The Dangerfields

Chapter Fifteen

The next three days pass through tedious routine. We wake up in a hotel, eat breakfast, sign out under another fake name, then leave, turning ourselves invisible on the way out.

One of us would become visible, and enter a small shop to buy a newspaper, our main source of information. We've discovered that Felix Harrison told the press that he witnessed the torture of an innocent young man, at the hands of a family of Temerarys called the Dangerfields. He pleaded with the public to turn in any suspected Temerarys, to return Leocia to its state of peace.

The designated 'paper-buyer' would then return to the realm of the invisible, and we would walk for a few hours, getting closer to the middle of this vast city of Casedena. We've passed a few residential neighbourhoods by now, but that is when we are especially careful around other people.

In the afternoon, we choose a new fake name, sign into a new hotel, and spend the remaining daylight inside, trying to stay off the radar for a couple of days. Mom keeps reminding me that it is only until we can be sure the government doesn't know where we are. This is constantly followed by me reminding her that we never will know for sure.

I awake on the fourth day after my kidnapping, and it appears this day will be like the previous three. We wake up and wash our clothes using magic, then pack all of our things and leave the hotel. We slept later than usual, so to make up for lost time, we don't stop for breakfast, we just eat the last of our loaf of bread, along with the butter we took from the hotel the day before.

We walk - fully visible - along the sidewalk for the first time in days. I must say, it's refreshing being able to walk down the street and make eye contact with someone. I like not having to dart around everybody and watch where I step. Just because I can, I make a lot of noise, grinning and laughing like a fool as I stomp down the sidewalk.

Mom laughs with me for a minute, making plenty of noise as well, and after a moment Ryder joins in.

Suddenly, Ryder stops and looks at us. "Shh," He says, "We can't draw too much attention to ourselves or we will have to go invisible again." After that we are silent, but I make a point of whistling a joyful tune, something I couldn't do for awhile.

I feel eyes watching me all of a sudden, and glance around. A young woman pushes a stroller down the sidewalk on the other side of the road, accompanied by a brown Labrador retriever.

An older man walks just ahead of us, arm in arm with his sweetheart. I find myself watching for a moment, adoring the way they link their arms firmly, like nothing could ever tear them apart. I watch them and hope someone will love me that much when I grow up.

As I think this, a pessimistic part of my conscious, the part I try desperately to hide away, reminds me that I am a criminal within the borders of Leocia. Nobody could love me, because everybody thinks I'm a monster. And maybe they're right. I think, forcing my gaze away from the elderly couple.

As much as I hate to submit to my pessimistic self, sometimes I can't help it. At times like this, that part of me brings out excellent points.

I feel someone's gaze burning into me, and look around again. This time, I notice a boy.

He is stopped in the middle of the sidewalk, watching me and my family as we walk. He is on the other side of the road, but as we make eye contact, he starts moving, and crosses the street.

I take in his appearance as he comes towards us. He is about my age, with short rusty-coloured hair, and he wears a faded pair of jeans and a black jacket. His eyes stand out to me most though. They are a warm light brown colour, like melted chocolate. And I know I've seen them before.