The Apprentice's Journey

Approaching Blackrock

We leave the Jaffa Factory swiftly the next day. I hadn't slept that night. I feel guilty. Even though Duncan was trying to hide things, I had lied straight to his face about the main hall. I knew this trip would be a bad idea.

"What's wrong Kim?"

"What? Nothing's wrong." I had just lied again.

"Are you sure? You haven't been acting the same since yesterday."

I nod. I have lost the heart to say these things to his face. I look at the ground. My hands tremble ever so slightly. I have to tell him. I have to tell him what I saw last night. That is it, I will tell him tonight.

***

That evening, we camp in the middle of a forest. He pulls up two giant logs for us to sit on. I have to tell him now.

"Duncan, I have to tell you something. "

"What?"

I freeze. I am incapable of moving. What if he doesn't trust me anymore? I want to tell him so badly, to rid myself of this guilt, but I can't. I quickly survey the area, looking for an excuse to get me out of this difficult situation. Then I find it.

"I just wanted to know what that sign behind you says."

He turns around. An unstable looking sign stands in the ground. It looks like a very rushed job. It is covered in layers of purple ivy that is most likely poisonous. It matches the colour of the trees. He rips of the ivy quickly. We stare at the sign. In big, black, bold letters it says: Blackrock. At the bottom of the sign is an arrow.

I gulp.

"Well at least now we know we are close." He gives a small, false laugh. He can try all he likes to hide it, I know he is just as scared as me.

***

I can't sleep. Just like last night. Duncan's has set up two tents. One for each of us. Yet as hard as I try I just can't sleep. I can feel the warmth of the fire outside. I turn the look and see the glow of the fire, the embers spewing into the air. A midnight dark silhouette is projected onto the tent. I guess Duncan can't sleep either, maybe even for the same reason as me, but I am not sure myself why I cannot sleep tonight. It could be the guilt which still eats away inside of me, but is more than likely the fact that we were already so close to Blackrock.

At least that meant we could go home soon.

I leave the tent. I really have to tell him now. For real. No going back. Then I would have one thing off my conscience and might actually be able to get some sleep.

Duncan is sitting in the middle of the huge clearing. He is staring into the fire. He looks so sad. The pain yet again present in his eyes.

"Duncan?"I say quietly, trying not to startle him, though even that seems to scare him. He turns to find me quickly, a look of fear and anger on his face. When he sees me forces on a smile.

"Hey Kim, can't sleep?" He asks me.

I nod in a reply, mustering up the courage to tell him.

"Duncan, I have to tell you....."

He holds up his hand for me to stop, quickly turning around to look into the darkness of the woods.

"What?"

It is then when I hear it, the twigs snapping in the distance. Duncan turns to me, a look of urgency plastered on his face.

"Put out the fire, quickly."

I do as he says and swiftly stop the fire. He is standing there in the darkness, looking for the origin of the sound. He runs over to me grabbing me my both arms.

"Don't move, Kim."

"But..."

"Promise me you will stay here."

I nod and Duncan quickly runs off into the distance, leaving me in the lonely darkness.