Clouds

Part 2-5 Misty Mountain

Part 5

            Colby’s grip is tight around my hand.  We run into the night, away from the shop, away from our normal lives.  Misty runs like crazy, as if she is half her age.

            I don’t think I’ve ever run this fast, and every few seconds my legs trip and I stumble to regain my balance and keep up.  But every time that happens Colby glances at me with an encouraging smile.

            There aren’t many woods in Shrouded Glade, so it is hard to run undetected by the guards.  But Misty knows this land like her own backyard, and takes us towards the mountains, where we can take refuge in headquarters.

            The moon is bright, full, and the stars shine, giving us a good sense of direction.  The sky is on our side: it is not bright enough for anyone to spot us running and tell who we are.

            I briefly close my eyes and say a quick prayer for Emedee.

            Please keep her safe during her journey, and let her enjoy herself on the Coastline.

            I add in a selfish prayer for myself as well.

            And please let me see her again.

            I open my eyes and find that we are almost to the mountains.  We must be on the western side of Shrouded Glade now.

            “Just a few more minutes,” Colby whispers to me.  I nod, and stumble again.  “Then we can rest.”

            And what a long few minutes it is.

            We keep running, having already lost the guards, and even Colby begins to grow a bit faint.  And so when we finally reach Misty Mountain, I collapse inside the tunnel.

            “Come on,” Misty says.  “You’ll have plenty of time to settle in later.”  I nod and get up.  Colby takes my hand again as Misty leads the way down the tunnels system, taking a specific route to get to our destination.  We follow closely, and Colby’s heartbeats become rapid.

            That’s right: he’s afraid of tight places.

            I take a step away from him and Colby glances at me, saying thank you.  Any time, Colby.

            It’s amazing how well Misty can see in the dark: it’s pitch black in here, yet she leads the way towards the light we can now see.  It is faint, but we’ll be in Headquarters in a matter of minutes.

            “Here we are,” Misty says, mumbling a few words that gain us access to the space under her mountain.  The glass doors, hidden by a wall of dirt, open, and Colby and I squint in the sudden light.

            It’s been an awfully long time since I’ve been here.

            Have I ever even been here?

            If so, I certainly don’t remember it being this big.

            A long hallway greets us, photos of different members along the wall.  Before that, a desk, with a lady around Misty’s age reading a newspaper behind it, is in this first room.  It resembles a lobby, different shades of light blue and off-whites must be the theme.

            “Welcome to your new home for the next several months,” Misty says.  Colby and I glance at each other.  This will be our home?  People live here?