X-Marks: Hiding Shadows

Over

A glow of flames crawled up the flowing hills of wildflowers and tangled weeds where we stood. My feet ached from the blisters that ripped away like soft paper. My back had also seen much better days, but still, I was drawn to the lights ahead.

"We've been walking for hours," Ocean said, the wear in her voice came through.

Mat grunted from behind, "Like I said, we should've stopped for the night."

"Come on, we're almost there!" Evee said and crossed her arm, "Nate said so."

Nate veered his path from Mat to walk behind Evee instead. Even in the dark, I could see Mat's eyes were lit with his own flame.

"Only been with us for three days," Mat said and pointed to Nate, "And now he thinks he knows everything?"

Nate walked further into Evee's path and made himself unseen. I wanted to shield him too. I'd become used to Mat but hadn't forgotten how his words could make someone feel.

"He still deserves a chance," I said and pointed back to Mat.

Ocean paused on the path and snapped a branch on her way.

"Once the sun is down," Ocean said and turned to Mat, "If we don't see it then we'll set up for the night."

Mat raised his head towards the red rays of the sunset.

"Whatever," Mat said and walked faster, "That won't be long."

And so we walked up the endless hills and through the fields of weeds and wildflower that grew up to our knees. The sun like a grain of sand in the horizons hourglass.

"I'm setting the tent," Mat said after some time and pulled supplies from his bag, "We might as well get some use out of it."

For once, Mat was right.

"Not yet!" Evee protested and kept walking ahead.

"Now what?" Mat shouted to Evee and continued to unpack his bag.

I looked at the whirl of lights ahead. They all pointed to the farthest reaches, all but for one.

"It's not even dark yet," Evee said with her hands on her hips.

"All the more reason to pitch this tent!" Mat said as he counted the tent pitches with a pointed finger.

Ocean shivered within her coat, "Maybe he's right?" she said.

"Wait, look up there," I said, and I pointed to a lone light far in the horizon.

"Yeah, so what," Mat said.

"I think, I know what Valen's saying," Evee said and put her hand on her forehead, "You think that's the home right?"

I nodded and looked ahead at the path.

"So," Evee said and stretched her neck to Mat, "We'll have to stop there anyway."

"Oh no you don't," Mat said and waved his hands, "I gave you all until nightfall."

"And it's not night yet, is it?" Evee said and flashed the blue light back on and continued to walk.

Mat folded the tent back into his bag and grunted behind our trail.

"We better hope this is it," Ocean said from beside me, her warm breath made clouds above the blue light.

***

"Well, do you have something to say now?" Mat stood in front of a hill. The high moon hit his head like a silver crown.

My mouth parted as I stared at the top of the hill and searched for any familiar blue speck of light. It was there. I saw it, we all saw it.

"Just like I thought," Mat snickered.

"Okay Matt," Evee said and laid down her bag to rest, "You can lay off now."

Matt snickered again and crossed his arms, "Well, someone needs to keep you all in order."

"Order?" Evee said and rushed towards Mat, "I'll show you order!"

"If you focused on the tent as much as you do on each other," Ocean said and dropped her bag, "The tent would be pitched by now."

Evee and Mat cowered in their tracks as if they were two children being scolded by their mother. I had no chance to yell at them myself when I was still hunting for the missing blue flame.

It couldn't just have disappeared, could it?

"Hey, did you see any extra spikes?" Evee said and patted her hands on the ground.

"I should have one -" Ocean replied.

"Nevermind," Evee said and continued to pat, "It was behind the bag. Couldn't see over it."

Over, I said to myself.

"Evee!" I gasped and ran to her, "Where's the tracker?"

Evee reached out with the tracker. I grabbed it from her hands and up the hill.

"Where are you going?" Evee shouted from behind.

"I'll be right back!" I said sprinted down the other side.

"I better not have to pitch this all myself!" Mat said and shook his head.

Atop the hill, the star spotted sky was washed with violet to its ends. I flashed the blue light onto the blacks of the rolling hills, and there it sat, dim but clear enough to know. The glowing symbol of a hatted box.

"I don't think, you'll have to pitch anything," I shouted below to the others.