»» BOOK #2 of the X-MARKS: Shadows Series «« Valen and her friends are on the run once again. After their camp is disassembled, they take shelter in a series of traveling homes and meet hosts that will shape their journey in unexpected ways.
When...
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Tall yellow grass brushed our waists as we passed through the flat field ahead. Above the beaming sun was pitched high in the sky and burned at my neck through my sweat soaked t-shirt.
"We've been walking in circles!" Mat said and swatted the grass with his fists.
Nate looked at the map and shook his head, "It has to be here somewhere."
Evee pointed towards a paved part of the grassy field, "I haven't seen that before," she said.
"Yes, we have," Mat protested, "We've seen that at least twelve times."
"Then what is it?" Ocean said and squinted her eyes in the same direction.
"It's a tree, or a rock - or something," Mat stuttered.
"There are trees and rocks everywhere!" Evee shouted and swung down her open hands toward Mat.
"Would you both just keep going," I said and gritted my teeth that were still bitter with the taste of not being believed.
We walked towards the paved part of the yellow field where the grass grew low and sparse. Through the gaps in the grass, there was a gloomy looking home the color of mud. The homes flat roof was stuffed with hay, and its backyard was enclosed by a white picket fence that stretched beyond my view. Behind the wall, row after row of fresh green crops flourished under the bright sun.
As we got closer to the home, little figures dashed between the crops. All of them were boys, eleven at first count. Most of them were our heights, a few were shorter, but one soared to an impossible height. They all laughed in a joyous choir as they kicked a blue ball between them. The ball danced and swerved around the ankles with speed.
The tallest boy stopped his game and pointed his foot in our direction. His shaven head and deep brown skin shone in the sun as he walked through the white gate and towards us.
"Who are you?" the boy said with an accent that cut his words into pieces.
"We were told we could stay here," Evee said and stood in front of us.
"Who told you this!" the boy exclaimed with stark white teeth as he smirked.
"Who told us?" Mat said and ripped the postcard from Nate's hand.
"Mosi," a smaller boy said and tugged on the tall boy's tan pant leg, "Mother will be very upset if you make our guests angry."
The small boy was as deep in complexion as Mosi. His large eyes took over most of his round face. Behind them, the other boys had stopped their game to watch us.
"Can never be sure," Mosi said, and took the postcard from Mat, "Father would want it that way. It is just the rules."
"But it is Mother's rule that comes first, Mosi," the smaller boy replied as if reciting something he had heard.
