by Tina Chan
She peeked behind her; several law enforcement officers searched the streets of Alma. Each officer shone his or her flashlight down every nook and cranny. They kicked the trashcans lining the streets and peered under the porches in front of the houses.
Somehow, Kristi always managed to stay just out of reach of their flashlights. Spotting a stack of empty fruit crates, she darted behind the rotting wood. The stench of overripe apples, bananas and pears clogged up her nose, forcing her to breath through her mouth.
Kristi crossed her fingers and wished for all the officers to bypass her. And most of them did—they walked right by without giving a second look at the fruit crates. Except for one officer who stared at her hiding spot a few seconds too long for comfort.
“Linda, let’s go,” a senior officer yelled. “There’s nobody there.”
“One minute, sir,” replied Linda. She strode towards Kristi. “I’ll catch up with you in a minute, sir!”
Kristi crouched lower to the ground and pressed herself against the wall. Linda kicked over the stack of crates concealing Kristi and shone her flashlight a bit too far to the right. Kristi stopped breathing and began praying Linda would leave, like all her comrades did.
Linda didn’t; she swung her flashlight straight onto Kristi and yelled, “I found someone!”
Kristi made a run for it. She ducked underneath Linda’s arm while Linda fumbled for her handgun. The woods, Kristi thought frantically. The trees should provide some protection from the bullets.
There was just one problem with her plan. In order to reach the woods, she needed to cross fifty yards of open space.
She pounded down the pavement, sneakers slapping loudly. A solar-car crossed by; Kristi seized this opportunity to surge across the road, causing the driver to honk irritably when he slammed on the breaks. The car squealed to a stop less than a foot away from her.
There was a brief moment of silence while Kristi momentarily lost the officers on her trail. Rising walls on either side of her provided plenty of shadows for her to blend into. A door ahead opened and an arm snagged Kristi around her waist, pulling her inside of the stone building. The door slammed shut and someone locked it.
“Seemed like you needed some place to hide,” a voice grunted in the darkness. “Don’t worry, you’re safe here. There’s a hiding place in the fireplace for you if the officers decide to search the store.”
A solar lamp flickered on, allowing Kristi to discern that she was in a bookstore. All the shades were drawn over the windows and the person who pulled her inside was a woman who looked to be in her fifties. The woman thrust Kristi into the fireplace before she had a chance to protest.
“You comfortable in there?” the woman asked.
“Yeah,” she lied, feeling cramped. She was in a hidden compartment within the fireplace; the compartment was just barely big enough to fit a person.
“Alright. I’m going to close the lid over you now.” The woman dimmed the solar lamp and slid the lid above Kristi shut with a click.
It felt like several hours had passed by the time the woman let Kristi out from the fireplace. In reality, only forty-five minutes had elapsed.
“Thanks for hiding me.” Kristi scraped some ash and soot off her skin.
“No problem,” the bookstore keeper said. “I’m so tired of the government sticking their noses in other people’s business. I don’t understand why they can’t just leave people alone. Been here for thirty-six years and every time I see someone running down the street, I let them hide here. Government has stuck their noses in my own business too. God knows that fireplace has seen more thieves, beggars and lawbreakers than any other.”
Kristi wasn’t sure how she felt to be lumped together with criminals. But then again, she reasoned, officially, she was a wanted fugitive. “I really appreciate your help, but I should get going.”
The woman opened the door and let her back out into the streets. “Remember Beth the Bookkeeper if you ever need a safe place to stay,” she said before closing the door.
Kristi took a huge gulp of the crisp, night air. Breathing in fresh air felt heavenly after living off stuffy air for forty-five minutes.
Jaiden was already at the intersection between Rhine Lane and Route 56.
“Thank God, you’re alive,” he said as soon as he saw her approach. He looked rumpled and sweaty, but was otherwise unharmed.
“Never felt so good be alive.”
Less than five minutes passed and Chelsa came jogging over to them with Ghost by her heels. She had scratches on her face and hands; her hair was littered with leaves and twigs.
“I don’t think we should stay in Alma for the night,” Chelsa said. She shook out her hair, displacing some of the sprigs. “It’ll be safer if we camped outside.” Chelsa purposely spoke only to Kristi and ignored Jaiden, still angry with him about his electro-slate.
“I’m sorry,” Jaiden said, catching the drift. “I honestly didn’t know there was a tracker in the slate. I acted inappropriately when you smashed my electro-slate; I understand you were concerned about our safety.”
Chelsa’s expression softened a bit. “Apology accepted.” Then, after an awkward moment of silence, she added, “I apologize too. I shouldn’t have been so rude to you. You didn’t know any better about the tracker in you electro-slate.”
“Apology accepted. So we’re cool, right? No hard feelings?”
“No hard feelings.”
“Can we move on?” Kristi said. “Save the touchy, feely stuff for later, when I’m not about to fall asleep on my feet.”
“Sure. I found a nice clearing in the woods.”
“Get up! No time for extra snoozing!” Chelsa’s voice brought Kristi out of her slumber.
Kristi grabbed the pillow from beneath her head and smacked Chelsa. Then she settled back down for more sleep. She considered her sleep to be very important.
“I said get up,” Chelsa said.
“Well, then I say shut up,” said Kristi. She wondered when had she and Chelsa started harassing each other in a friendly way. Probably the past couple of days. Surviving so many near-death experiences has an uncanny way of bringing people closer together. The learning centers ought to consider putting students through near-death-scenarios for their teambuilding exercises.
“I might as well get up seeing as I won’t get any more sleep,” Kristi grumbled good-naturedly, wiggling out from her sleeping bag.
“That’s the spirit,” said Chelsa. “There’s no time to waste when we have a long trip ahead of us.”
Kristi noted that Chelsa was already dressed and had her sleeping bag rolled. Jaiden came back into the tent to roll up his own sleeping bag. Seeing no other options, Kristi reproachfully trundled up her own, warm, comfy sleeping bag.
“Here’s breakfast.” Chelsa handed her a protein bar. “I’ll go take down the tent in the meantime.”
Kristi took a huge bite out of the bar. It had a chocolate-peanut butter flavor, which tasted pretty good considering it had expired a week ago.
“Let’s hit the road,” Chelsa said. “We should reach the town of Oxfield by nightfall. Hopefully we’ll be able to refuel without running into any problems. However, we should be even more on our guard after our narrow escape last night.”
“Perhaps we should change our appearances?” Kristi suggested.
“Can’t believe I didn’t think of that.”
Chelsa dug out a knife from her boots and motioned for Kristi to come over. “How much of your hair do you want me to cut?” She fingered Kristi’s hair, which almost hung to her waist.
“A bit past my shoulders sounds good.”
Chelsa started hacking away. She worked quickly and efficiently, cutting off hunks of hair. Within minutes, the ground around them was littered with clumps of hair. Jaiden watched with a certain amount of interest, chomping on his breakfast.
“All done.” Chelsa rinsed off her knife with water from her water bottle.
Kristi shook her head back and forth, tr
ying to get used to the lightness of it now that two thirds of her hair had been cut off. I never knew hair could be so heavy.
Kristi looked at Jaiden. “Your turn.”
He stood there, combing through his hair with his fingers. A small songbird fluttered to the ground near his feet, tilting its head. Then the bird picked up a cluster of Kristi’s fallen hair with its tiny beak and flapped away.
Chelsa watched the songbird fly away, carrying its precious cargo, with a slight smile. “I’ve forgotten chickadees like to line their nests with hair.”
Eventually, Jaiden allowed Chelsa to cut his hair.
“Thanks?” he said once Chelsa was done. The word came out unsure.
“Never knew you were vain about your hair,” Kristi said.
“I’m not.” He shuffled over to his backpack and lifted the considerably lighter pack onto his shoulder.
The sun threw a golden glow across the sky. The temperature today was cooler than yesterday and a biting wind cut through the air. Kristi burrowed deeper into her jacket.
The three of them trekked along the road, shoes encrusted with mud that was the result of last night’s drizzle, feeling heavy on their feet. Several solar-cars zipped by, passengers and drivers shielded from the outside world by tinted windows.
“Wish we had a car,” Jaiden said, not for the first time. “We could’ve reached Charleston within four days.”
“Suck it up, toughie.” Chelsa spread her arms open, waving to the open space all around them. “What’s the harm of walking? You get to enjoy the fresh air, the scenery and get some exercise as well.”
“You get to enjoy being drenched in rain, swarmed by bugs and blisters on your feet,” Jaiden said.
“You big wimp.” She punched Jaiden lightly in the arm. “And to think that I thought you were good at everything!”
“Your compliment flatters me, but being good at something doesn’t mean I enjoy it. It’s hard work being perfect, you know.”
Chelsa and Kristi looked at each other and rolled their eyes. “Right Jaiden, it’s just so hard to walk,” said Kristi.
“Aren’t you supposed to be the manly one? From what I’m seeing, both Kristi and I beat you in our manliness.” Chelsa let out a bark of amusement.
“I never knew you were sexist,” Jaiden replied.
“Discovering new stuff every day, aren’t you?” Kristi said.
They continued bantering in a friendly fashion, not noticing a rider slow his droid-horse’s pace to keep at the same speed as them until he coughed to grab their attention.
“How may we help you, sir?” Jaiden asked.
“I was wondering where you are headed towards,” said the stranger.
“Launceston,” Kristi lied, figuring it wouldn’t be a smart idea to entrust a stranger with their destination. Launceston was two towns before Oxfield. What is this guy doing on Route 56 by himself anyways? Is he an idiot? Nobody travels by themselves on such a dangerous route.
“I’m going there as well. However, I am rather unfamiliar with the roads. Would you mind if I accompanied you?” He scratched his balding head then yanked on the reins to halt his droid-horse.
He’s giving me a creepy vibe. Kristi scooted a few steps away from the flea-bitten grey droid-horse. She pulled the hood of her jacket down before Creepy Guy could get a clear look at her face.
“Will one of you kindly please answer my question?” Creepy Guy inquired.
“We’ll slow down your traveling because we don’t have droid-horses,” said Chelsa. Her tone wasn’t hostile, but it wasn’t friendly either.
“That’s alright. I have a few friends that will be joining me later. They have some droid-horses they can spare for you to ride to Launceston.” The man dismounted elegantly, his boots barely raising a puff of dirt from the ground.
Chelsa raised an eyebrow but made no comment about their unwanted companion. Kristi swallowed her apprehension and allowed Creepy Guy to walk beside her.
chapter fifteen
[ Kristi ]
They traveled in silence for the next half mile until Creepy Guy shattered the quietness. “My friends should be here soon,” he said, raising his voice towards the end of the sentence.
Ambush! Kristi’s brain barely had time to register the thought when several bandits hidden around the bend sprung on them.
A woman with studs glimmering in her eyebrows swung down from an overhead branch, knocking the breath out of Kristi. She landed hard, sprawling on her back. Then she rolled over and jumped to her feet, doubling over and clutching her guts.
“Jaiden—” Kristi wheezed.
Wham!
The same woman backhanded her across her face. Kristi noted her eyes were an alarming shade of crimson.
“Don’t touch my sister,” Jaiden snapped. Creepy Guy wrenched Jaiden’s arms into a lock, but he twisted away.
Meanwhile, Chelsa was kept busy dodging two bandits wearing identical bandanas. Kristi slithered out of the grapple of the crimson-eyed bandit. She only managed to take three steps before another one tackled her to the ground though, ramming her head against a jagged rock. Silver light flashed in her vision. She snapped her eyelids open in time to see a hand reach down, hauling her onto her feet.
“Thanks,” Kristi said, thinking it was Chelsa who had helped her.
An arm wrapped around her neck and arms, immobilizing her. “You’re welcome,” purred a voice that was definitely not Chelsa’s into her ear.
Kristi wheezed for air, like a fish out of water.
“Let her go, Mag,” Creepy Guy’s coarse voice ordered.
Mag gave Kristi one last squeeze then released her from the headlock. Kristi tenderly rubbed her bruised windpipe, flinching at the soreness.
A few passing cars slowed down to see what was happening, but no one came to help them; Kristi didn’t blame them. Making an enemy out of bandits was not a good idea.
“Put your hands in the air and do not move,” Creepy Guy ordered.
They obeyed him without a protest. Being surrounded by twenty bandits was intimidating.
Think, Kristi, think! You’re a smart girl so figure out a way to get out of this mess. She scanned her surroundings for anything that could be useful.
There were eight droid-horses standing beneath an oak tree and no one was watching them. About three of the bandits were engrossed with searching and sorting through their backpacks. Only five bandits were keeping an eye on them.
A car screeched to a stop and a woman stepped out.
“You don’t see anything, lady,” Creepy Guy yelled at her. “Mind your own business and we’ll mind our own.”
She shaded her eyes and yelled something back. The remaining five bandits keeping an eye on Jaiden, Chelsa and Kristi diverted their interest to the woman and Creepy Guy’s conversation being shouted back and forth.
“Jaiden, Chelsa,” Kristi whispered. “Make a run for the droid-horses. We won’t be able to escape on foot, but we can on the horses.”
They both nodded to show they heard, then simultaneously dashed for the droid-horses. The woman and Creepy Guy were yelling so loud and causing such a commotion it took a few seconds for the bandits to realize their captives were making an escape.
“Grab the other horses so they can’t ride them to chase us,” Kristi said to Jaiden and Chelsa before swinging into the saddle of the nearest droid-horse. By the time she snatched the reins of the droid-horse beside her, the bandits were already hot on their trail. Kristi spurred her mount into a gallop.
Eyeing the bandits behind her, Kristi noticed that Jaiden had already thrown off the bandit chasing him and had two other horses in hand. Chelsa was struggling; she held the reins of two horses in her left hand, but a bandit had somehow managed to get astride one of them.
The bandit on the horse brandished a dagger and cut the reins of the horse he was riding.
“Ride to Oxfield,” Kristi said. She wasn’t sure if Jaiden and Chelsa heard her, so she repeated herself.
The lone bandit on the droid-horse was the only bandit Kristi could see pursuing them. They had left the rest behind in their mad gallop. The bandit seemed to realize this and yanked on the broken reins of his horses. The droid screeched to a stop, spraying mud all over her.
“You better hope you never see us again!” the bandit hollered. “I promise you’ll regret it!”
“And I hope I never see your face again either,” Kristi dryly said to herself.
She drove her horse into a faster pace, even though the poor droid was already running close to its top speed. A sign passed by reading: Oxfield 3 miles.
Chelsa pulled her horse next to Kristi’s and said, “Slow down. We’re attracting too much attention at this break-neck speed and the circuits in the horses will burn out at this rate.”
Kristi reduced her droid-horse’s pace to a steady canter. At last, the road leading to Oxfield came into view. She dismounted, thus giving her droid-horse the chance to recover a bit. The warning light located on the shoulder of the droid-horse blinked crazily, warning Kristi that the droid was overheating.
“You guys okay?” she asked.
“Yeah,” Chelsa said.
“I managed to snag one of our bags in the chaos.” Jaiden dropped a half empty backpack and examined the remaining items. “Good news: we still have the electro-slate. Bad news: most of our supplies and food are gone. The ID cards are gone as well.”
Chelsa let out a sigh. “We should be fine as long as we have an electro-slate. We can buy everything else we need in town, including some fake IDs.”
Kristi surveyed the seven horses they stole. Three were brown, one was gray, one was black and two were dun colored. They all seemed to be in reasonably good shape, especially after a hard run at a speed that could’ve blown their fuses.
“Pick the horse you want.” Kristi patted a droid-horse on its flank. “I call dibs on the gray one.”
The gray horse was the droid she had ridden. He had the same build as Flurry and responded well to commands when Kristi rode him. She stroked his neck and scratched behind his ears, missing Flurry even more now that she was surrounded by droid-horses.
