Tug of Fate | When Stars Align Book one

The Hike. Again.

🜁 Alisha 🜁

We left early in the morning to go back to the caves. I don't even know what we expect to find. I only remember Julian's face and the urgency in his eyes when he'd made me promise. Ananya and James said something about the cave walls sporting some beautiful, larger than life murals that look like they are almost alive. Their words, not mine. We've been walking in silence for a few hours now. James used his truck until it couldn't go any further. We've been on our feet since.

It is a silent trek. Althea trots along with us. James and Ananya absolutely refused to part with her. In all honesty, none of us could part with that sweet angel either. She's already suffered so much. So here we are, the seven of us, trekking up the trail that had changed everything for us.

The guys keep sneaking glances at their girls and at me. My heart constricts, thinking that even after all these years I have no one to call my own. No mother, no brother, no sister, no friends. Except the guys around me. With a twist of fate, I ended up finding a family. But there is a void in my heart that I don't think will ever be filled.

We have been walking for hours, and we still don't know if we are closer to the cave. Maybe we forgot the way? But James is from these parts of the woods, and he was leading us. But I can't stop thinking that we're missing something. We are crossing a small patch with criss crossed roots on the forest floor, when Logan speaks up, "Guys! Stop. We need to reconvene."

We huddle closer, take our backpacks off, and take out a few breakfast bars and water bottles. As we sit, I see Logan looking beyond, into the forest.

"What is happening Logan? What did you want to talk about?" I ask him

"I can't help thinking that there has got to be a pattern or a sign that we are missing. I remember feeling relaxed and lighter as soon as we'd taken that turn towards the waterfall. But after so many hours of walking, I am nowhere close to that feeling. Am I only one thinking that?" he asks

Ananya replies to him, "No. I have been thinking that too. I am bound to think that there was something magical there, in those lands. Don't laugh at me. But all of this... going into the future, sky being so clear, stars so near, leaves vibrant, the air lighter – it is not in these parts of the woods. Does anybody remember anything that might help us find what was different when Ju - .." she suddenly stops speaking, her voice choking. She is sitting closest to me so I take her hands in mine. And Althea rubs her head against her thighs. She takes a few deep breaths and looks up. After giving me a brief smile, she continues, "Anyone remember anything that might have been a sign, a signal or a landmark or something? I know Julian knew these woods. But none of us had ever encountered peace and beauty like that before..."she shrugs.

"You are right love. There has got to be something we are missing..."Logan says.

I look around helplessly along with the others. I realize we were so dependent on Julian to lead the way that none of us paid attention at all. And when we left, I was on autopilot. Althea starts barking then and starts stomping on the ground. I am still trying to make sense of things when my gaze lands on what Althea is stomping at. The crisscrossed roots .....

Wait... could it mean......

I stand up with a gasp and rush to the nearest trees that have their roots all gnarly and crossing over each other, in the most bizarre yet intricate pattern. The others rush behind me.

"What is it?" Becca asks. Althea has calmed down now and goes to sit next to James.

"These roots... I remember when we had turned left from the trail, there was this beautiful pattern, like a mandala. I wonder if that could be a symbol.... I don't remember anything different..but...." I bite my lip.