Cache

Chapter 16 ~ Run, Forest, Run!

We've been running for quite some time now.

I'd say an hour, maybe more and slowly our pace has dropped further and further.
Now with our lungs burning and our legs shaking I finally pause at a tree and allow Dana to drop at its roots.

The shrubbery is thick so I feel safe resting here.

I can barely see two metres ahead through the plantation and the loud calls of various birds easily mask our panting.

"It can't be much longer. We are close to a town, it's just a matter of ensuring that we are running in a straight line and not in circles." I wheeze out and majorly regret dropping all sports once I finished school.

It doesn't help that it's mid-summer and the weather is easily spiking over thirty degrees.
Dana's hair is a frizzy mess and her cheeks bright red from exertion.
I'm sure that I mirror her.

Dana not wanting to waste her precious breath simply nods and closes her eyes briefly, hitting her head lightly as she relaxes against the tree.

I tense and fight the urge to pull her up again and run.

My skin prickles with anxiety as I imagine the men being hot on our trails.
But I can't carry Dana around so taking time recuperating is the only way for Dana and I to get out of this.

Reluctantly I lower myself onto the soft earth and start playing with various leaves scattered across the ground.

I ignore the dirt staining my jeans, figuring that my expression of fear already looks feral enough so when we find people the clothes will be the least of their worries.

It's funny the whole time during this experience I constantly assured myself that we would make it out.
I thought I had no doubt when it concerned our freedom, we were always going to escape.

However now sitting here, heart racing only partly due to exertion and mainly due to fear I realise that I was lying to myself the whole time.

I blocked out my negative mindset by obsessing over our 'escape' I used our liberation as a cover to forget that I deep down believed that we weren't going to make it.

I'm still in disbelief as the earth runs through my fingers, I didn't think that I'd be able to do this again.
I'd never be able to appreciate the little things again.

Glancing up at Dana who is still sagging against the tree and I know that my face matches her look of absolute relief.

We did it, we outsmarted those brutes and now I'm going to make sure that they get caught.

Straight after Dana and I are reunited with our family I'm going to reveal every possible detail about the men and their organisation.
Justice will prevail.
It has to.

We remain sitting here for a few more minutes until the heat starts becoming uncomfortable.
Wishing that I had of thought to somehow bring water I try to ignore the burning at the back of my throat and push myself back onto my stiff legs.

Dana hears me get back up and only groaning slightly she pushes off the tree and follows me once more, further into the bush and hopefully closer to civilisation.

"When I get back I'm going to tell everyone in my class about this."
Dana mutters and I smirk back at her as I remember our last conversation before captivity.

"Even that particular boy?" I tease and whether it's the summer heat or the exercise I notice Dana's cheeks brighten even more under my gaze.

I laugh out loud at her innocent reaction but cut myself short.
The sound shocking me and I glance around nervously, the only other sounds being the leaves crunching under our feet and the whisper of the wind.