water bottles put away, and we are ready to leave.

Ryder climbs on the front of my ATV and starts the motor. Mom does the same on the smaller ATV. I grip the handles on the edge of my seat, and the next thing I know we are speeding down the road.

Alston and Ash sit behind Ryder and in front of me, crouching down, trying not to be carried away by the wind.

I enjoy the feeling of the wind rushing by my ears, loving the whooshing sound it makes. I lean around Ryder to see what the road is like that lies ahead. It's just a straight, gravel road, and there seems to be nothing special about it.

The wind stings my eyes, bringing involuntary tears to them, and I let go of the seat handles for a moment to wipe them away. Feeling the resistance on my arm as I go to put it back, I get a thought.

I raise my arms up to both sides, like in Titanic. Only, I know for a fact that we are going faster than the boat in that movie. The wind tries to push my arms back, but I resist it, relishing the feeling of freedom this gives me.

I imagine this is what flying feels like, and I suddenly become slightly envious towards birds. They get to fly every day, and don't have any cares or worries in the world. Life would be easier if I had been born a bird.

I let my arms fall back to my sides, and clutch the handles once more as we pick up speed. I lean against the back of the seat. I might as well get comfortable, because I get the feeling we won't be stopping until late tonight.

At dusk we finally stop riding. My hands are sore from gripping the handles, and my legs are stiff as I step off the ATV. We've stopped near a small forest, at the edge of a large field. Whatever crops were here this year have been harvested by now, and we are far enough from the road that people wouldn't be able to see us.The forest keep us out of sight from anyone driving along the other road.

Ryder quickly uses magic to light a fire, and Mom gets out some food.

As the light fades, so does the warmth of the sun, so we huddle together next to the campfire, eating in silence.

"So, what's our plan?" I ask.

"We're heading for the capital, Casedena. Once we get there, it should provide more places to hide. It's our best chance of escaping the government," Mom says solemnly.

I am about to ask about the ATV's when Ryder interrupts. "Let's go to bed. We need to get an early start in the morning, in order to stay ahead."

I nod, and turn away from the fire, letting the heat of the flames warm my back. I settle in my sleeping bag and allow myself to shed a few tears over Livia and Grandpa's deaths. I wonder how long it will be before this loss becomes easier to bear.

I slowly drift to sleep and dream that I am flying above the world with the birds, where I can just be free.