Jane's Wish

Chapter Four

Four

Once by the river Layton quickly spots his bow and retrieves it.

I hear Michael breath a sigh of relief beside me and I pat his shoulder.

"So this is where you were?" I ask casually, motioning toward a row of trees a couple feet away from where I would have been earlier.

Layton ignores me and I dare to whistle out of subtlety.

"We better get moving," he says ignorantly.

"Excuse me?" I press.

He shrugs. "What?"

"I derserve an answer," I reply, tapping my foot, hearing it squish the mud underneath me.

"No, you don't,"

"It's not a big deal, just tell me." I say gently.

I watch his eyes shift to the water.

"I was just passing by," He says, meeting my eyes. "Hunting," He adds quickly.

I narrow my eyes as he shrugs. I take a step in front of him and roll my eyes.

"Uh huh,"

An hour and a half later the sun has been shaded out by the trees and we find ourselves tripping as a result. We decide to to take a break under a small ledge in the hillside when Zane complains of how hungry he is.

Reaching back for my bag, I swipe for the air. Turning in circles, I pointlessly search for my bag. "It's not there sherlock,"

I glare at Layton. "Than where is it?" I mutter evily in his direction.

He shrugs.

I sigh, recalling that back at the river I had placed my backpack on the ground when we spotted Layton's bow.

I sink to my knees. "That has all our food!" I cry. "And blankets, and water."

Through my hands I watch Layton roll his eyes. "Rule number two of the forest: Never let go of your supplies."

I stand up. "Right. Because you so didn't just leave your bow." I say sarcastically.

"Whatever. That was Michael and I was busy,"

"Doing what?" I counter.

He glares and I look away. Noticing Zane, I crouch beside him and brush his cheek. "I'm sorry Sweetie. I'll have to find some other food for you,"

I turn my back, out of the cave-like shelter when I hear Layton throw something in Zane's direction. I turn around quickly.

"What is it?" He asks.

"Taste it." He says.

"Is this poisoned?" I ask pointedly.

"I guess you’ll find out." He remarks with a smirk.

"Couldn’t you just give me a yes or no answer?"

"Maybe."

"Ugh" I take the package from Zane and open it, taking a cicular piece out into my hands... It doesn’t feel poisoned. I stick my tongue out and carefully lick it. Hm, it tastes familiar, but I can't put my finger on what it is.

"Are you feeling lightheaded yet?" Layton asks.

I spit the delicious food that I was trying to savor, out of my mouth.

"What did you do to this?" I ask, wiping my tongue on my ragged shirt.

"Nothing." He says laughing, as if it were funny.

I throw the bag at him. "I was just kidding!" He mutters.

I watch worriedly as Layton passes him the bag. Layton notices my expression."Jane, cool it, okay?" He says, taking a piece out of the bag. "They're cookies," He says, chuckling under his breath.

I feel my cheeks grow red. Cookies. My mom used to make the best cookies.

"Oh."

"Do you want some?" Layton asks me. "I think we’ve proven that they’re not poisonous." I roll my eyes and take the bag Zane is holding out to me.

For the next few hours, it grows darker and darker in the cave and rain begins to pelt down outside. An irritating mist creeps in and Layton and I manage to hang the tarp he packed in his own backpack.

Zane and Michael sleep soundly in the corner of the cave, farthest from the opening. With the loudness of the rain, I don't understand how they can possibly be asleep, but I suppose it has been a long day for them.

Layton is on the opposite side of the cave from me, with a flashlight which he is using to look at a map. I stare at him and hope he doesn’t notice. How did I get here? What made me trust him so much that I walked all these miles to an unknown destination, even bringing my little brother with me? Layton could be planning my death for all I know!

Layton looks up and points the flashlight in in my direction. I squint my eyes and he moves the light slightly lower so that it won’t bother me so much.

"You should get some sleep." He says in a whisper.

I sigh. "I can’t sleep."

"Too quiet for you?" He asks sarcastically.

I roll my eyes, listening to every drop of rain as it falls outside."No, I say, shivering, "I’m too cold." I have jeans way too ripped for my own good, and a small t-shirt on, which doesn’t do much to keep my body heat inside. The cave is freezing, and the blankets Layton had are already under and around Michael and Zane.

He thinks for a moment and then says "Come over here."

I stare at him for a while, wondering if this is how he plans to kill me. When I decide against it, I craw to his side.of the cave, which we had earlier stated that neither was to pass. However I’d rather break a dumb rule, that I originally made up, than freeze to death.

I sit awkwardly close to him as he pulls off what would closest resemble a jacket and drapes it over my shoulders. I smile to the warm gesture.

After a moment he goes back to reading his map, but I continue to look at him, even smiling a little. An hour or so passes by where I just watch Layton and take note of his chiseled jawline, and the overall silhouette of his face. Noticing how he squints his eyes when he's confused and how he scrunches his nose when he's frustrated. I giggle a couple of times, and when he raises an eyebrow, I just shrug, knowing that he'll never understand how different this is for me. I haven't been around someone my age in...well,years. To sit here, and just watch someone is what I do. Maybe it's not what most people would call normal, but it's okay with me.

After I've stared and stared to my heart's desire, I finally close my eyes. I'm still conscious when Layton clicks off his flash light. Smiling, I slump down to a lying position. Feeling warm and safe with Layton beside me, I fall to sleep faster than I have in four years.