Through the Tunnel

Chapter 10: Starvation V Salvation

By the time we all had the energy to keep walking it was coming up to about five o'clock based on Phil's attempt to estimate the time dependent on the suns location.

At about six (again going on what Phil says) I decided I would just have to bring the topic up with Steven myself since he didn't seem to want to.

"I've thought about what you said" my voice as soft as it's ever been.

"I- I didn't really get to give you an answer back when we were on the road" I know he didn't want to think about the crash and neither did I, but it's better to talk about it than to simply ignore it.

"I know our future looks pretty blurred right now, given our circumstances, but I think I've had enough of our neighbourhood... Maybe it is time to move on. To move away. I'm all about adventure..." I joked. "It would be nice to start a new one" I smiled.

I know we've only been a couple for a short while but I've known him ages. That has to count for something.

And besides, even if it doesn't work out I can easily move back home. I'm sure my mum would love that.

I made myself laugh at the idea of me turning up at our front door with all my bags and her just staring at me with an I-told-you-so look (because let's face it, she isn't going to like the idea of me moving away).

Steven smiled at me and held me closer, I could tell he was a little lost for words at the moment... We all are really...

"Do you think they'll make us see a therapist?" Anne-Marie said out of the blue.

"Who?" I asked, confused for a moment.

"Our parents, when we get back. Do you think they'll make us see a therapist for 'emotional distress'?" she said, pronouncing it as if it was some complicated term, no one could possibly understand.

I hadn't really thought about the concept of what would happen if and when we do get back home.

A tear fell from my cheek I had no idea was even there in the first place. Steven seemed to be the only one to notice and wiped it with his thumb and held me tighter as we kept walking.

"Maybe they will" he said, carrying on the conversation where I couldn't.

"I hope not" she said, as if that was our main pressing issue at the moment.

"Why?" Phil asked.

"Because they'll just ask about my sexuality and then the conversation will go from being about this to being about that" she explained "If you know what I mean?"

Phil certainly did. He went to a therapist when he was 14 because his mum was concerned about his sexuality... Let's just say the sessions didn't go well.

"Maybe we'll all go into rehab and that'll be the end of us" Phil stated sarcastically.

Everyone laughed and we just carried on walking. As the day started to get darker, the hunger and thirst got more and more intense.

"I can't do this... I'm just not got at this staying hydrated business if I don't have anything to drink" Anne-Marie said, falling onto a rock to sit down.

"Well there isn't much I can do about that I'm afraid" Steven responded, trying to lift her up to carry on walking.

"We can't stop, the more stops we make the more chance we have of dehydration" I said, trying to not let my mouth go completely dry.

"If we see some sort of wildlife, I'll try and catch it or kill it so we can cook it and eat it" Steven said reassuringly, although it sounded more concerning that reassuring...