The Slip

Chapter Nine

It's cramped inside the carriage but the seats are padded nicely so I still get to sleep fairly comfortable. My sleep is once again plagued with nightmares. I wake up to Ollie's face outside of the open carriage door, "Ow you slapped me in the face with loaf of bread" Ollie tells me.

"Sorry" I apologize lamely.

"I just woke you up so you could take over watch" Ollie explains.

"Oh okay I'll be out in a second" I say. I pull on my leather jacket and grab a bit of dried meat I took from Lana's place, then head out. Ollie has kept the fire going so it's still nice and warm. "Have a good sleep" I smile and say to Ollie.

"Thanks I will" Ollie says returning my smile then gets in the carriage closing the door behind him.

Once again time seems to speed up and the next thing I know the sun is rising. I go over to the carriage and wake up Ollie and Runa. "You didn't wake me up" Runa frowns and says.

"Sorry, I forgot" I tell her.

"Good morning" Ollie says happily.

"Good morning Ollie" I say. I get out some bread for all of us to eat before we head off.

Runa sits in the back of the carriage again so that Ollie can teach me how to drive it. Ollie gets us back onto the road then hands me the reins, "It's fairly easy to do, you really just have to do the same stuff as riding a horse just get used to having more horses and the extra weight" Ollie says.

"Okay, well cross your fingers I don't crash" I say only half joking. In my opinion I do quite well, I only went off the road a few times but it's not like I flipped the carriage over which knowing me could have been possible.

A few hours have passed when I say "I'm getting drowsy so you should probably take over."

"Okay, you should go sleep in the back" Ollie says.

"I will" I tell him as I stop the carriage. I hand him the reins then hop down. Runa has gotten out the back and asks "Why have we stopped?"

"I'm just hopping in the back 'cause I'm sleepy" I explain.

"Oh okay, I'll sit with Ollie then" Runa says as she climbs up next to him. I get in the carriage and get as comfortable as possible. It takes me awhile to get to sleep but once I do it is full of nightmares, again.

I wake up with a jolt when the carriage goes over what I assume is a rock. I look outside to see that the sun is starting to set; ahead of us is a big house that I realize is Lana's inn. We really need to set up a knock or something as a signal to stop the carriage because I have to bang my fists against the wall several times before Ollie stops. Once the carriage has stops moving I get out. "What's up?" Runa asks. "That's the inn up there, I can quickly go get Alaska then come back while you wait" I say.

"I want to grab some stuff from there as well so I will come with you" Runa tells me.

I sigh then say "Tell me what you want and I'll get it."

"Why don't you want me to come in?" Runa asks worriedly. "Because unless someone moved them, which I seriously doubt; Ronald and Lana are still in there" I explain sadly.

"That's okay I'll be fine" Runa assures me.

"Fine" I say in defeat.

I walk beside the carriage while Runa and Ollie drive it up to the inn stables. As soon as Ollie parks the carriage Runa jumps off and runs over to Alaska hugging her. "Let's be quick" I say.