The Blue Mountain Affair

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Lane was sitting between the brothers in the exact spot she met them a few days earlier.  Joe was scanning the area below; making sure no one was around while Peter and Lane, kept an eye out behind them.  Not one unusual sound had been heard for hours.  If the brothers were anything, they were cautious, that or they really hated those chains.  Lane could hear the familiar calls of the birds around her, chirps that had kept her company these many years her father had been building his small farm, she loved discovering the different types that lived around this area.  She focussed on them as she built up her courage to face the next stage of their plan.  She was glad of the time she had been able to spend here hiding behind bushes as she wasn’t yet sure if she could manage to see the place her parents had suffered and died, hence the intense fascination with the birds.

“Lane?” she heard Peter say, and turned to him. Over the last forty eight hours Lane had come to the conclusion that Peter was the thinker and Joe was the action man.  Not that you could pull the wool over Joe’s eyes, no sir, these brothers were equals.  They respected each other and had a strong connection.  Sometime’s they didn’t even have to speak and conversation would transpire between them.  Peter made more of an effort to talk to her though, so naturally Lane was inclined to be more open with him as well.

“What?” Lane replied.

“Now you know where everything is?" Lane nodded her head.  "Let Joe know right away so he can get to work digging it up, then you look for the map.”  Even though she had been observing their characters, and felt somewhat safe, Lane wasn’t entirely ready to put her whole trust in these two yet. The anxiety she carried after telling Peter about the map and supplies kept growing since yesterday morning.  They had not given her any signs that they would betray her, or even kill her once they had what they needed. However, she wanted to play it safe still, until she was certain.  She wasn't quite know when that would be though.

“Yes, I know you’ve told me that already.” Lane snapped, Peter placed his hand over hers and gave it a squeeze.

“Joe won’t let anything happen to you, you know that right?” Lane looked to Peter again, who was sitting close enough for her to feel his breath brush past her face when he looked her way too.

“Well I don’t really know, but I gave you my word didn’t I?”

“Yes you did Lane and I gave ours.”  Peter replied firmly.  Lane nodded her head, yes indeed, she did give Peter her word and she would have to hope that his was as good as hers.

“Come on Lane I think its time.”  Joe said leaning over to grab her other hand.  Peter released his hold and the brothers exchanged another of their knowing glances. Joe nodded keeping a hold of Lanes hand, then pulled her behinf him to where he first found her, to begin their descent down the side of the hill.  His grip was tight and steadied Lane when she slipped, which was often.  “How the heck were you going to make this on your own?”  Joe asked when they were almost at the bottom.

“Like every time Joe.”  Just as Lane said this her foot slid with some loose rocks and she fell onto her back.  Joe wasn’t fast enough to stop her body from sliding further so he was knocked off his feet too, when her legs hit his.  They both rode the tumbling rockslide down the few meters they had left to the bottom.  At the last Joe pulled Lane’s slender form on top of his to prevent the sudden impact of hitting the ground below.  They laid there in the dust which surrounded them for a few minutes until it settled, then Lane lifted her body off Joes' and smiled down at him. 

“See, like that.” She laughed. “But it was much better landing on something soft this time.”  She heard Joe chuckle as he helped her up to standing.