Chronicles of the Unknowns: Genesis

Chapter 2

Our barn was in the middle of nowhere. If I was going to find civilization it was going to take some time and energy. I wasn't quite sure if I really had either at the moment.

I couldn't honestly say I was in my right mind either. Did I really just move water? Without even touching it? These past few minutes hadn't made any sense in my mind and I didn't really have any time to digest them.

I was beginning to feel my injury from falling off the overhang. I clutched my leg, fought back the tears that threatened to spill through and cursed between my gritted teeth. My right leg felt like it was going to buckle beneath me at any moment, but underneath the pain a wave of relief washed over me at the realization that I'd escaped Pa (for the moment). It was almost like pure glee.

When I rolled up my pant leg to see what the damage was it was black and blue, but I couldn't tell if anything was broken. The only way to tell would be to touch it, and the pressure cause a pain so intense that I saw stars. I could feel the adrenaline wearing off from the confrontation and drowsiness fell over me. This couldn't be real...it had to be a dream.

But something deep down told me that it wasn't. If I didn't keep moving Pa would surely find me and do only God knows what do me. Hanging me by the neck from a rope is definitely not beneath him.

"Okay Daisy Lynn you've for to get going. Staying here will be a death sentence," I said to myself.

I forced myself up despite the sharp pain in my leg and got to walking. There was no way I was gonna let Pa get me after that. No way in hell.

***

About 30 minutes later I stumbled onto a road. It was your typical country road. Plenty of wild life and foliage and nary a street light. I began walking along side the road. Sinner or later I would get to town...and then what? I had absolutely no idea. Maybe I could get a nice hotel.

With what money?

Or maybe find someone hospitable until I figure thing out.

Like that was going to happen in this day and age.

I heard tires grinding against the gravelly road in the distance. There was a good chance that it was Pa in his old pick-up truck. Then again maybe it wasn't. Hitch-hiking almost seemed worth the risk. The late morning/early afternoon summer heat...I couldn't risk it. Hopefully I could get to town before Pa decides to get his own search party and hunt me down.

So I hid myself in the foliage and kept walking. I was getting thirstier by the moment. I wasn't used to this kind of exercise. Feeding animals and working machines sure, but nonstop walking was definitely not on my radar. I decided the give it a break for the sake of my leg. Wiping sweat from my forehead I noticed again how it formed a perfect circle.

Looming at the puddle in my palm I flipped my hand over. The swear dribbled up my dangling fingers ad dropped off onto the ground. I felt slightly mesmerized by it. I focused on the water as it continued to fall and the flow began to slow down to the point where it stopped in midair. Now I decided to wiggle my fingers to see what would happen. The drops of water danced in the air in time with my fingers. Then I began moving my hand back and forth in a wave like motion and the water followed.

Slowly, water began ascending from the ground. I kept moving my hand just to see what would happen. After a few moments I could hear water running as if there were a stream near by. Before I would even fully register that it was my doing, water exploded from the ground and knocked me on my back. All the water that had appeared fell on me leaving me soaked, yet much cooler in the baking sun. Then a thought occurred to me. Why not hydrate myself?

So I manipulated the water again and drank from whatever rose from the ground. Feeling refreshed and much calmer, my mind was beginning to operate better. Stressful situations always left me a mental and emotional wreck.

I saw a nearby tree and another idea popped into my head immediately.

"Okay, think ice Daisy Lynn."

Sadly, the water stayed in liquid form. I looked at it perplexed. I knew I could create ice, but I didn't know how. I tried thinking of cold things: winter, snow, mountains, lemonade, milkshakes...all to no avail. This was gonna be harder than anticipated.

Suddenly a hawk screeched and flew from the trees startling me and making me jump slightly. When I regained my composure I saw that my body was now covered in ice. So ice and emotions were connected.

It was going to take forever to get to civilization on foot. And although I could keep myself hydrated, I would certainly starve out here. I didn't have anything to hunt with even if I wanted to. Pacing back and forth, I tried to think of something that would allow me to move faster. As I looked around, I noticed the large trees around me. Maybe I could use of one of those if I could knock one down.

My arms were still frozen solid, but as I looked at one of the trees I figured it might be useful rather than an obstacle. I'd seen people make log rafts and wooden boats before, but I didn't have any tools. I could flood the street and drift down it on a tree much faster than I would walking. Since I had to start somewhere, I used my big hunk of ice to knock down one of the larger trees and began carving it into a make shift boat. It took a while, but when it was done the boat looked satisfactory.

Now all I needed to do was make a wooden boat go down a gravel road, which wasn't too tricky with my newfound power.

"Just add water," I said and the waterworks began.