Missing

Chapter Two: Begin The Trek

Chapter Two

     I woke with a start, the sleep in my eyes ripping apart as I opened them, and crumbling down my cheeks. I rubbed my bleary eyes and tried to make sense of my surrounding. When my eyes were finally cleared of the sand I looked around me. My eyes strayed on a metal plate of shrapnel jammed in the ground. Then yesterday rushed back to me in a flood of despair and desolation, and threatened to drown me in its chocking tendrils. My body ached and I was desperately tired, even though I had slept many hours by the look of the sun.

     I lost Cassie. She was my best friend; my right hand woman, and my trusted advisor. What had the world come to if my Cassie had died? Been killed by the bombs of that cursed Peirce. He knew we were both out there. Then a horrid thought struck me. He probably is watching me now. And if not now, soon. His military advisors will be sending heat tracking devices that have out genetic coding programmed into them. They’ll find Cassie’s lifeless body and will find my still breathing one. I must escape. I cannot let myself fall into the hands of someone as wretched as the evil ruler, Peirce. He will torture me. He will do worse than he did to Cassie. Maybe even his tortures will kill me. Dare would be crushed. I must fight my hopelessness and come through.

     But how will I get back to Dare? The central camp? I wouldn’t I’d have to cross a flipping ocean to get there, and that wasn’t happening until I found a hover craft. Then an idea was thrown at me by my half-asleep brain. I would hike my way to the facility on the northwest section of Asia. I was only about a two week hike. I was struck by how lucky I was it was only two weeks away. If I had been at the other encampment Peirce could’ve been at, I would have been stranded, bait even, for the guards of the Cursed One. I laughed harshly in my mind, imagining Dare laughing with me. Dare and I had decided to call that evil bucket of slime Peirce, the Cursed One because a few years back Kio kept calling him “That curse evil man,” and it made Dare and I get into fit of giggles. Just thinking about Dare made tears come to my red and swollen eyes.

     I searched over my body laying out all my supplies on the ground. Five knives, a bow and arrows, a vial of poison, two pairs of socks, a packet of fifty hair ribbons, an identification tablet, three foldable packs, and two foldable satchels, a plastic water bottle, a laser stick, disguising paint, a very thin square of fabric, a bottle of iodine, and a reversible-body heating jacket. Not to mention the special qualities of my clothes.

     I unfolded a pack and a satchel. I stuffed all the other things back into many small pockets hidden inside my clothes and all over the outside. My cargo pants had more pockets than the average kind, that’s for sure. I set out the two bags in my hands, to find some useful materials. With the mansion completely demolished, it would be very easy. Right off I found a coiled wire and a knot of bright red rope. Next I found a harness (Weird, right? But I took it anyways. You never know!) Then as I continued on I noticed a pile of clothes. I tramped over and looked over some of it. I ended up with four t-shirts, a button up white shirt, three long skirts, five pairs of jeans and athletic pants, two pairs of athletic shorts, three bras, five underwear, and two pairs of lace up hiking boots. There was plenty more, but these were the only ones I found useful.

     Next, I headed out to the where the kitchen used to be. I gathered together some food items. Fruits and veggies mostly. But only vegetables that didn’t require boiling, of course. I did grab a few cobs of corn. I could make popcorn over the fire one night. I grabbed some cans of spaghetti-o and also a box of cheerios. I could strap that to the back of my back pack.  I also grabbed several water bottles. It’s a good thing I brought that bottle of iodine. Iodine is always good to have when you’re a top spy agent, because you never know when you’ll have to purify unclean water.

     I slung my bags over my shoulder and knelt at Cassie’s grave. I kissed the sod where her head would be if she was on the surface and held up my index finger and middle finger, then touched them to the nape of my neck and held them to my lips. This is a sign of peace, love, and goodbyes. At least among the rebels.

     I decided there was no use in waiting around so I got to walking. This was going to be an easy trek, with eight to nine miles a day. Though, it might take an extra day because I was so overcome with guilt and grief. I soon left the charred sight of the mansion, and about time to. Staff and residents would be emerging from the bunker today. With that thought I set myself a steady jogging pace and continued for about two hours. I passed trees that looked burned, and was glad to see that any trees that had ignited were extinguished. The wood was too green for that then. I passed beautiful pines and icy streams. I stopped occasionally and drank from the streams, using the dropper to ooze the iodine into the water jug.

     Around noon I stopped and leaned against a tree. I dropped my bow and closed my eyes. The sun turned my eyelids orange. The rough bark tangled in my long auburn hair. It curls frizzed around my ears. I sighed and slid down the tree. I set my pack down, grateful for the rest. Jogging for two hours sure tires you out. I grabbed my bow and slung my bag back over my back. I advanced and readied my bow. Hunting for a squirrel or some rabbits would be easy, and eating them would be even easier. My reflexes were sharp, anyone would expect it, I was a top secret agent. I scanned the foliage and the ferns. I saw a quick darting movements and my arrow was in the squirrel’s throat. It fell to the ground and I pulled out one of the several knives in my belt. I quickly cleaned it and threw the entrails in the stream. Wouldn’t want to attract any hungry bears, now would we? 

     I sat by the stream and prepared to eat the raw meat, too afraid to cook it for fear the smoke might be seen. I was only five to seven miles away from the wrecked and charred remains of Peirce’s mansion. I put my hand down as I tore into the meat. I was ravenous. The stone burned my hand and I sucked my teeth and pulled it up. Then a brilliant idea struck me. I lied down the rabbit on a flat rock in full sunlight. Then I stuck my hand in the stream and watched as little tadpoles and minnows swam between my fingers. I caressed the soft green moss on the stream bed and watched as little particles floated away.

    In a couple of minutes I heard sizzling and saw the rabbit was getting warm. I rubbed some cool water on the back of my neck. I put my hand on the top of my head and my dark hair had heated up pretty fast. I decided so had the rabbit, and even if it hadn’t I had to keep moving before the scent attracted too many hungry animals. I nibbled on the rabbit and was delighted that it was warm and delicious. I quickly polished it off and stopped to pick some blackberries. I popped one in my mouth and swiftly broke the skin with my mouth and sighed as the sweet tangy taste spread over my tongue.

     I continued to walk and the time flew by. I calculated how many days it would take me to get to the training camp. I took quick inventory of my food and water supply. I restocked the water in the stream that I had been following, and climbed a tree. I took the sleeping bag and turned it inside out so it would be cool on the inside. I climbed inside and tied myself to the tree with the thick circle of rope and strung my bow just in case. I closed my eyes and fell asleep, exhausted.