Playing with Fire

18

I turn my stiff head around to see Adam behind me, supporting my body and behind him was Toboni.

Looking extremely worried.

"Where's the others?" I ask.

"Gone in a different direction." Adam responds in a friendly manner. "Ruben wanted to support Lee whilst he wanted to help Daniel-" he stops with a little laugh under his breath then quits.

"Sorry, please. Continue." I tell him, taking the tissue which Toboni passes to me and wiping it under my nose.

"He wanted to help Daniel by assisting him to Stythe," he continues. "And the reason why we came along was that Toboni was the first to run towards you because she trusts you. I can see it in her eyes when you two make eye-contact. I followed behind her and I didn't want you to walk alone and you could've got kidnapped by that one heckuva tyrant." 

I see Toboni's frown transform into a smile.

"Oh," she grabs a pistol from her jacket pocket. My pistol. She holds my hand out and puts it in the palm of my hand and forces my fingers around it. "Completely forgot about this."

I look down at it, then back at Toboni. "Thank you." 

She nods and waits beside Adam.

"So... are we goin' or not?" Adam asks.

At least these two are eager to go!

I nod and smile. I stabilize myself by gripping hold of Adam's muscular arm and walk off as I was about to start my first steps. I turn to face the duo and smile.

"Alright then, lets go." I reply, hands on my hips.

Adam looks at Toboni and she does the same and shrug their shoulders in unison, then beam at me. 

"That's good." Adam comments and we walk onward. 

*

Trees keep appearing around us as if we have been circling but I know we aren't circling because we haven't encountered any twists and turns-

I think.

Adam, Toboni and I walk in a horizontal line and but that doesn't fill up the road. Adam and Toboni are by my side, looking ahead until-

"Wait!" Toboni stuck out her arm to stop Adam and I.

"What is it?" Adam asks.

Toboni points ahead and we see a small village, buildings are built out of cobblestone, mortar, wood and glass, the road is still the same but I realise why the road is twice the size of us. Horses clop up and down the road with their reigns attached to a wooden cart which is full of hay. Cows, sheep, more horses were scattered across the grassy areas behind the houses and inside fenced areas which Adam says that they are farms.

"This must be Haven..." I say to myself is astonishment. "I have never seen a place like this in my life..."

Toboni is silent, admiring the view.

"Well, what are we waitin' for?" Adam says but-

Thump-budda-thump-budda-thump

It isn't fast and aggressive. It is slow and passive.

"Quick!" I tell the two and we all run and hide behind a bush.

The horse with a cart stops in front of the bush which we hide in and on top of that horse is a man with tanned skin, black hair and the stereotypical farmer suit.

"Whatchya hidin' from?" he questions.

Crap!

We get up and face him. Toboni, looking scared, I am feeling scared and Adam isn't feeling or looking scared one single bit.

"Whatchya names?"

"This is Annie," Adam points at Toboni but his voice sounds all farmer-ish, like that farmer in front of us. "I'm Levi," he points at himself. "And this is Victoria."

Annie?

Levi?

VICTORIA?!

"Well, nace ta meetcha. Am James!" he holds his hand out to us.

Toboni takes his hand and shakes it, so does Adam. When James' hand reaches to me, I shake it awkwardly as I have not shaken someone's hand in my life.

"Well, James, we're 'bout to go to 'Aven... care if we hop in yer cart?" Adam asks.

"Sure thing Levi. Hawp in! Annie, Victoria, come awn! 'eading 'at way anyway!" 

We all clamber in and James rides us through the woods, focusing ahead on Haven. 

"Why are you lying about our names?!" I hiss at Adam silently.

"It's our only way to get to Haven without 'em knowing we are outlaws." he whispers.

I roll my eyes and fold my arms, body bobbling side-to-side by the potholes within the road ahead of us. The hay is incredibly soft but irritant to my burns which are still on my legs, arms and back.

I put my jacket on and continue glaring at Adam.

Toboni is staring out of the side of the cart, her short hair blowing against the wind. Mine is too, but its too long and it's getting in my face. Adam's lucky as he has very short hair.

"Raight Levi and gals, we're 'ere," James tells us. "Welcome to 'Aven!"