We meet up with Kotey and Crystal outside. We don’t see anyone else and I’m not sure if that’s a good thing or not. I have to leave Robbo and Kia without even saying goodbye. I just hope they understand.
I rub my arms as Crystal looks me up and down. The boys are going through our supplies, I think we have enough to last a week, maybe less. We’re only taking food, sleeping bags, as much ammo as we’ve got – which really isn’t much – and more than enough water.
It looks enough to me but Sergio looks worried. He said I might need to shoot but I hope not, things have gotten more real. I wonder just how many of the stories are real.
Sergio helps me with my bag. It settles heavily on my back and I stumble backwards as I try to adjust to the weight. The water sloshes in the compartment and I fall into someone’s arms as I lose my balance.
“You’ll get used to it,” Crystal laughs. “Kotey fell over completely and we were only going on a weekend scouting trip.”
I laugh and she sets me onto my feet. Sergio smiles and tightens the straps on the rucksack. It sits better on my back and shoulders but it was made with someone with a smaller chest, even at its loosest the straps cut across my chest and under my armpits.
Crystal seems to be in the same boat. Except her waist is too small and even at its tightest the thick waist strap is still too loose on her. With every step she takes the band moves, after a while it will start to rub against her hips.
“We’ll make as many stops as we can but we still have quite a way to go,” Sergio says taking my hand gently.
I let him and we set off into the trees around Base Camp.
It’s too quiet for a forest. There are no birds singing, I can’t heat any footsteps but our own. Even though the leaf litter amplifies our footsteps, crackling in the air around us. I can’t hear any creatures.
There isn’t even any wind, not even a soft breeze that rustles the lowest leaves of the closest trees. It’s eerie, very eerie. The world around us feels dead.
“Come on, we need to keep moving,” Kotey whispers, his voice shaky and he looks around.
Crystal steps closer to Kotey and puts a gentle hand on his shoulder. She’s asking him a silent question and he nods. She moves closer, so close that their shoulders touch.
Beside me Sergio moves closer, I feel his arm pressed against my shoulder. At any other time this would be overbearing, but here it’s welcome. I feel more protected and it doesn’t hurt that he’s built like a mini-tank.
“Are you sure you don’t want to know what Tree Top is like?” Sergio asks as we go deeper into the shadow of the trees.
“I’m sure.”
We walk for the rest of the day until Kotey’s grumbling forces us to stop. We reach a large tree trunk and he slides off his bag.
“I can’t walk anymore,” he answers and sits down on the ground.
“What about you Blair?” Sergio asks.
“I’m starving and my feet hurt,” I answer and sit down.
Crystal and Sergio share a look.
“Guess we’re staying here tonight,” Crystal says lightly and sits next to Kotey, leaning on him slightly.
Sergio laughs slightly and dumps his bag down next to me. He puts his arm around me and squeezes. I feel safe in his embrace, safe enough to lay my head on my rucksack and start to fall asleep.
YOU ARE READING
Project: Hero
Teen Fiction"You might be a killer, but I don't think you're a monster." The government has taken over the nation in a totalitarian state. But there are a select few who stand in its way. And that is those with the moon Tattoos. Each possesses a strange power a...
