The First

9.1

A/N: Things are finally getting to the fun part ;)

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02 - 06 - 2089

I have never walked for so long in my life.

We have been walking the whole night, and Cade tells me the sun will make an appearance soon. That thought gives me extra energy to keep going, even though my legs are burning and my lungs ache. My fingers are also numb even though I have them jammed in the coat pockets.

But the sun. Having only seen it once, my excitement cannot be described in one word. To see nature up close, even if it is cold and white, is something I have dreamed about for my whole life.

Cade has my hand wrapped tightly in his as we pick our way across the frozen landscape. About an hour ago we entered a forest, full of leftover trees from before the snow and pines that are rich green. The first green I have ever seen. After having said for so many years that green is my favorite color I can indeed confirm it. Green is the most beautiful color. Like I said before, the color of life. The color of newness.

And now the color of freedom.

The world smells so magical too. Everything is so vibrant. I can't stop taking large, gulping breaths of the pine scent, of the fresh air, and I can't state it enough how thankful I am that I don't have to smell antiseptic anymore. Antiseptic was always so strong at the facility that nothing else could ever break through the haze it created.

But here, in the wide wide world, there are so many scents. Too many, and I can't stop asking Cade what they are. There are too many for me to name or figure out, as I have never smelled any of them before.

A low moan echoes across the dark sky from a distance and I stop in my tracks. "What was that?"

Cade gives a low chuckle, something he's done quite a few times since we have been walking. "Wind. I think a blizzard is coming."

My eyes widen. A blizzard. Snow. Lots of snow. "Will we get to see it?"

"Hopefully it will pass over us. But just in case, we better find some shelter. I had planned on us reaching town by the time the sun rose, but we are still pretty far away." Cade starts walking again, and I follow, still hand in hand.

"Town? So, I'll get to see other people?" I try to imagine what that would look like. A whole bunch of buildings all scattered together with lots of people living there. It sounds strange in my mind, but then again, a lot of things sound strange to me right now.

"Yeah, hopefully we can get some tickets out of here once we reach the town." Cade pauses to push back a low hanging branch and hold it while we walk under it.

"Where will we go?" I ask, once again trying to imagine some place other than here. The world is much too large for my mind to comprehend, but I remember from some of my books that there are many places besides here.

Cade shrugs. "I don't know. Anywhere but here."

"Where is here? I was told it was called Anteria, but I don't think they were telling me the truth."

He gives me a funny look for a moment, before it clears. "Alaska. More specifically, we are near Fairbanks. At least, that's where I hope we are, but without a map I have no way of being sure."

"Alaska." I test the word on my lips, enjoying the sound.

"No one ever told you?" Cade pauses and turns to look at me.

I shrug. "I asked, but they always told me I couldn't know where we were." Cade gives me another look that I can't decipher, but a loud howl of the wind breaks his gaze, and he ushers us on.