Pawn

Chapter 3: A Tree for Two

I cussed quietly to myself when a hidden thornbush raked across my leg. That action resulted in a disapproving look from Luke. Regardless of the dire situation, I giggled, which sounded foreign in the still dark forest. The silence became louder as I noticed the sounds that I should've been hearing, the chirps from crickets and the rustle of branches, were not present. I shivered, suddenly chilled to the bone.

An owl materialized out of the darkness, swooping in front of us. With a shout, I stumbled backwards, accidentally sending Luke sprawling across the forest floor. After recovering from shock, I hurried to Luke who was now sitting up with a stunned expression on his face.

"Are you okay? Does anything hurt" I frantically peppered him with questions. Luke's lower lip started to tremble, and I tensed, preparing myself for his piercing cry. But it never came. Luke just sat there, silent tears trickling down his face. It cut deeply, seeing my little brother like that. I pulled Luke into my lap and held him close. His body shook with silent sobs, and the crook of my neck was damp. I hummed a tone mother used to sing when I was a babe.

Time seemed a foreign concept to this dark, mysterious wood. It could have been five hours or only five minutes that I sat there, holding my brother. For the first time that night, I began to cry. Our tears mingled in a shared grief. A loud snap shook me out of my misery. Quickly, I glanced around. The only thing that would provide an adequate hiding spot was a burnt out tree. I pushed Luke to the tree, cringing with every step. The loud sound of twigs cracking underfoot was a beacon in this silent forest.

Luke climbed into the tree and I followed him a heartbeat later, ducking. The fit was tight and I and my muscles protested in the cramped space. I fought a shriek of disgust as I felt something scuttle over my feet. I wondered who else Luke and I were sharing the tree with. I shuddered, praying there wasn't a snake.

Luke's fingers found mine, and I squeezed his hand reassuringly. I wasn't sure of what we were going to do next, but I'd protect my brother at the cost of my life. He depended on me and would not let him down. A branch snapped in the clearing Luke and I had just vacated.

I didn't dare to breath, for the fear of being heard. A clump of weeds in front of the tree obscured me from seeing who was prowling after Luke and I. For a second I allowed myself to think it was a Dystarian soldier, but quickly put my imagination in check. Fanciful thinking was fine for when you had nought to do but watch the clouds. As of this moment, however, I needed to be practical and realistic.

The person poked around in the clearing for a few minutes. A couple times they were hardly a meter from the tree. Each time I froze and my heart pounded loudly in my chest. "I'm here. I'm here." It seemed to scream with each beat. Just when I was half-tempted to run out and scream, "Here I am," because the paranoia of discovery was driving me insane, the figure left the clearing. I waited until a few minutes had passed before cautiously climbing out of the tree. It felt glorious to finally be able to stretch out my cramped muscles. I held my breath, listening. All I heard was the ominous silence. I should've been relieved, for it signified that Luke and I were alone, therein 'safe.' But the absolute quiet was unsettling.

"Luke?" I whispered as I stuck my head into the tree. I was greeted with a snore that belonged to a grizzly bear, rather than a four year old. Seeing my sleeping brother made me realize just how tired I was I ached with fatigue and it was a constant battle to keep my eyes open. A battle I was losing. We were far too close to the village for my liking, but I couldn't keep up this pace all night long. I'd be burnt out by tomorrow, the time I'd really need to have my wits about me.

"Move over," I grumbled to Luke as I crawled in beside my slumbering brother. "And no hogging the spiderwebs." I joked as I arranged my my pack to serve as my makeshift pillow. After all that had transpired, it felt weird to be making jokes. Almost like getting married in a graveyard. My eyes started to close, and weak with the alluring temptation of sleep, I allowed them to remain that way.